Storm's Nika Mühl Can't Make Her WNBA Debut Because Her Work Visa Approval Is Taking Forever

If you're expecting a U.S. government agency to handle anything quickly and efficiently, you're going to be disappointed. And Seattle Storm rookie Nika Mühl is finding that out the hard way.

Mühl was the 14th overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft. But two games into the regular season, the former UConn Husky has yet to make her pro debut. That's because the native Croatian can't legally work in the States until the government approves her new visa.

The 23-year-old competed for the Storm during their home preseason game against the Phoenix Mercury. But once she officially graduated from the University of Connecticut earlier this month, her student visa status was terminated. Now, Mühl must wait for her professional work visa to clear. 

The Storm expected Mühl to be able to compete in their home opener against the Minnesota Lynx on Tuesday — as the team's social media account posted a video of her entering Climate Pledge Arena with the caption, "Ready for her debut." But that didn't happen. The 5-foot-11 guard was listed as questionable ahead of Friday's game in Minnesota, but the team ruled her out just before tip-off.

Storm head coach Noelle Quinn expressed some frustration with the delay, but acknowledged there's nothing she can do.

"Just stay patient. Just continue to focus on our day to day processes," Quinn said in Friday's press conference. "Not worrying about anything else but basketball at the moment... We have to control our controllables. It's out of our hands as coaches and players."

Mühl was named the back-to-back Big East Defensive Player of the Year in 2022 and 2023 while starring for the Huskies. And she's expected to see plenty of playing time for the Storm — if the government ever gets a move on with her visa.

"She found her voice at this point guard position," Quinn said earlier this month. "She doesn’t feel like a rookie. She’s been pretty consistent daily."

The P-1 visa can take three to six months to be approved, but it's unlikely Mühl will have to wait that long.