Portland Fire add playmaking upside, select Nika Mühl in 2026 Expansion Draft

By Bo Crouch ~ Axess Sports

SEATTLE — The Portland Fire took a calculated swing on upside Friday, selecting the contract of guard Nika Mühl from the Seattle Storm during the 2026 WNBA Expansion Draft.

Mühl, originally drafted No. 14 overall by Seattle in the 2024 WNBA Draft, saw limited action in her rookie season, appearing in 16 games and averaging 2.8 minutes. Her development was then stalled by a significant knee injury — a torn ACL and meniscus suffered overseas while playing for Turkish club Beşiktaş — that sidelined her for the entire 2025 campaign.

Now, Portland is betting on a healthy return and the elite court vision that made Mühl one of the most accomplished passers in UConn Huskies women's basketball history.

At 5-foot-11, the Zagreb, Croatia native built her reputation as a defensive disruptor and floor general. She earned Big East Defensive Player of the Year honors twice and made national headlines during UConn’s 2024 NCAA tournament run, where she played a key role in limiting high-powered scorers like Dyaisha Fair and Caitlin Clark.

Mühl’s résumé also includes AP All-America Honorable Mention recognition in 2024 and three consecutive All-Big East selections — a testament to her consistency on both ends of the floor.

For a Portland franchise building from the ground up, the move reflects a long-term vision: prioritize defensive identity, playmaking, and untapped potential. If Mühl can return to form post-injury, the Fire may have landed one of the more intriguing reclamation projects of the expansion process.

Seattle, meanwhile, parts with a young guard who never fully got the chance to establish herself — a reminder of the difficult roster decisions that come with expansion across the league.