Nika Muhl with her parents Darko and Roberta at UConn’s senior night.

UConn’s Nika Muhl is WNBA-bound. The 5-foot-10 point guard is just one of the many college stars ready to take on the pro ranks on Monday, April 15. She credits her hoop skills to her Croatian parents, Darko and Roberta Muhl, who are former basketball players.

Muhl grew up playing basketball in Zagreb, Croatia. She has a younger sister named Hana, who also plays college basketball at Ball State University.

In Nika Muhl’s interview on May 3, 2022, with CT Insider, Darko said:

“She was a handful at a very, very early age. She wouldn’t sit in one place for 10 seconds. She was just like that basically since she was a little kid. Too much energy.”

Nika confirms her dad’s story about her playful and energetic childhood back then.

“As a little child, I would always find something funny and exciting in running away from them,” Nika said, “So when they were not looking, I would just like go off running. I didn’t really know where. I didn’t really know how I was gonna get back, I would just go off running.”

Growing up, Nika tried different sports before sticking with basketball. Parents Darko and Roberta had their daughters try swimming, triathlon, tennis and even volleyball.

In the end, her love for hoops showed when she was seen playing basketball with boys at the nearest playground. Basketball has always been in her genes since her parents were players in the game.

“They wanted me to try other things, but I was pretty stubborn and at the end, I was like, ‘I enjoy playing basketball with boys outside more than I enjoy my volleyball practice in the evening,’” Nika said. “So they couldn’t really stop me. Like, that was what I was gonna end up doing.”

Who is Nika Muhl’s sister

Hana Muhl is the younger sibling of WNBA-bound player Nika. The 5-feet-8 point guard from Zagreb, Croatia, is a sophomore at Ball State University.

Per MSN.com, Nika says her younger sister is more easygoing than her. “She’s much more easygoing than me,” Nika said.

“I didn’t think she would ever admit that she looked up to me, but a couple of days ago she actually told me how proud she was of me and how all these years she has been looking up to me, trying to copy everything I do. It just means so much to me that, first, she’s able to admit it and that being a big sister is such a blessing, and such a huge responsibility, not just being a big sister but being a best friend to her.”

Nika Muhl relishes short family time in Zagreb, Croatia, last winter

When Nika Muhl returns to Croatia, her father jokes about her not coming home frequently because she is constantly out with her friends.

During their winter vacation in 2020, she was unable to visit home owing to COVID-19 regulations. She returned to Zagreb last winter but barely stayed for two and a half days with her family.

“It felt like a month to me, it was great. I did not even sleep, I just went to spend all my time with my friends and family,” she said. “I made the promise to myself, ‘I’m not gonna sleep. I’m gonna use up all the time.’ Maybe that wasn’t the smartest idea coming back here but it was worth it.”

Nika Muhl’s basketball journey started at III. Gymnasium in Zagreb, where she crafted her skills. Then she played for ZKK Trešnjevka 2009 from 2016 to 2020. After playing hoops in her native Croatia, Muhl took her talents to the US and committed to playing for the University of Connecticut in 2020.