To say it’s been a whirlwind week for Nika Mühl could be an understatement. Whereas the male collegiate gamers have months of time between their season ending, their draft after which the beginning of the season, the ladies are on a a lot tighter schedule: The NCAA last was solely final weekend, the WNBA draft Monday evening in New York and the coaching beginning up in a couple of weeks, because the WNBA season begins this summer time. 

For the UConn participant, it’s been every week of taking it because it comes. 

“I feel the commissioner referred to as me, I might say six days in the past, seven days in the past,” Mühl says from the Glossier glam chair on the Westin Grand Central on draft morning. “I bear in mind I used to be within the bathe and he or she referred to as me. I’m like bare within the bathe, answering the cellphone.” 

From there, the 23-year-old Croatian prepped to return to New York for the weekend of draft actions, which included a visit to the Empire State Constructing earlier within the morning with the remainder of the 2024 class. 

“I’m very petrified of heights. It was not my consolation zone, so I simply form of stepped on it and was like ‘I’m good,’” she says. 

“Truthfully, I used to be just a little overwhelmed — positively overwhelmed,” she added in regards to the expertise up to now. “I assumed you present up, you place a costume on what you’re sporting, and also you exit right here, your title known as and that’s it. However there’re so many issues main as much as it.”

The draft day started on the Westin, the place the gamers had make-up by Glossier and hair by Mielle, after which dispersed to styling and jewellery suites to prepare. Mühl opted for a black look by Rotate for the large evening, and acquired prepared with UConn teammates Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd — and a few Chipotle, in fact. 

“I’ve determined to put on just a little two-piece. I’ve just a little black blazer that’s form of shorter, after which an extended skirt with a slit. It’s black. I’ve a whole lot of silver equipment, just a bit cool vibe,” she says of her look, which was styled by Brittany Hampton. 

Mühl counts her mom as one in all her largest style inspirations, and has all the time cherished to decorate otherwise from her friends.

“I used to be very distinctive with my type ever since I used to be a child. I really feel like I might go to highschool and other people would chuckle at me for the best way I costume. However I didn’t care,” she says. “My mother instructed me I look good.” 

“I positively developed, however I form of all the time have that one little factor, that one little piece on me that’s perhaps completely different from what different folks would love. I don’t care,” she provides. “I imply, that’s me. I might say [my style is] very edgy, very cool, very masculine and female. It will depend on how I’m feeling.”

She describes Croatian type as extra “conventional and protected” with an emphasis on consolation. 

“I put on a whole lot of sweats and a whole lot of streetwear too, and I might say that comes from that Croatian consolation. However I all the time attempt to run away from that half. I all the time attempt to put one thing on that once I stroll by way of the streets of Croatia, individuals are going to hate it or find it irresistible,” she says. “It’s by no means in between.”

Magnificence-wise, Mühl says she’s an enormous skincare one that has lately been studying learn how to do make-up. 

“I be taught from my teammates. I’ve a teammate, Olivia [Nelson-Ododa], who taught me so much about make-up and style. She’s very a lot into it. She’s older than me, so I used to be watching,” she says. “I’m not large on tendencies. I similar to what works for me and I wish to attempt issues out, however I’m very keen about it.”

She likes to put on make-up each time she performs, choosing “that clear lady vibe for video games.” The trick to getting it to final? 

“A whole lot of setting spray. Two completely different setting sprays — I take advantage of One/Dimension together with Charlotte Tilbury,” she says. “I really like these two. They make it stick. It’s not transferring.”

Later within the evening, Mühl would go on to be chosen by the Seattle Storm, with a transfer to Seattle coming within the subsequent few weeks. Her commencement at UConn will occur whereas she’s at coaching camp, so she and the opposite seniors already did their cap and robe photo-op collectively. 

“It was surprising for me to be right here too. I didn’t know I used to be going to get invited, so every thing was form of fast, final minute, but it surely’s actually probably the most overwhelming, craziest course of ever,” Mühl says. “I haven’t even moved out [from UConn] — that’s the place I’m at proper now.”