STORRS — Nika Mule Says She Asked UConn Women’s Basketball Before getting her latest tattoo this summer, she got the blessing of associate head coach Chris Daly.
At least, that’s the Mule story Dailey asked.
While in Croatia, Mule tattooed the word “Loyalty” in cursive on the right side of his neck. This is my 16th tattoo.
“I’ve been wanting this tattoo for quite some time,” Mule said Thursday at Worth Champions Basketball Center. I did,” he added.
Nika Muhl.
She’s the fiercely aggressive yet cool-headed 5-foot-10 junior point guard tasked with leading the Huskies this season. Paige Bookers Missed due to torn anterior cruciate ligament.
Mule took over for 19 games while Buekers was sidelined with a tibial plateau fracture last season. This year, her role will expand even further.
“I want to lead this team, I want to be a good example,” Mule said. “I want to keep trying as hard as I can in practice. There are bound to be mistakes. I will fail a few times, probably many times. I hope not, but there will definitely be failures, ups and downs.” And I am ready to accept it and ready to take on greater responsibility.
Mule was at home in Croatia in August and woke up at 5am. From a text from Bookers with news of her injury.
She was heartbroken for her teammates and immediately tried to call Bookers.
Mule and the two of them connected on FaceTime and started crying.
“I literally started crying. It was like closing my eyes,” she said. “I couldn’t believe it.”
She expected Bueckers to be upset by the news, but it was Bueckers who comforted Mule.
“It should be the other way around,” Mule said. “I was supposed to make her feel better, but she was like, ‘No Nika, don’t worry. Like caught.
The two are best friends off the court. Mule refers to Buckers as her sister and often refers to each other as “twins” on social media. On her FaceTime that early morning, Bueckers told her Mühl that it was now her turn to lead the team.
“We talked about what it would be like, how we could help her, and how we could do everything we could to support her. I know it’s hard to play point guard.” . bookers said“Her role is obviously going to be bigger. She needs to have more shots and she’s going to be a playmaker on the floor, a leader on the floor.”
“There’s a lot of pressure and weight on her shoulders. I know she’ll carry it well, but whatever I can do, she knows I’m here.”
Last season, Mule averaged 3.8 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 21.7 minutes per game. She played her first three full 40-minute games of her career while joining the Bookers.
There is no replacement for Bookers, but Mule knows he can step up.
Mule’s aggressiveness often got him into foul trouble during his freshman year.coach Geno Auriemma benched her if she was asked too much too quickly and corrected her when she said fouls were never her fault.
Still, it’s physical that allows her to succeed on defense.
she is Big East Defensive Player of the Year After leading UConn’s underclass with 47 total steals last season.
One aspect of the game she’s been working on this summer is shooting, especially the midrange game.
Appearing in 33 of 36 games last year, Mule ranks ninth on the team with a 43.1 shooting average (among players with 100 or more shots).
She doesn’t have to be the team’s top scorer every night, but she knows she needs to contribute more offensively.
“I don’t see myself transforming into another player. It doesn’t happen overnight,” Mule said. “But I’ve worked on what I need to work on, and I’m confident in that now.”
Stepping into a bigger role also means embracing a bigger spotlight.
“I don’t know if I would call it pressure,” she said. “I mean, even if it’s pressure, it’s good pressure. I accept that pressure. You know, pressure here is a huge privilege for me. increase.”
But if there’s one thing you should know about Mule, it’s that she’s loyal. As her tattoo says.
“It’s what I value most in people. Whether it’s family, friends, or any relationship, I value it most,” she wrote on her neck. “I feel your loyalty is greater than your love for me.”
She works hard for the people in her corner. She celebrates their victory and pushes them out of their comfort zone. last spring she Helped convince Buyers to help fans Ask his girlfriend to prom on TikTok.
Mule’s left hand and wrist are adorned with multiple small tattoos honoring her family. On the inside of her wrist, her grandmother’s handwriting reads “I love you” in Croatian. For the most part, the act of getting a tattoo is voluntary, she said, but each has its own meaning. She has one of hers on her ankle and the other “hidden”. Following her longtime team rule, Mule tapes each of her pieces during the game.
A tattoo stays forever. So are the bonds that form between teammates.
Mule feels ready to step up for the team and support Buekers’ recovery.
“She’s really my best friend, my little sister,” Mule said. “…As a teammate, I feel that with her approach to injury right now, she has given us all a lot of hope. We all know she’s the best player on the team and seeing her deal with this with confidence and maturity definitely gives us the same feeling as our season that awaits us. will give you.”
maggie.vanoni@hearstmediact.com
