For Paige Bueckers’ “bestie” Nika Muhl, if there’s one thing besides basketball that matters, it’s fashion. “I love to mix styles and eras to make them cohesive. I don’t like being in my comfort zone,” the Croatian guard shared about her passion for fashion. And it’s that same sense of style that’s helping her make a name for herself off the court.

When the next season starts, Seattle Storm fans will see Nika Muhl playing with Under Armour instead of Nike. A day after teasing the news on social media, the athletic giant, which also boasts stars like Steph Curry, officially announced today that it has added the rising women’s basketball star to its ambassador roster.

Muhl, who won Big East Defensive Player of the Year in her last two seasons at UConn, is moving on from Nike. The brand had been part of her career till now and still sponsors her former teammates Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd. But this switch isn’t completely surprising. She’s had a history with Under Armour before.

Last year, she attended Dawg Class, a camp designed for elite college guards with pro aspirations. The camp, created by Under Armour and two-time WNBA champion Kelsey Plum, gave Mühl an early connection to the brand.

“The team behind the Under Armor brand is incredible. They’re so innovative, creative and just relentless at what they do, and I align with that so much,” Mühl said in a statement expressing her delight in joining the organization. “Having grown up watching their athletes, I have seen how they really invest in them, letting them have their own vision but also helping them to grow and support their work.”

According to the press release given by the company,  it’s now confirmed that the “secretary of defense” will be rocking Under Armour and Curry Brand basketball sneakers in the upcoming WNBA season. Perhaps a signature line as well a few years down the line? Maybe. After all, we’re talking about a player who locked down Caitlin Clark, holding her to 7-18 shooting in last year’s Final Four.

But all that has to wait as she recovers from an ACL injury. She isn’t alone in her recovery though! Her best friend is there to be the pillar of her strength!

Paige Bueckers offers support as Muhl battles ACL injury

After finishing her rookie WNBA season, Muhl chose to play overseas in the offseason. But disaster struck in her very first game for Besiktas. She landed awkwardly while grabbing a rebound and went down, screaming in pain. The club later announced that she had ruptured her ACL.

But she wasn’t facing this alone. Her best friend, Paige Bueckers, knows exactly what it’s like to go through an ACL injury. And she was there to support her.

“I talked to Nika before practice, before she got the news, just talking to her, being there for her,” Bueckers said. “I know she’s got a great support system here, and I know the journey ahead of her is not going to be easy, but if I know anything about Nika, I know that she’ll crush it and that she’ll just want to destroy the entire rehab and coming back process.”

Nika Muhl is taking her fashion game to the next level with her new partnership with Under Armour. By joining a brand that sponsors top athletes like Steph Curry and Kelsey Plum, she’s set to make her mark not just in basketball, but also in style. As she works through her ACL recovery, fans are eagerly awaiting her return to the court. They can’t wait to see her dominate again and continue to shut down opponents with her tough defense.