The Climate Pledge Arena had a thrilling night on its menu. Nneka Ogwumike returning to the floor after 2 missed games due to an injury, Nika Muhl making her debut, and Jewell Loyd grabbing her 6th double-double were just a few of those exciting moments fans were in for. But who knew that they would also get to witness a rather cute display? The two rookies of their respective teams, Caitlin Clark and Nika Muhl, met after almost a month and broke the internet.

The Seattle Storm quickly took it to their official X account with a picture and a video snippet of the two. They captioned the tweet, “Rookie love.” In the video, Nika Muhl and Caitlin Clark meet each other on the court and share a long hug. After sharing some pleasantries, Clark asks the former UConn Huskies player for a photo. After their first round, Nika Muhl candidly utters, “That’s too formal bro” and changes the pose to a fun one.

The rookie point guard, who was Geno Auriemma’s secret weapon against Clark in their 2024 March Madness tourney, did not get more than 3 minutes on the floor. But she did grab 2 rebounds. On the other hand, Caitlin Clark delivered yet another team-high performance with 21 points and 7 rebounds and assists.

The Storm did take the win in the end. But the fans were pleased after the sweet exchange the two rookies shared.

Caitlin Clark and Nika Muhl leave fans emotional as they “can’t help but smile”

The 2024 rookie class has given the entire basketball world an unending ceiling no matter what you talk about. Whether it is confidence in oneself, loyalty to the game, or respect for each other. Hence, when Nika Muhl and Caitlin Clark come down to talk to each other, it is obviously pure gold. One fan mentioned how they have not seen the first overall draft this happy since she left Iowa. Surely, the hectic schedule and the continuous pressure of uplifting an entire team do get to one.

“This is the happiest I’ve seen CC look all month”

One X user, who is seemingly a fan of both the Seattle Storm and the former Hawkeye, commented that the heartwarming scene put a smile on their face. The entire college basketball world has seen Nika Muhl go against Caitlin Clark and vice versa. They battled for the jerseys they wore. Especially, in the single knockout games of March Madness where their very possibility of going forward depended on the current game they are playing. And after tonight’s game, where the two teams again went full-blown at each other, the two met outside of the game to have some friendly conversations.

“When you’re a @seattlestorm fan and a @CaitlinClark22 fan you can’t help but smile at this one.”

One basketball follower mentioned the entire draft class deserves their flowers. They have only been in the league for about a month now. But they have already changed so many things about the W, one of them being how the opponents approach each other.

“Great rookie class! Let’s appreciate them”

A Seattle Storm fanatic also commented about the moment when the entire Climate Pledge Arena gave Nika Muhl a standing ovation. After becoming Geno Auriemma’s right hand, she will now be Noelle Quinn’s trusted padawan. The fans couldn’t be happier as they shared their delight in watching everyone getting the respect that they truly deserve.

“Seattle fans cheering for Nika was beautiful. So happy to see everyone getting the respect they deserved.”

One pro basketball follower expressed how Caitlin Clark and Nika Muhl are showing top-tier classy acts. After going against each other to contribute to their respective jerseys, they hugged and took pictures together. This demonstration showed that despite what happens between the lines, love and respect are always there. The fan also suggested that this is how every sportsperson should be.

“Pure class, mutual respect & battling like warriors. What all players in the @WNBA and all sports SHOULD always be about…”

Nika Muhl and Caitlin Clark have continuously had instances where they have shown how being competitors and friends can work side by side. Hopefully, this amazing relationship will continue for the two and the rest of the 2024 draftees.