The Next Says Nika Will Debut on Wednesday Night Against Indy

[JoePgh]

I just received an email from The Next, which quotes "a source familiar with the situation" as saying that Nika will be cleared to play in the Storm's Wednesday night home game against (guess who) Caitlin Clark and Indiana.

They described a "Kafkaesque" process for getting approval, requiring Nika to travel to Canada (why?) for some reason to get some step completed.

Anyway, it looks like the decks may finally be clear.

 

[Skeets]

I just received an email from The Next, which quotes "a source familiar with the situation" as saying that Nika will be cleared to play in the Storm's Wednesday night home game against (guess who) Caitlin Clark and Indiana.

They described a "Kafkaesque" process for getting approval, requiring Nika to travel to Canada (why?) for some reason to get some step completed.

Anyway, it looks like the decks may finally be clear.

I hope they put her on CC.

 

[psconn]

Nika v CC... interesting.

 

[Bigboote]

I just received an email from The Next, which quotes "a source familiar with the situation" as saying that Nika will be cleared to play in the Storm's Wednesday night home game against (guess who) Caitlin Clark and Indiana.

They described a "Kafkaesque" process for getting approval, requiring Nika to travel to Canada (why?) for some reason to get some step completed.

Anyway, it looks like the decks may finally be clear.

Travel to Canada. Where she couldn’t go last week. Okay.

 

[Blond D.]

I'll believe it when I see it.

 

[Bigboote]

Not watching them till Nika’s playing.

 

[BlueSkyGLW]

https://www./features/nika-muhl-seattle-storm-wnba-debut/

Queen Victoria to blame for added Mühl delay

She has to go to Canada to complete the process and today is Victoria Day.

Re: the visa process, it all struck Liberty coach Sandy Brondello, no stranger to the process of being a player from overseas while playing in the WNBA, as a bit absurd.

For Seattle head coach Noelle Quinn, the return of Mühl cannot come soon enough.

“It’s going to be good to have Nika in the mix, just to have another point guard on the floor,” Quinn said. “And taking about the leadership, the presence that she has, what she can do defensively. She is all of 5’10, 5’11, whatever she’s listed at, and she’s very tough and strong and physical.”

The site, The Next, won’t let us link. Do a Google search for The Next, go to WNBA, then Seattle Storm to find the article which cannot be cut and pasted here as that violates copyright laws

 

[Bigboote]

The Croatian consulate for Washington residents is in Los Angeles. If she’s still considered a Connecticut resident it’s in DC. Why Canada? Anyone understand this?

 

[AzzisBraids]

Nika was on an F1 student visa during her time at UConn. The Seattle Storm could not sponsor her visa for the pregame because they were technically in an interview process and if she would have left the US, she would have not been allowed to re-enter. Now that she is on the roster and that is confirmed and finalized, they are sponsoring her stay in the US which requires a change in status since she is technically now employed.

Nika or anyone for that matter, cannot change immigration statuses whilst in the US so she has two options close to re-enter the US under her new status, Mexico or Canada. She chose Canada and if these alleged rumors are true, it all checks out from a legal perspective.

 

[BlueSkyGLW]

Hmmm......have they changed the process and the rules?

I remember coming to the US of student visa. After finishing school in Cambridge, Mass, an engineering company hired me and sponsored the change in visa status. I didn't have to leave the US and I started working while the visa was being processed. It didn't take long either but it wouldn't have made any difference because I was already wokring.

 

[Dugway]

The Croatian consulate for Washington residents is in Los Angeles. If she’s still considered a Connecticut resident it’s in DC. Why Canada? Anyone understand this?

Absolutely makes zero sense to me. In fact it is kinda scary to me to think about leaving the country and not being able to get back in. Basically the reason she didn’t go to Canada two weeks ago for that preseason game.

It’s been almost two decades ago now, but I have a personal friend who was a South Africa citizen, came to school here, and sought out a work visa after school; he never really graduated. Either way, he had to fly back to Pretoria to the consulate; round trip with return flight back to the USA six days later. The “system” made him miss that flight back. In fact he was held there in South Africa for seven months! He did make it back, is now a citizen of the United States and has no regrets, but it was quite the ordeal at the time!

 

[hoopsdiva]

Nika was on an F1 student visa during her time at UConn. The Seattle Storm could not sponsor her visa for the pregame because they were technically in an interview process and if she would have left the US, she would have not been allowed to re-enter. Now that she is on the roster and that is confirmed and finalized, they are sponsoring her stay in the US which requires a change in status since she is technically now employed.

Nika or anyone for that matter, cannot change immigration statuses whilst in the US so she has two options close to re-enter the US under her new status, Mexico or Canada. She chose Canada and if these alleged rumors are true, it all checks out from a legal perspective.

What I don't understand is why this happened to Nika but not to any of the other overseas student athletes when they started in the WNBA (at least none that I can recall).

 

[#12in21]

If it's true I am just overjoyed for Nika that this will finally be behind her and she can actually begin her professional career. The Storm can definitely use all of Nika's tangibles and intangibles.
And the great bonus for all of us is that we get to watch her do Nika things on the court again!

 

[MilfordHusky]

I believe that Seattle’s guards from ND shot 8-30 tonight. They need to pick it up. The team also needs Nika and Nneka.

 

[The deacon]

I believe that Seattle’s guards from ND shot 8-30 tonight. They need to pick it up. The team also needs Nika and Nneka.

As noted elsewhere on the BY in the last few minutes, Loyd has made 18 of her 76 field goal attempts this season.

That's coming on the heels of last season, when she drew raves leading the league is scoring while chucking them in at the stellar success rate of 37 percent. Since Sue and Stewie left Seattle, Loyd has turned into a full-fledged Arike West.

 

[Ozimoto]

It could be that we weren't aware of these issues with other players because they weren't from UConn and were not getting the magnifying glass look that we are putting on Nika and the WNBA in general this season.

 

[cancontent]

As long as it doesn't become a "Blame Canada" theme, I'm good.

But seriously, Muhl having to go to Canada and the timing with our long weekend holiday was definitely an odd twist to the story. An earlier post talking about entry points provided one possibility to why, as Seattle isn't far from the British Columbia, Canada border.

A bizarre situation that will finally be resolved. Phew!!!

 

[HuskyNan]

Nika Mühl Finally Gets Visa, Will Make WNBA Debut

The Seattle Storm rookie has missed the first four games of the season while waiting for her visa approval.

frontofficesports.com

https://thespun.com/wnba/top-wnba-rookie-has-been-out-due-to-a-professional-visa-issue

 

[fomalhaut]

How is she going to fix a team with not one, but two former Notre Dame guards who can't shoot?

 

[#12in21]

Connecticut Women's basketball- UConn Huskies​

Bob Fitzgerald · ·

US Counsel General in Vancouver today. Keep an eye on tomorrow !

 

[#12in21]

How is she going to fix a team with not one, but two former Notre Dame guards who can't shoot?

Hopefully we'll get to see the start of that process tomorrow night! Remember how she's the one 'that does all the little things', how 'the team just plays better when she's on the floor'.... coming to Climate Pledge Arena May 22nd at 7:00 pst, Nika doing Nika things

 

[Dublin]

What TV channel will Nika's game be on Wednesday?

 

[#12in21]

It could be that we weren't aware of these issues with other players because they weren't from UConn and were not getting the magnifying glass look that we are putting on Nika and the WNBA in general this season.

Perhaps, but I've seen quotes from several foreign players who have been equally baffled as to why this process has been protracted for Nika, given their own personal experiences and their knowledge of fellow foreign (citizen) WNBA players. The impression I've gotten is that her case is unusual at the least. Hopefully, it is all resolved and behind her now and the league has been able to learn how to avoid a repeat of this for any future rookies.

 

[#12in21]

What TV channel will Nika's game be on Wednesday?

It is listed on WNBA league pass as tipoff at 9:00 pm EST (6:00 pm PST) On the Storm Website and Facebook page it shows 7:00pm ( 10:00 EST) tipoff, so not sure which is correct. Locally (Seattle area) it is on Fox 13+ and Prime Video-Seattle. I think out of market it is only on WNBA league pass though. Somebody jump in please, if that is wrong.

 

[Skeets]

I'm always in at least a mild state of confusion but this really has me baffled. Why did Nika have to go to Canada to get a Visa to work in the U.S.? On the surface this sounds ridiculous. Is it because Canada is the closest foreign country where one could apply for such a visa?

I'm sure there's a Croatian embassy in the U.S. Were they involved? Were they any help? If not, why not?

The link that Nan posted said the Nika had to go to Canada to "reclaim" her passport. What was her Croatian passport doing in Canada? How did she even get into Canada if she didn't have her passport.

Can anyone clear this up?