Seattle Storm availability report May 19th, 2024: A potential issue for Nneka Ogwumike, and further VISA issues for Nika Mühl
By Charles Hamaker
Seattle, WA – For the most part in the preseason and through the first two games of this young 2024 WNBA campaign for the Seattle Storm, the injury/availability report for the team has been largely clean outside of young and exciting point guard Nika Mühl dealing with VISA approval issues that have been a headache for everyone involved, but that changed heading into game two of the Storm’s three-game road trip and their third game of the season overall. Seattle has veteran forward Nneka Ogwumike listed on the injury report ahead of this battle against the Mystics, as she sustained an ankle injury in that double overtime defeat to the Lynx on Friday, May 17th.
Seattle Storm forward Nneka Ogwumike during the teams preseason win over the Phoenix Mercury at Climate Pledge Arena on May 7th, 2024. (Photos by Liz Wolter)
Nneka Ogwumike dealing with ankle injury
A big part of the success that the Storm have seen so far this season, even despite the two losses, has been the play of veteran forward Nneka Ogwumike, who has shouldered a strong load for the team and has been a steadying presence when the team has needed to find some form of groove in these first two games. That unfortunately might change slightly for the Storm, as Ogwumike appeared to roll her ankle in the loss on Friday night against the Lynx in Minnesota. A rolled ankle can be a true pain for basketball players depending on the severity of the injury, just considering how much weight is put on those ankles with movements in basketball and considering that with age, recovering from injuries doesn’t come as easy. While Ogwumike assured the media in the post-game press conference following Friday night’s loss that she was fine, you can only take the athletes word for truth so often considering their willingness to play through ailment to try and help their team win. She is listed as questionable on the team's injury report, and we will just have to monitor how she does leading into an early gametime against the Mystics.
“It’s part of the game, I’ll be alright.”
Nika Mühl still dealing with VISA issues
UConn alum and Storm 2nd round draft pick Nika Mühl continues to await a work VISA and is pending approval for it, so she is ruled out of this game against the Mystics just as she was for the contest against the Lynx on Friday night and will also almost certainly be out against the Liberty on Monday considering the quick next-day turnaround nature of this road trip. It’s certainly very frustrating to see the continued issues that Mühl is having with getting this VISA approved, just considering that it’s something that’s holding her back from being able to play and participate with her team despite being able to play in the preseason game on the 7th against the Mercury, but it’s nobody's fault except for the slow process by the U.S. government. The Storm themselves aren’t able to do anything about it, as they’ve made their frustrations with it known via press conference and in talking with Circling Seattle Sports, so any blame pointed at the organization is simply incorrect. If Seattle could expedite this process at all, they surely would have already, but obviously they can’t override the government. We’ll just have to continue to await Nika Mühl’s Storm debut in the regular season, which could potentially come when the team hosts the Indiana Fever and Caitlin Clark on May 22nd.
Seattle Storm guard Nika Mühl during the teams preseason win over the Phoenix Mercury at Climate Pledge Arena on May 7th, 2024. (Photos by Liz Wolter)
What’s next?
The Storm will play the second contest of their three-game road trip on Sunday, May 19th with a tipoff time of 12PM PDT against the Washington Mystics at the Entertainment & Sports Arena in Washington, D.C. that will be broadcast live on 106.7 The Fan, FOX 13+ / Amazon Prime Video - Seattle, MNMT. Both our Storm and the Mystics will be seeking their first victory of the season, as Washington has dealt with a two first two games as they’ve dealt with the New York Liberty and Connecticut Sun early on, and Seattle wasn’t able to solve the Minnesota Lynx twice, home or away. With Ogwumike questionable, it will be interesting to note her status as we approach game time and considering that the Storm bench will already be shorter than normal considering that they won’t have Nika Mühl due to those awaiting VISA issues.
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