Seattle Storm rookie Nika Muhl had to be taken off of the court on a stretcher after she appeared to suffer a left knee injury while playing overseas for Besiktas JK in the FIBA SuperCup Women title game against Fenerbahce SK in Turkey on Thursday.
The game, which initially began on Wednesday, was postponed until Thursday due to some fans throwing fireworks onto the court.
With three minutes to play in the third quarter — and Fenerbahce leading Besiktas 51-46 — Muhl fell to the floor and was holding her left knee while wailing in pain.
“Oh my God,” Muhl, 23, was heard repeatedly yelling. “Don’t touch it!”
Muhl joined her team on the bench at the end of the game, but did not return to play.
She was seen with her left knee wrapped in a white bandage in a postgame photo with team.
Williams and her Fenerbahce teammates went over to Muhl near the bench and hugged her after the game.
Prior to her injury, Muhl recorded 11 points, 3 rebounds, 9 assists and 2 steals.
Fenerbahce became back-to-back SuperCup Women champs after a 79-63 win over Besiktas in Istanbul, led by Gabby Williams — Muhl’s Seattle teammate this past season — who won the MVP award.
Williams, who is also a fellow former Husky, finished with 11 points, seven rebounds and five assists.
Williams was seen tending to Muhl — the second-round pick (14th overall) out of UConn by the Storm in this year’s WNBA Draft — when she suffered the injury, along with medical staff.
During the first quarter of the game on Wednesday, players were instructed to return to the locker room when some fans threw fireworks onto the court.
Williams and Fenerbahce were leading 4-2 when the game was stopped, and then ultimately postponed until Thursday.
Two female referees were seen flinching while holding each other on the sidelines when the fireworks went off.
“Safety of players and officials is the No. 1 concern right now,” one of the broadcasters said. “I think they’re going to send all teams back to the locker rooms [and] get them out of the way while the unnecessary and silliness form the fans here is dealt with.
“… It really is sad that a small number of fans have such a big impact on what’s supposed to be a wonderful occasion here in Istanbul.”
Smoke from the fireworks visibly clouded the arena.
“That will damage the court,” the broadcaster said as an official carried a firework off of the court.
