Women's Basketball Player Savannah Tucker Turns Up the Heat in Stunning "Morning Files" Photo

Basketball player Nika Mühl is saying goodbye to her UConn team after getting drafted by the Seattle Storm, and she’s clearly ready for the WNBA chapter of her career. Mühl, 23, was tagged in a Seattle Storm official Instagram picture of herself posing on the basketball court in black leggings and a hoodie. “Heard some people wanted @nika.muhl content 😉,” reads the caption on the post. “She’s all yours, admin 🫡,” the official UConn account commented. Here’s how Mühl prepared for this exciting chapter in her life.

1. Support From Breanna Stewart

Mühl looks to fellow WNBA professional players like Breanna Stewart for support and encouragement, especially when things don’t go to plan. “This is all a process, this will all make sense later,” Mühl says Stewart told her. “I’ve been in your shoes, I’ve been in your position, just lead your team. … Stay strong. There’s no better person to get advice from. That was a huge moment for me personally. I was so deep in my thoughts after that game. Getting some words of encouragement to say, it’s OK and it’s part of the process, even though I know it, just hearing from a legend is huge. I kinda changed my ways after that.”

2. Handling Her Emotions

Mühl has learned to handle her emotions and channel them into something positive. “It’s been a weakness in many aspects in which I didn't look at things rationally or I just didn't hold myself accountable or just from being a leader, from that standpoint,” she told CT Insider. “You can't be a leader and be stubborn. You need to think about people around. You need to think about your team, what your team needs. Not what you want.”

3. WNBA Transition

Mühl had a tough decision to make about going from college to the WNBA. “I've never been in a situation with so much pressure, so many eyes looking at you, especially in this program where everybody expects perfection, excellence, wins,” she told CT Insider. “And that's what I kind of learned to expect for myself too and my team. It’s just been a roller coaster of a ride and I'm proud of myself and I'm proud of my teammates for trusting me.”

4. Clean Girl Vibe

Mühl’s beauty style is a ‘clean girl’ vibe. “I learn from my teammates,” she told Women’s Wear Daily. “I have a teammate, Olivia [Nelson-Ododa], who taught me a lot about makeup and fashion. She’s very much into it. She’s older than me, so I was watching. I’m not big on trends. I just like what works for me and I like to try things out, but I’m very passionate about it.”

5. Croatian Casual

Mühl describes her personal style as ‘Croatian casual’. “I was very unique with my style ever since I was a kid,” she told Women’s Wear Daily. “I feel like I would go to school and people would laugh at me for the way I dress. But I didn’t care. My mom told me I look good. I definitely evolved, but I kind of always have that one little thing, that one little piece on me that’s maybe different from what other people would like. I don’t care. I mean, that’s me. I would say [my style is] very edgy, very cool, very masculine and feminine. It depends on how I’m feeling.”

In the world of women's basketball, the WNBA Champions are not only celebrated for their on-court prowess but also for the incredible dedication and commitment they demonstrate towards maintaining their peak physical condition. In this compilation, we explore the remarkable bodies of 20 WNBA champions, delving into their training routines, diets, and the mindset that fuels their success. From seasoned legends like Sue Bird and Candace Parker to rising stars like Kierstan Bell and Dana Evans, each athlete offers unique insights into what it takes to excel in one of the most demanding sports on the planet. Join us as we uncover the secrets behind these amazing bodies and the inspiring stories that drive them to victory.

1. Kelsey Plum

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Kelsey Plum is a 2022 WNBA Champion with the Las Vegas Aces. She talked about her diet in an interview with 2adays.com. “I changed my diet significantly from when I entered college. I went from eating everything to being a pescatarian. I would advise young players to watch their sugar intake, especially refined sugars. It has a huge negative impact on your body. Also, I would suggest eating for recovery after hard practices. I love chocolate almond milk, with some protein to help your body recover.”

2. A’ja Wilson

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A’ja Wilson won the 2022 WNBA Championship with the Las Vegas Aces. She shared her fitness secrets with Bustle. “My main workout is basketball practice. I get my exercise in on the court and then in the weight room, where I’ll do whatever our coach suggests to make sure my leg and upper body workouts stay balanced. I like working with resistance bands to tighten my glutes. I don’t like to sweat or use a lot of weight, so I go for bodyweight workouts like lunges, squats, and clamshells. When I add a band, I feel the burn instantly.”

3. Jackie Young

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Jackie Young is a member of the 2022 WNBA Champion team, the Las Vegas Aces. She talked about her training during her rookie year with Winsidr.com. “Got super lean,” says Young. “We put in a lot of work on the court, but being able to box and do some cardio in the heat chamber and different things like that was fun and different.”

4. Chelsea Gray

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Chelsea Gray won the 2022 WNBA Championship with the Las Vegas Aces. She talked about the playoff season that year to Yahoo Sports. “It’s so much highs and lows throughout a game,” Gray said. “Being that even-keel, keeping my composure, it’s always how I’ve been, how I operate, even outside of basketball. It keeps me grounded throughout a game [and] all the noise. I kind of have this ability to quiet it out a little bit. And that’s what makes it fun.”

5. Dearica Hamby

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Dearica Hamby won the 2022 WNBA Championships. She opened up to People about returning to the game after giving birth to her second child. "I called my team four days before training camp and said that I wanted to play, then showed up to camp and got started. I was practicing non-contact in the morning time and by the afternoon, I was in a full-fledged practice. I've really been going based on how my body feels."

6. Theresa Plaisance

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Theresa Plaisance is a member of the Las Vegas Aces, and won the 2022 WNBA Championship. In 2013, she talked about her training process to The Advocate. "My physicality went up last year, but I really hadn't mastered it because I haven't been used to it," Plaisance said. "So this summer, I got in the gym and really went to work on my inside game."

7. Kiah Stokes

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2022 WNBA Champion, Kiah Stokes talked about how her team, and her coach, Becky Hammon prepared for the game to The Gazette. “We watch film. We watched the whole (New York) game. She (Hammon) doesn’t have to say much because we all know (what happened). A lot of the stuff we watch on film is a reminder of yes, we are good but if we don’t come to play, any team’s going to whip you.”

8. Sydney Colson

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Las Vegas Aces member and 2022 Champion, Sydney Colson, uses her voice to support causes that are important to her. She wrote a personal essay for Yahoo Sports on this topic. “I am a Black, gay woman from Houston, Texas, (Houstonians prefer to be seen as our own state because Texas can be so embarrassing) so I know far too well the issues that are present here. We had to take time as a PEC to contemplate whether our fellow athletes would be safe here, whether their voices would be heard and whether we should play in a place that could be so hostile to so many of our athletes’ identities and deeply held beliefs. But the scary truth is there are many states working tirelessly to attack the rights of their citizens. We knew wherever we played, our PEC felt that this is the right time to be vocal about issues that affect us and the people who live where we will be playing. We understood that with our platform, with our stage, we could have an outsized effect for the very people these laws were meant to marginalize even further. Just by showing up, by using our voices to ally with those who are voiceless, we could have a profound effect. Professional athletes wield enormous power when microphones and cameras are put in our faces, and we are prepared to use our platforms to effect change.”

9. Kierstan Bell

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In her first year in the WNBA, Kierstan Bell won the 2022 season with the Las Vegas Aces. She talked about how she approached her season with The Naples Daily News. "When you're a rookie, you're coming from a school where you play a lot, and then you come and you're sitting down on a bench, you know, it's different. But that's just the opportunity to learn for the next year when you come in to try to attack it way different than you did, and wanting to earn a spot in the game."

10. Sue Bird

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Sue Bird is a four-time WNBA Champion, her most recent title being in 2020 with the Seattle Storm. She shared her typical diet with Delish. “My typical [in-season] day looks pretty similar to my [off-season] days. My diet is pretty much get three meals a day, I think the best way to describe it to be honest is a cycle of trying to fuel for your workout or your game and then refueling for afterwards.”

11. Candace Parker

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Candace Parker is one of the greatest women’s basketball players of all time, winning two championships. She shared her training secrets with Boardroom.tv. “I really dedicate a lot of time and energy to making sure that in the offseason — regardless of if I’m going back and forth to Atlanta for the NCAA Tournament — that I’m really taking care of my body and making sure I’m getting my lift in. Whether it’s cardio, pilates, or yoga, I think it’s not only setting the stage to be better athletically in my sport now in Year 16 but it’s going to be something that is a part of my daily routine even afterward. It kind of sets the tone in showing your kids how to live a healthy lifestyle and how important that is both mentally and physically to continue to incorporate fitness into your life.”

12. Kahleah Copper

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In an essay for AP Sports, 2021 Chicago Sky Champion, Kahleah Copper talked about her recovery process. “There’s been a lot of basketball in a short time and finding time to recover has been key to staying fresh and having success. You have to take care of your body. I have to give a huge thank you to the training staff of Courtney (Watson), Hannah (Wengertsman), Doc Cummings and Fran (Parsons), and everybody who helps keep us ready, reminding us to stay off our feet and stay hydrated.

13. Allie Quigley

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Allie Quigley is a 2021 WNBA Champion with the Chicago Sky. She talked about wanting to grow the team’s and the sport’s presence to Slam Online. “I think we’re always trying to grow the women’s game and at the same time just have Chicago notice us and notice our success,” Quigley says. “But mainly, I think we’re just thinking small picture, just about our franchise and how far we’ve come, and we’re trying to do something special, something that we’ve never done before.”

14. Courtney Vandersloot

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Courtney Vandersloot won the 2021 WNBA Championship with the Chicago Sky. She talked about how she approaches fame to Spokesman.com. “Anybody will tell you I’m not a spotlight type, I don’t want to be in the spotlight. I like being around my teammates and being a great team player. The accolades that come, they’re gonna come whether you’re silent or not. I just want to work in silence and keep it that way.”

15. Aisha Sheppard

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Aisha Sheppard won the 2022 WNBA Championship with the Las Vegas Aces. She shared her advice for other female athletes with Sports As Told By A Girl. “The best advice I could offer is that as a young athlete aspiring to play professionally at some point, never get comfortable,” she says. “Every day someone is evaluating you on and off the floor. You have to compete, and your want to has to outlast your fatigue. Hard work beats talent when talent fails to work hard.”

16. Diamond DeShields

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Diamond DeShields is the 2021 WNBA Champion, as a member of the Chicago Sky. She’s also a member of the 2022 US Women’s Team, and talked about her preparation with AP News. “We had a good training week in Las Vegas. It’s a really good group and everybody carries the same energy and intensity as far as winning goes. Practices are really competitive and there are a lot of new faces which is nice. There’s also a lot of youth.”

17. Stefanie Dolson

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Stefanie Dolson is a 2021 WNBA Champion with the Chicago Sky. After winning, Dolson shared how she prepared for the season on Instagram. “I worked my ass off this offseason to lose weight, get quicker and be my best version of myself to help my team and I did just that,” she wrote in the caption.

18. Dana Evans

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During her rookie year with the Chicago Sky, Dana Evans won the championship. She shared how her time in college prepared her for the pros with Sports Illustrated. "I feel like I'm able to take a bump, get to where I want to get to," she said. "On the defensive side as well, I can kind of bug them and get to where I need to get to as well. I would say it's translated, pretty good for me so far."

19. Lexie Brown

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Lexie Brown won the 2021 Championship with the Chicago Sky. She tells WNBA.com that she makes sure to always work hard. “That’s the biggest thing for me; I haven’t really had so many opportunities to showcase the hard work I put in, but the hard work is still being put in, and that’s something that I really value about myself. I always enjoy hearing from previous coaches, they can say a lot of things about me, good, bad or indifferent, but the one constant thing is I’ve worked really, really, really hard, and that’s something I’m proud of.”

20. Ruthy Hebard

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Ruthy Hebard plays for the Chicago Sky, winning the 2021 Championship. She recently returned to the court after having her first child. Hebard talked about this process to Alaska News Source. “Honestly, there was some doubts,” she admits. “Especially when I first started running on the treadmill, I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, I feel so slow, it’s not comfortable, am I ever going to be able to run like how I used to run? Is my back always going to hurt? Are my hips always going to hurt?’ Definitely a lot of mental ups and downs. I pushed through and then I think I am playing some of the best basketball actually since I have been in the league so I am actually proud of myself.”

WNBA star Te'a Cooper is upping her fitness game by working out with personal trainer Tisch Tosch Training, and developing her strongest physique yet. Cooper, 26, tagged the trainer in an Instagram video of herself working out in black two-piece workout gear and black Travis Scott sneakers. @mstischh getting the body together,” she captioned the post. Here’s what Cooper does on and off the court, and what’s next for the champion.

1. Plant-Based Diet

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Cooper took part in a cooking competition with plant-based ZENB pasta, which she says has changed the way she eats. “Having more ideas and more recipes is fun and meeting new chefs that own businesses and stuff has been fun,” she tells Blavity. “I think the fact that the noodles are yellow peas is the most interesting thing to me because it tastes just like the noodles that I use that are not yellow peas. It’s way healthier and I love pasta. They had mac and cheese, stuff that I normally eat that I would love to have made plant-based or healthy.”

2. Self-Care Sessions

Cooper takes self-care seriously (as she should!). “For me, that looks like working out, taking care of my body, eating healthy, getting my hair done, getting my nails done — looking cute,” she tells Blavity. “Taking pictures of myself, just doing stuff that makes me feel good.”

3. Hollywood Luxury Hair

Cooper is proud of Hollywood Luxury Hair, her hair and beauty brand. “I wanted to have a hair brand ever since I was in high school,” she tells Black America Web. I really wanted to be particular on the quality of the hair and the prices. I wanted it to be great quality but affordable because, you know, as an athlete, you sweat so much and you have to change your hair a lot. It’s actually hard to maintain natural hairstyles. I really wanted to have my own brand where I could also give back to the little girls growing up and the girls that wanted to have their own hair, or be endorsed by somebody with a hair company. I wanted to be that person.”

4. WNBA Inspirations

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Cooper is inspired by her fellow athletes. “Arike Ogunbowale, for sure,” she tells Black America Web. “She plays for the Dallas Wings and is killing the fashion this year. I love what she’s doing on and off the court. Flau’jae [Johnson] and Angel [Reese] — those my girls; they’re killing it! DiDi Richards is the other brand ambassador for my hair, and she’s killing it off the court and on the court. She played for the New York Liberty and she has her own podcast and talk show now with the WNBA, so that’s dope.”

5. Swimsuit Model

Cooper was thrilled to be a Sports Illustrated swimsuit model. “I’ve never taken a bikini picture,” she tells Blavity. “I don’t really take pictures in bathing suits. I kind of just wear ’em for the pool, so that was very different to have all those cameras on you, you in a bathing suit, you kinda gotta be sexy… They kind of just give you confidence that you can’t really deny in that moment ’cause you’re in front of the camera. So you got the water, the weather, the scenery, the bathing suit. You got people encouraging you. It was a great time for me. The group of women that I did it with were so amazing and we all had different stories, so I think SI highlighting each person and their story made it even more powerful.”

Miami Heat cheerleader Chelsea Varsaci is gearing up for another NBA season by looking and feeling her absolute best. The dancer and attorney is seen wearing a brown swimsuit top and blue jeans, getting her hair ready for dance auditions (along with her fellow cheerleaders) at Brooke Vibrant studios. “Day in the life of getting my Miami heat dancers ready for auditions,” the stylist captioned the video. Varsaci seems to have it all—so how does she do it? Here’s how she has the energy and focus for both her day job and her dance career.

1. Forging Her Own Path

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Varsaci is an attorney as well as a dancer, and sees no reason to choose between the two. “I am currently dancing with the Miami HEAT and an attorney,” she says. “That was a journey of its own. Every step I’ve taken has gotten me to where I am today. One thing I say that has gotten me there was that I didn’t let people tell me the path I was supposed to take. I wanted to take my own path and decide how I wanted to do it. Being in law school and practicing as a HEAT Dancer, people will always say you can't do both and you have to give up one for the other. But I didn’t want to do that, I wanted to follow my dreams and do things my way.

2. She’s a Beach Baby

Varsaci is a Miami girl, so the beach is her second home. Being outside in the sunshine is good for both mental and physical health. “I often ask patients to take their mood temperature — a measurement from 0 to 10, with 10 being the best mood — before and after taking a walk outside,” says Susan Evans, PhD. “People are often surprised at how much their mood improves.”

3. Discipline and Focus

Varsaci says it’s possible to be in school and also dance—but it takes hard work and sacrifice. “So, you wake up in the morning and you go to school, if you want to dance you do your homework and dance, you do it all,” she says. “I was raised to have that dedication and determination in everything I’ve done. So, whatever it takes to reach that final outcome, it’s what you do. If you stay up late, if you have to make it work, if you have to talk to your coaches, talk to your employee's things like that when you have the understanding and passion behind it; other people will understand and are more willing to help you get to your goal.”

4. Snow Bunny

Varsaci refers to herself as a “snow bunny” due to her love for winter sports. “Skiing and snowboarding are thrilling activities and great workouts,” according to experts at the University of Rochester Medical Center. “Both sports are excellent cardiovascular exercises that strengthen the heart. Because they are also weight-bearing exercises, they strengthen your bones as they tone your muscles. Cardiovascular or aerobic exercises also work to reduce your risk for chronic diseases, and lower blood pressure. They also help you maintain a healthy body weight.”

5. Trailblazing Women

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Varsaci is proud to be thriving in a traditionally male-dominated space. “Being an attorney in a male-dominated career has been hard and it has presented struggles,” she says. “But one thing that women have gone leaps and bounds with and walking in and knowing their worth. Walking and knowing they did the same amount of work; they did the same steps as it took for men to get to the same positions. Now, the confidence they have brought behind that transformed the whole legal industry and women are now Supreme Court Justices and are at the top thanks to the women before us have laid that path, and now, it’s on us to follow that path and make it greater.”