Natasha Howard

This article is about the basketball player. For the rower, see Natasha Howard (rower).

Natasha Howard (born September 2, 1991) is an American professional basketball player for the Indiana Fever of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) and Çukurova Basketbol of the Turkish Super League.^[1] Howard was the 2019 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year.^[2] She was drafted in 2014 by the Indiana Fever.^[3][4] Born in Toledo, Ohio, she played college basketball for Florida State University, where she finished sixth in the NCAA for field goal percentage.^[5]

Natasha Howard

Howard in 2019
No. 6 – Indiana Fever
Position	Power forward
League	WNBA
Personal information
Born	(1991-09-02) September 2, 1991 (age 33) Toledo, Ohio, U.S.
Listed height	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Listed weight	165 lb (75 kg)
Career information
High school	Waite (Toledo, Ohio)
College	Florida State (2010–2014)
WNBA draft	2014: 1st round, 5th overall pick
Selected by the Indiana Fever
Playing career	2014–present
Career history
2014–2015	Indiana Fever
2014–2015	Elitzur Ramla
2015–2016	Yakin Dogu
2016–2017	Minnesota Lynx
2016–2017	Samsung Life Blue Minx
2018–2020	Seattle Storm
2018–2019	Xinjiang Magic Deer
2020–2021	Reyer Venezia
2021–2022	New York Liberty
2021–2022	Dynamo Kursk
2022–2024	Fenerbahce
2023–2024	Dallas Wings
2024–present	Çukurova Basketbol
2025–present	Indiana Fever
Career highlights and awards
3× WNBA champion (2017, 2018, 2020) 2x WNBA All-Star (2019, 2022) WNBA Defensive Player of the Year (2019) All-WNBA First Team (2019) 2× WNBA All-Defensive First Team (2018, 2019) WNBA Most Improved Player (2018) 2× EuroLeague champion (2023, 2024) FIBA Europe SuperCup Women winner (2023) Triple Crown (2024) 2× Turkish League champion (2022–23, 2023–24) Turkish Cup winner (2024) 2× First-team All-ACC (2013, 2014) 2x ACC All-Defensive Team (2012, 2014) ACC All-Freshman Team (2011) McDonald's All-American (2010) Ohio Ms. Basketball (2010)
Stats at WNBA.com
Stats at Basketball Reference

Professional career

WNBA

Howard in 2016

Howard was selected 5th overall by the Indiana Fever in the 2014 WNBA draft.^[6] Howard started off the 2014 season hot scoring 16 points and 21 points in her first two games as a professional. The 21 point performance was a career high in points. Howard averaged 7.0 points and 3.1 rebounds per game in her rookie season in Indiana.^[7]

During her second season with Indiana, Howard regressed in both points and rebounding, averaging 4.2 points and 2.6 rebounds. The only times that Howard scored in double figures were an August 4 loss to the Chicago Sky, when she scored 13 points, and on a September 1 win against the Connecticut Sun, when she scored 10 points. During her second season, the Fever reached the WNBA Finals, where they faced off against the Minnesota Lynx. The Fever ultimately lost the series 3–2, but Howard didn't miss a single shot throughout the entire Finals, going 8 for 8 from the floor in five games and 3 for 3 free throws.^[8]

On February 2, 2016, the Fever traded Howard to the Minnesota Lynx in a sign-and-trade deal to acquire Devereaux Peters.^[9]

During her first season with the Lynx, Howard was part of the post rotation that included Sylvia Fowles, Rebekkah Brunson, and Janel McCarville. She became a key contributor off the bench for the Lynx the entire season. In her first game against Indiana since the trade, Howard scored 11 points, on 5–5 shooting, and grabbed 3 rebounds. She matched her career high of 21 points in a July 2 win against the San Antonio Stars. Howard, once again, reached the WNBA Finals for a 2nd consecutive season, although the Lynx fell to the Los Angeles Sparks 3 games to 2.

In her second season with the Lynx, Howard continued with her bench role, contributing with her scoring and rebounding, helping the Lynx back to championship contention. The Lynx returned to the Finals, making it Howard's third appearance in the finals. This time, in a finals rematch against the Sparks, the Lynx won 3 games to 2, earning Howard her first championship.

On February 7, 2018, Howard was traded to the Seattle Storm in exchange for a second round pick in the 2018 WNBA draft.^[10] In the 2018 season, Howard would be the starting power forward for the Storm. She would have the best season of her career in Seattle as she averaged career-highs in scoring, blocks, rebounds, assists and steals. Howard would also be named to the WNBA All-Defensive First Team and was second in the league in blocks. The Storm finished with a league-best 26–8 record. They would receive a double-bye to the semi-finals. In the semi-finals series, the Storm would defeat the Phoenix Mercury in five games advancing to the Finals, making this Howard's fourth consecutive finals appearance. In the Finals, the Storm would defeat the Washington Mystics in a three-game sweep. In Game 3, Howard scored a new career-high 29 points along with 14 rebounds.^[11]

In 2019, Howard would have a breakout season. She would be voted into the 2019 WNBA All-Star Game, making it her first all-star appearance. On July 17, 2019, Howard scored a new career-high 33 points in a 90–79 victory over the Minnesota Lynx.^[12] Howard would finish the season average a new career-high in scoring, rebounds, assists and steals. She was made a WNBA All-Star and named to the WNBA All-Defensive First Team for the second time while also winning the WNBA Defensive Player of the Year Award. The Storm finished as the number 6 seed with an 18–16 record. The Storm, however, could not defend their title in the playoffs as they were eliminated in the second-round elimination game by the Los Angeles Sparks.

In 2020, the season was delayed and shortened to 22 games in a bubble at IMG Academy due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Howard played all 22 games, the Storm had a fully active roster with everyone healthy and available as they finished the season 18–4 with the number 2 seed, receiving a double-bye to the semi-finals. In the playoff semi-finals they defeated the Minnesota Lynx in a three-game sweep, going back to the Finals for the second time in three years. In the Finals, the Storm swept the Las Vegas Aces to win the series, earning Howard her third WNBA championship.

In 2021, Howard was acquired by the New York Liberty in a three-team trade deal.^[13]

In January 2023, Howard was traded to the Dallas Wings in a three-team deal.^[14]

Howard signed a one-year $214,666 contract with the Indiana Fever as a free agent on February 2, 2025.^[15][16][17] Bringing Howard back to Indiana was one of the priorities for the Fever's front office, which had been completely restructured after the 2024 season.^[18]

Career statistics

Legend

GP	Games played	GS	Games started	MPG	Minutes per game	RPG	Rebounds per game
APG	Assists per game	SPG	Steals per game	BPG	Blocks per game	PPG	Points per game
TO	Turnovers per game	FG%	Field-goal percentage	3P%	3-point field-goal percentage	FT%	Free-throw percentage
Bold	Career best	°	League leader

†	Denotes seasons in which Howard won a WNBA championship

Regular season

Stats current through end of 2024 season

WNBA regular season statistics^[19]

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	TO	PPG
2014	Indiana	34	15	17.0	.443	.000	.594	3.1	0.6	0.8	0.6	1.5	7.0
2015	Indiana	30	2	11.4	.379	.000	.721	2.6	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.9	4.2
2016	Minnesota	34	1	14.6	.574	.200	.677	3.6	0.8	0.7	0.7	1.1	6.7
2017†	Minnesota	34	0	11.7	.484	.214	.733	2.4	0.7	0.5	0.6	0.7	4.3
2018†	Seattle	34	33	25.6	.547	.327	.798	6.4	1.0	1.2	1.9	1.8	13.2
2019	Seattle	34	34	31.3	.439	.308	.810	8.2	2.1	2.2	1.7	2.9	18.1
2020†	Seattle	22	22	21.0	.530	.350	.778	7.1	1.0	1.7	0.6	2.1	9.5
2021	New York	13	13	27.5	.494	.333	.774	7.2	1.7	1.3	0.5	3.8	16.2
2022	New York	35	35	29.9	.482	.326	.715	7.3	2.3	1.3	1.0	3.2	15.1
2023	Dallas	39	39	33.1	.458	.299	.815	8.0	2.6	1.3	1.2	2.8	16.5
2024	Dallas	27	26	30.6	.456	.200	.718	6.7	2.9	1.3	0.8	3.1	17.6
Career	11 years, 5 teams	336	220	23.0	.476	.297	.750	5.6	1.5	1.1	1.0	2.1	11.5
	All-Star	2	1	19.0	.529	.500	—	4.0	1.0	0.5	0.0	1.0	11.0

Playoffs

WNBA playoff statistics

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	TO	PPG
2014	Indiana	4	0	3.7	.167	.000	1.000	1.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.5	1.0
2015	Indiana	9	0	7.1	.917	.000	1.000	0.6	0.3	0.3	0.1	0.5	2.8
2016	Minnesota	8	0	13.0	.700	.000	.429	2.6	0.6	0.8	0.1	0.7	5.6
2017†	Minnesota	7	0	5.6	.200	.000	.800	0.9	0.0	0.2	0.0	0.5	1.1
2018†	Seattle	8	8	31.5	.573	.500	.850	8.3	1.5	1.0	1.3	2.2	15.8
2019	Seattle	2	2	28.8	.400	.429	.750	9.0	4.0	2.0	1.5	2.0	11.0
2020†	Seattle	6	6	23.0	.548	.500	.772	5.2	1.5	1.2	0.8	1.5	9.5
2021	New York	1	1	31.0	.438	.500	.000	10.0	2.0	1.0	1.0	3.0	16.0
2022	New York	3	3	27.7	.442	.100	1.000	6.7	1.0	0.7	0.0	2.0	14.7
2023	Dallas	5	5	34.2	.634	.350	.833	8.4	2.2	1.6	1.4	3.4	12.0
Career	10 years, 5 teams	53	25	18.0	.500	.371	.794	4.2	1.0	0.8	0.5	1.4	7.7

College

NCAA statistics^[20]

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	TO	PPG
2010–11	Florida State	32	32	25.5	.460	.368	.549	6.6	0.8	1.1	0.7	3.1	10.6
2011–12		31	31	30.2	.487	.190	.615	9.1	1.4	1.5	1.3	3.1	12.2
2012–13		33	31	26.8	.486	.000	.612	7.5	0.7	1.8	1.5	2.4	12.7
2013–14		33	33	31.2	.594	—	.650	9.3	0.5	2.1	2.3	2.7	20.5
Career		129	127	28.4	.516	.313	.617	8.1	0.9	1.6	1.4	2.8	14.0

Personal life

Howard is married to Jac’Eil Duckworth Howard, and their wedding was shown as part of the 11th season of Basketball Wives.^[21][22]