Natasha Howard’s Lynx Success Shows She’s ‘Better’ Than Fever Stint Suggested
Natasha Howard was one of the Indiana Fever’s big offseason additions last year. The move to Indiana yielded mixed results for the championship veteran. On one hand, the Fever were just one win away from the WNBA Finals, and Howard played a key role in that success. On the other hand, Howard put together her worst statistical season since her 2020 campaign with the Seattle Storm, averaging just 11.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 1.2 steals.
Howard is already 34, and her Fever stint suggested that she was declining, as every veteran does sooner or later. However, it turned out that Howard just needed a different environment. She left Indiana in free agency and returned to Minnesota—a move that allowed her to prove that she still has plenty of winning basketball left in her.
Howard’s numbers are back up, and Minnesota has the best record in the league with eight consecutive wins and ten wins total. Unsurprisingly, Howard is happy with where she’s currently at.
After a 100-76 blowout win against the Dallas Wings, Howard said, “I feel like I’m back home again. I’m happy where I’m at. I got the opportunity to actually show my game that everybody thought I lost last season, but I’m back, and I’m better.”
Natasha Howard is a big part of the Lynx’s success
Howard is in a very different position with the Lynx than she was with the Fever, which factors into the difference in production. The Fever’s frontcourt is built around Aliyah Boston. In Minnesota, meanwhile, Howard is the best big available and a primary option for post-ups and pick-and-rolls with Olivia Miles.
The Lynx just haven’t been able to catch a break when it comes to their frontcourt. First, Napheesa Collier underwent surgery on both ankles in the offseason and has yet to make her return. Then, Alanna Smith and Jessica Shepard left in free agency. On top of that, Dorka Juhasz, who seemed primed for a breakout season, hasn’t been able to suit up yet due to injury, and Emma Cechova tore her ACL.
Howard has been a steady contributor for Cheryl Reeve to lean on during all of the adversity. She is the Lynx’s second-leading scorer behind Olivia Miles and leads the team in rebounds and steals per game. She is also scoring incredibly efficiently, shooting 65.2% from the field.
The Lynx would not be where they are now without Howard, and she will also continue to play a big role when Collier returns. There is still no date for Collier’s return, and coming back from a serious injury in the middle of the season is never easy.
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Elaine Blum covers women’s basketball for On SI from Europe. She has been writing about women's hoops since 2023 and holds a Bachelor’s degree in English and Journalism and a master’s degree in American Studies with a focus on women’s and gender studies. She started playing basketball when she was 10 years old and won several league and state championships at the youth and senior level.