Natasha Howard

Natasha Howard: A Brief Biography

Natasha Howard is a professional WNBA player for the Dallas Wings, as of August 2024, and she was a basketball prodigy who was awarded Ohio Ms. Basketball in 2010. She played college basketball for Florida State University where she performed well and ranked sixth in the NCAA for field goal percentage. Howard’s college achievements include being selected for the All-Defensive Team of the ACC twice (2012 and 2014) and First-team All-ACC in 2013 and 2014. Her hard work paid off and she was picked fifth overall by the Indiana Fever in the 2014 WNBA Draft.

Howard has been very productive in her professional life and has received many honours and awards. She has been a three-time WNBA champion (2017, 2018, 2020) and a WNBA Defensive Player of the Year (2019). Howard has been recognized as a WNBA All-Defensive First Team twice and the All-WNBA First Team in 2019 due to her flexibility and great defence. In 2022, she signed for the Dallas Wings where she remained a force to be reckoned with. She averaged 16.5 points, 2.6 assists and 8.0 rebounds per game in the 2023 season.

Natasha Howard's Early Life

Natasha Howard was born on September 2, 1991, in Toledo, Ohio. Growing up in a sports-oriented family, she was encouraged by her uncle, Greg Howard, to pursue basketball. Although not much is known about his father, it is known that he was a basketball player, according to IndyStar. Howard attended Waite High School in Toledo, where she quickly made a name for herself on the court. Her exceptional skills earned her the title of Ohio Ms. Basketball in 2010, and she was also ranked as the number two player in the 2010 signing class by HoopGurlz. These early accolades set the stage for her future success in the sport.

Howard’s high school career was marked by her dominance in both scoring and defense, which caught the attention of college scouts nationwide. She chose to attend Florida State University, where she continued to excel. At Florida State, Howard’s impact was immediate, and she finished her college career sixth in the NCAA for field goal percentage. Her time at Florida State was filled with numerous honors, including being named to the ACC All-Defensive Team twice and earning First-team All-ACC honors in 2013 and 2014.

Natasha Howard's Personal Life

Natasha Howard was born into a sports-loving family; her father, Howard Hicks was a basketball coach while her uncle, Greg Howard, also contributed to her early training in basketball. Howard was in Waite High School in Toledo where she played basketball for the school team and was awarded the Ohio Ms. Basketball of 2010. Her success continued at Florida State University where she was also a great player and ranked sixth in the NCAA for field goal percentage.

Natasha Howard has not been very secretive when it comes to her personal relationships. She got married to Jacqueline Howard on 10th March 2017. However, they had some issues in their relationship, and in 2019, when Jacqueline accused Natasha of domestic abuse. Following this, they separated, and in 2023, Natasha met Jac’Eil and the couple tied the knot.

Natasha Howard Family Background

Natasha Howard’s father, Howard Hicks, was a basketball coach, which significantly influenced her early interest and development in the sport. Her mother, Latasha Howard, has been a constant source of support throughout her career. Her uncle, Greg Howard, also played a pivotal role in her basketball journey, providing guidance and encouragement.

This strong family support helped her excel at Waite High School, where she earned the title of Ohio Ms. Basketball in 20102. Despite the challenges and pressures of a professional sports career, Natasha has maintained close ties with her family, often crediting them for her resilience and determination.

Natasha Howard Wife

Natasha Howard is married to Jac’Eil. They met in the summer of 2023 and the pair got married on August 20. Both the couple shared the wedding photos on Instagram along with their individual account. Jac’Eil is an entrepreneur who uses Instagram to market her hair design services as well as of The Take Over Bar.

Natasha Howard Social Media

Natasha Howard is fairly active on social media where she likes to highlight her latest fits, games and news among other things. She also likes to post her wife on there from time to time. Her Instagram account has the handle @natashahoward_6. Along with this, she also has an X (formerly Twitter) account, with the username @THoward_6.

Natasha Howard Brand Ambassador

Natasha Howard, a prominent figure in the WNBA, has extended her influence beyond the basketball court by becoming a brand ambassador. In August 2023, she signed with Distinction Agency, a marketing firm that assists athletes in building their brands off the court. This partnership aims to leverage Howard’s impressive career and public persona to engage with fans and promote various products and initiatives, such as social media marketing, public relations, and brand partnerships among other services.

Natasha Howard Career Stats

Natasha Howard has become one of the most valuable and useful players in the WNBA league. She has played for Indiana Fever, Minnesota Lynx, Seattle Storm, and New York Liberty and is currently a player for the Dallas Wings. Howard’s career statistics show that she has been a steady player and has made a lot of impacts on the team both in offense and defense. Till the 2024 season, she has participated in 330 games so far, as of September 6, 2024, and averages 11.4 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game. Her shooting efficiency is good, she averages a field goal of 47.6% and a free throw percentage of 74.9%.

Howard’s achievements include three WNBA championships (2017, 2018, 2020), WNBA Defensive Player of the Year (2019), and WNBA All-Star (2019, 2022). She has also been awarded the All-WNBA First Team and the WNBA All-Defensive First Team many times. In the 2024 season, she remains a force to be reckoned with.

Natasha Howard Achievements

WNBA Championships

Natasha Howard has been a key player in the team that has won three WNBA championships. She clinched her first title with the Minnesota Lynx in 2017 and other two titles with the Seattle Storm in 2018 and 2020.

The Defensive Player of the Year

In 2019, Howard’s defensive skills were rewarded when she was awarded the WNBA Defensive Player of the Year. This award showed how she could control the defensive aspect of the game as she recorded 2.2 steals and 1.7 blocks per game that season.

All-WNBA and All-Star Selections

Howard’s performance has also been rewarded with several All-WNBA and 2 All-Star recognitions. In 2019, she was awarded the All-WNBA First Team and has been a WNBA All-Star twice, in 2019 and 2022.

Most Improved Player

In 2018, Howard was awarded the WNBA Most Improved Player. This achievement came in the course of the season in which she had a marked improvement in her scoring and rebounding abilities, which showed the progress she had made as a basketball player. She showed a significant jump in her points per game, from 4.3 points to 13.2 points per game as compared to the 2017 season and subsequently saw an increase in her minutes per game as well.

International Success

Apart from the WNBA, Howard has been successful in the international leagues. She was a EuroLeague champion in 2024 and a Turkish League champion in 2023 when she was with Fenerbahçe. She also won the FIBA Europe SuperCup Women in 2023 and is also the recipient of a triple crown, a rare feat in the world of basketball.

All-ACC nominations

Natasha Howard has been great since her childhood days in school, which is demonstrated by her 2 First-team All-ACC nominations (2013 and 2014) along with her 2 ACC All-Defensive Team nominations in 2012 and 2014. She was also a part of the ACC All-Freshman Team in 2011.

McDonald’s All-American

Natasha Howard won the McDonald’s All-American nomination in 2010, which marks her as one of the best high school players at the time.

Ohio Ms. Basketball

Natasha Howard received the Ohio Ms. Basketball title in 2010, as she was recognized as a prodigy in basketball at that young age.

Natasha Howard Contract

Natasha Howard’s latest contract was signed in 2021 and it is a 4-year contract with New York Liberty with a total pay of $898,700 which is fully guaranteed with an annual pay of $224,675. It has a cap hit of $234,350 and a dead cap of $234,350. The contract however does not include any signing bonuses or perks as of August 2024. The contract prior to this was signed in 2018, with the Seattle Storm which was a 3-year $345,000 deal with the Seattle Storm, with an average annual salary of $115,000.