Last Updated on July 28, 2026 by Mat Diekhake

Natasha Howard has built an outstanding career through defensive versatility, relentless energy, and an ever-expanding offensive game, making her one of the WNBA’s most valuable two-way forwards. A multiple-time champion and former Defensive Player of the Year, she consistently impacts winning with her ability to guard every frontcourt position while contributing across the stat sheet.

Here are the details about Natasha Howard:

Player Profile

  • Full Name: Natasha Howard
  • Nationality: American
  • Age: Born September 2, 1991
  • Hometown: Toledo, Ohio, United States
  • Height: 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 meters)
  • Weight: 165 lbs (75 kg)
  • Wingspan: 6 feet 10 inches (2.08 meters)
  • Shoe Size: N/A
  • Number: #6 (Dallas Wings), previously #3 with other teams
  • Position: Power Forward / Center
  • High School: Morrison R. Waite High School, Toledo, Ohio
  • College: Florida State University (2010–2014)
  • WNBA Draft: 2014, 1st round, 5th overall pick by the Indiana Fever
  • Teams Played For:
    • Indiana Fever (2014–2016)
    • Minnesota Lynx (2016–2017)
    • Seattle Storm (2018–2020)
    • New York Liberty (2021–2023)
    • Dallas Wings (2024–present)
  • Accolades:
    • Championship Rings: 3 WNBA championships
      • 2017 with Minnesota Lynx
      • 2018 and 2020 with Seattle Storm
    • WNBA All-Star: 3-time WNBA All-Star (2019, 2021, 2023)
    • WNBA Defensive Player of the Year: 2019
    • Other Accolades: Known for her defensive prowess, shot-blocking, and rebounding. She was a key contributor to the championship teams she played for.
  • Kids: Natasha has a son.
  • Siblings: Information about siblings is not publicly available.

Player Archetype / Play Style

Natasha Howard’s player archetype is that of a mobile two-way power forward, built to defend across positions, finish plays inside, and give lineups real versatility at both ends. Defensively, she has been at her best as a disruptive frontcourt anchor who can switch, rotate, protect the rim from the weak side, and create havoc with steals and blocks rather than just sitting in deep coverage. Offensively, Howard works as a slashing scorer, interior finisher, transition threat, and complementary option who can punish closeouts, run the floor hard, and score efficiently without needing to dominate the ball. Physically, she brings a rangy 6-foot-2 frame, good length, quick feet, and the kind of lateral mobility that lets her play bigger than a typical forward while still handling space. Altogether, her play style is energetic, defensive-minded, and highly functional, blending championship-level versatility with the ability to impact games through effort, activity, and timely scoring.

Scouting Report

What stands out with Natasha Howard is how many different ways she can influence a possession without ever becoming the focal point of the offence. She reads the game like a player who’s always anticipating the second action rather than reacting to the first. One trip she’ll sprint into an early drag screen and dive hard to the rim, the next she’ll slip the screen entirely because she recognises the defender is already preparing to switch, and if the ball swings away she’ll immediately relocate into open space instead of standing still. That constant movement forces defences to make decisions they don’t always want to make. Defensively, she’s at her best covering ground. Howard is comfortable showing high in pick-and-rolls before recovering, rotating from the low side to challenge at the rim and switching onto wings long enough to let the defence reset without the possession immediately breaking down. The interesting thing is that she doesn’t chase blocks nearly as often as people assume. She prefers arriving on balance, taking away the finish with verticality or length, then immediately finding the rebound. Offensively, she can attack slower bigs from the perimeter with long, controlled strides and has enough touch around the basket to punish defenders who arrive late, while also making quick decisions as a short-roll passer when help collapses. The trade-off is that she isn’t someone you consistently throw the ball to on the block and expect to generate efficient offence against a loaded defence, and against the strongest interior centres she can be forced into more physical wrestling matches than fluid, mobile contests. To me, her ideal role is as an active frontcourt connector next to a dominant creator and a true interior centre or stretch five, giving her the freedom to screen, cut, switch defensively and exploit whichever mismatch develops naturally during the possession rather than forcing one herself. She reminds me of Shawn Marion in the way she fills every gap on the floor through movement and defensive coverage instead of ball dominance, while there are also flashes of Jerami Grant’s face-up attacking style when she catches bigger defenders flat-footed and immediately turns the corner before the help rotates.

Sources:
WNBA — Natasha Howard Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and More
WNBA — Seattle’s Natasha Howard Named 2019 WNBA Defensive Player Of The Year
Dallas Wings — Dallas Wings Acquire Natasha Howard and Crystal Dangerfield
Indiana Fever — Natasha Howard Brings Experience, Championship Pedigree Back to Indiana