The Indiana Fever have signed free agent forward Natasha Howard, per ESPN’s Alexa Philippou. Howard, a three-time WNBA champion and two-time All-Star, last played for the Dallas Wings. Now, the high-impact 33-year-old veteran returns to the same organization that first drafted her in 2014.
Indiana Fever’s latest free agent signing is a perfect fit
Natasha Howard is heading to the Fever to join forces with Caitlin Clark, Kelsey Mitchell, and Aliyah Boston in the organization where she started her career.
Photo by Adam Hagy/NBAE via Getty Images
Noa Dalzell is a senior writer covering the WNBA and all of women’s basketball for Breakaway, SB Nation’s women’s sports vertical, as well as the Celtics for CelticsBlog.
What Natasha Howard will bring to the Indiana Fever
In many ways, Natasha Howard is exactly what the Fever was missing. Howard is an elite defender — she was named Defensive Player of the Year in 2019 — who should immediately elevate an Indiana Fever defense that was among the league’s worst last season. She’s also a superb rim-runner who should fit perfectly alongside Rookie of the Year Caitlin Clark, who broke the per-game assist record in her first season in the WNBA. Last season, Howard averaged 17.6 points, 6.7 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game.
The move to sign Howard is the Fever’s second big splash this week. On Wednesday, Indiana announced they had re-signed Kelsey Mitchell, after giving her the core designation earlier this month. Mitchell, a 7-year franchise veteran, is fresh off of a career season that saw her average 19.2 points on a career-best 46.8% shooting.
Now, Indiana has added a forward who will further bolster a frontcourt anchored by 2023 Rookie of the Year Aliyah Boston. Howard will also provide veteran experience that was lacking on last year’s roster. The 6’2 forward has won three WNBA championships — one with the Minnesota Lynx and two with the Seattle Storm. Her playing career also included a stint with the New York Liberty.
As it currently stands, the Fever’s starting line-up in 2025 is likely to include Clark, Mitchell, Lexie Hull, Howard, and Boston. Howard immediately provides another reliable double-digit scorer whose play should be elevated by the presence of a playmaker the caliber of Clark’s. Alongside Boston, she will also form a formidable post presence.
Where the Dallas Wings go from here
It’s no surprise that Howard did not re-sign with the Wings. After last season concluded, she posted on social media that she was planning on heading elsewhere after two years in Dallas: “I look forward to this next chapter with a new team and new city.”
Satou Sabally is also expected to re-sign elsewhere after spending her entire career with the Wings to date. But, as it currently stands, the Wings will return all-time franchise scoring leader Arike Ogunbowale, forward Maddy Siegrist, guards Jacy Sheldon and Sevgi Uzun, and center Teaira McCowan. They also have the No. 1 pick in the 2025 WNBA draft, which is widely expected to be used to select UConn guard Paige Bueckers.
But, this iteration of the Dallas Wings roster is likely to require additional acquisitions to be competitive with the WNBA’s other playoff teams. Sabally and Howard were Dallas’s most reliable forwards last season — and the organization will need to turn to free agency to replace their contributions.
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