Two-time All-Star Natasha Howard returns to the Indiana Fever with a clear goal: to help the young team, led by Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston, improve. The 33-year-old veteran, a three-time WNBA champion, said she is ready to contribute to the franchise’s championship aspirations.
“We have the talent, we have the people to do it. I’m happy, like I said, to be a part of this and also bring the leadership, the desire, to show this young group what it takes to win a championship,” she said during her introductory press conference.
Howard, who was Fever’s No. 5 pick in the 2014 draft, wants to set an example of the work ethic required to win. “My thing is to show them you can’t take any days off in practice. You have to think that the way you practice is how you play,” she added. “I’m going to show them, ‘This is how you work hard.’ [And that] when you work hard, it’s going to be easier in the game.”
The 2019 Defensive Player of the Year, who is coming from the Dallas Wings, only had praise for Clark. “She can spread the floor by shooting, she can dictate the floor as a point guard,” she said of her new teammate. “She’s an amazing passer, so I can’t wait to run the floor and get those passes.”
She also acknowledged Clark’s growth in her first professional season. “[Clark] has grown this past season, just how she has taken the game day by day, and also just learning from other players and stuff. So I’m just really excited to be a part of this team and also ready to catch her passes,” she said.
All the Indiana Fever’s new signings
After reaching the playoffs last season—their first berth since 2016—the Fever are sending a strong message that they are ready for more. General Manager Amber Cox said they had “big plans” for the offseason, and she wasn’t exaggerating.
In addition to signing Howard and re-signing Kelsey Mitchell, the Fever also added Sophie Cunningham through a multi-team trade. ESPN reported that they signed six-time All-Star DeWanna Bonner, as well as two-time champion Sydney Colson.
Speaking to the press after her No. 22 jersey retirement ceremony at Iowa, Clark praised the Fever’s leadership. “Obviously, you know we have made some great moves,” she said. “I think Kelly and Amber and the whole Fever organization are wanting to help us win now, and I think they’re putting some really great pieces together that are going to complement each other really well.”
With a mix of young stars and experienced champions, Indiana is shaping up to be a strong contender for the upcoming WNBA season.