When Natasha Howard was signed by the Indiana Fever this offseason, it was part of a free agency that included herself, DeWanna Bonner, and Sydney Colson that signaled the team was trying to get as serious as possible. Three championship winners getting signed in one offseason is a big deal for a team looking to build around Aliyah Boston and Caitlin Clark.
Of course, only two of those three signings have worked out, and it's probably the two more surprising ones for Fever fans - Howard and Colson. Colson has stepped up consistently while Clark has dealt with injury woes this season, and Howard has slowly pieced together a sold first half to the season after a hard start.
Howard had to also have circled the Fever's Friday night game against the Dallas Wings - the team she had called home for two seasons prior to signing with Indiana. While with Dallas, Howard was a force - she was oft injured in her final year with the team, but when she was on the floor, her and Satou Sabally were always a challenge to try and stop in the front court.
She didn't disappoint in her return to Dallas. Finishing up with a double-double on 15 points, 13 rebounds, four assists, and three steals in 32 minutes on the floor made her stand out in a game full of standout performances from players like Kelsey Mitchell and Aliyah Boston. If she was aiming to send a message to Dallas' front office, it was certainly received.
Howard shines in return to Dallas
Howard was moving as if she had no real challenge in front of her on the court for the entire game. She was consistently getting to her spots in the paint, swooping to the basket with great control while feeding her cutting teammates in the post.
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After the game, Indiana's social media was sure to give the forward some love as All-Star voting is very much underway.
Howard isn't one of the Fever players getting major love in All-Star fan voting right now - those votes lie with Caitlin Clark, Boston, and Lexie Hull at the moment - but she deserves some consideration if she continues to play like how she did against the Wings and especially if she shows out in the Commissioner's Cup.
Facing a frontcourt like the Minnesota Lynx's is no joke. Naphessa Collier and Alanna Smith have been a force this season, while Howard and Boston are only finally beginning to find a clear groove. No better way to test your connection than against some of the best opponents in the league, though.