The Indiana Fever are heading into the new W season with serious momentum! Caitlin Clark and the squad went undefeated in preseason. Not a single loss. Confidence? Through the roof. And rightly so. But beyond their preseason record, one thing really stood out– their depth. The bench came up big. From Lexie Hull’s clutch showing against the Dream to Sophie Cunningham lighting it up versus the Mystics, the second unit delivered. There’s a lot to like. But not everything is sunshine and rainbows for the Fever. Analysts have raised eyebrows at one big-name free agent signing.

“One thing for me, I actually want to win MVP. I was close to getting it in 2019, but that’s years behind now. But MVP and Defensive Player of the Year. But at the end, it’s holding that [championship] trophy.” That’s what Natasha Howard said when asked about her goals for the new W season. Big ambitions, no doubt. Looks like Caitlin Clark might have competition–right from her own locker room! But let’s be real. Are those goals even realistic right now? Early signs aren’t exactly backing it up.

National reporter Rosalina Lee shared her thoughts on the Fever’s matchup against the Mystics, and Natasha Howard was definitely on her radar. Speaking on her YouTube channel, which extensively covers women’s hoops, she said, “I still definitely want to see more from Natasha Howard because she hasn’t really made a big impact on the team yet. And you know, this is a former Defensive Player of the Year. But luckily, the season is starting, the real games will begin, and we’ll get to see more then.”

It’s safe to say Natasha Howard’s Fever debut didn’t go as planned. The 3-time WNBA champ and 2019 Defensive Player of the Year struggled against the Mystics, shooting just 4-of-11 from the field. She did grab 8 boards, but it wasn’t her best. She followed that up with 10 points and 5 rebounds against the Brazil National Team. Then came 8 points and 4 rebounds against the Dream. Fever fans are yet to see a standout performance from her which Lee reiterates. But with the season starting on the 16th of May , fans might soon see the real Natasha Howard.

That said, Howard didn’t hold back when it came to praising Caitlin Clark. She was all in on giving the sophomore her flowers. Safe to say, she sees something special brewing in Indiana. Let’s take a look at what she said about the Indiana superstar.

Natasha Howard Compares Caitlin Clark to the game’s greatest

The Indiana Fever front office made their intentions clear this offseason. They wanted veterans. Leaders. Champions. That’s why they brought in names like Natasha Howard, DeWanna Bonner, and Sydney Colson. All proven. All winners. But according to Howard, they didn’t need to search far for leadership. It was already in the building. She was obviously talking about Caitlin Clark!

“I see it already in practice. Like, she’s talking, talking to us in the huddles and stuff. I feel like it’s natural for her, ’cause she did it at Iowa, for the four years that she was at Iowa,” she said about the Rookie of the Year. “So I feel like she’s gonna be in that category with the Sue Birds and Diana Taurasis, and stuff like that.”

One thing’s for sure–this is Caitlin Clark’s team. And everyone in that locker room knows it. But there’s a shared goal here. They all want one thing. A championship. Whether they get there or not, only time will tell. But make no mistake, if the Fever want to go all the way, Natasha Howard’s impact will be just as important. Watching how she and Clark gel on the court? That’s going to be must-see.