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Credits-Imago
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Credits-Imago
Eight years and two championships later, Natasha Howard is coming home. Natasha Howard won a championship with the Minnesota Lynx in 2017. She left, won two more titles elsewhere, and became a two-time All-Star. She was the best player in last season’s Commissioner’s Cup.
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After eight full seasons away, the two-time All-Star has now signed a two-year, $1.4 million deal with the Minnesota Lynx. She previously spent two seasons with the Lynx in 2016 and 2017. Since leaving, she’s made quite a journey in the WNBA, joining the Seattle Storm in 2018, the New York Liberty in 2022, the Dallas Wings in 2024, and then the Indiana Fever, where she was initially drafted into the league.
Two-time All Star Natasha Howard is signing with the Minnesota Lynx on a two-year, $1.4 million deal, sources tell ESPN. Howard is returning to Minnesota, where she won a title in 2017, after starting all 44 games for the Indiana Fever last season. She averaged 11.4 points on… pic.twitter.com/TJn6WUNazj
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) April 12, 2026
With the Fever last season, Natasha Howard started all 44 games, averaging 11.4 points on 55.2 percent shooting and 6.6 rebounds per game. Her 55.2% shooting from the field was her highest efficiency mark since 2016. She also helped the Fever to the WNBA Commissioner’s Cup title, winning tournament MVP after a dominant double-double of 16 points and 12 rebounds against her now-team, the Minnesota Lynx, in the championship game.
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The Indiana Fever will definitely miss her, especially with the output and performances she delivered last season. However, her stay or departure was something they had no control over. As an unrestricted free agent, Natasha Howard was free to sign with any team without the Fever having the right to block the move or match the offer. And perhaps they simply preferred to prioritize Kelsey Mitchell, whom they chose to use their “core” designation on for the 2026 season.
The Minnesota Lynx themselves had also watched a number of their key players depart in free agency this offseason. They lost Alanna Smith to the Dallas Wings, Natisha Hiedeman to the Seattle Storm, and Jessica Shepard also to the Wings. Securing a player of Howard’s caliber helps mitigate these losses. Although they’ve also done well to re-sign key players like Courtney Williams and five-time All-Star Kayla McBride.
They also currently hold the second overall pick in the WNBA Draft 2026, which is just one day away. That gives the Minnesota Lynx another opportunity to strengthen their roster, with a strong chance of securing lottery-level talent to further complement the additions they’ve already made this offseason.
Will the Minnesota Lynx Deliver Natasha Howard Her Fourth Championship Ring?
Last season, the Minnesota Lynx had a historic 2025 campaign. They finished with the best regular-season record in the WNBA at 34–10. They also set a franchise record by starting 12–0 at the Target Center and went on to finish with a dominant 19–2 home record. However, their championship bid came to an end after a 1–3 loss in the semifinals to the Phoenix Mercury.
This season, they are still very much top contenders. Joining this team has just given Natasha Howard a better chance of securing another championship ring. Last year, while joining the Indiana Fever, she expressed her desire for one more title. “I look at my rings, and I’m like, I need another one,” she said. And of course, she now has a chance to win it where she won her very first.
However, if they are to do it, it wouldn’t be easy. They’ll have the Las Vegas Aces, a dynasty coming off three titles in four years, to dethrone. They are also currently without a formidable figure like Napheesa Collier, whose season-ending injury derailed their 2025 playoff run. Hopefully, she recovers in time, and alongside Howard, they can deliver the team’s first championship since Howard’s first in 2017.
Written by
Edited by
Pranav Venkatesh