Indiana Fever forward Natasha Howard has officially gone from overlooked veteran to the center of one of the most shocking playoff stories of the 2025 WNBA season — and now, her alma mater has delivered a tribute that sent the entire league buzzing. On Sunday, just hours before Florida State hosted Indiana in a women’s college basketball showdown, the Seminoles raised Howard’s iconic No. 33 into the rafters, sealing her legacy in a moment that instantly became one of the most emotional highlights of the year.
And the timing couldn’t have been more perfect.
Nobody — absolutely nobody — expected the Indiana Fever to become one of the most dangerous lower seeds in the 2025 playoffs. Finishing the regular season 24–20 and sneaking in as the No. 6 seed, the Fever stunned the WNBA by dismantling the No. 3 Atlanta Dream in the opening round.
But the real shock?
They dragged the Las Vegas Aces, the powerhouse No. 2 seed, into a brutal five-game series without key stars like Caitlin Clark and Sophie Cunningham. It was a survival war — and Natasha Howard was one of the anchors keeping Indiana alive.
In her return season to the franchise where her WNBA journey began, Howard played all 44 regular-season games, averaging 11.4 points, 55.2% shooting, 6.6 rebounds, and 1.2 steals. It wasn’t flashy — it was reliable, stabilizing, and essential. Exactly the kind of production a battered team leans on when its stars are out.
Her consistency didn’t just revive Indiana’s playoff hopes.
It revived her reputation as one of the league’s most underappreciated difference-makers.
Before she was a WNBA champion, All-Defensive force, and Defensive Player of the Year, Howard was a dominant presence for the Florida State Seminoles from 2010 to 2014. Her progression was steady — but her senior year was explosive:
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20.5 points
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59.4% shooting
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9.3 rebounds
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2.3 blocks
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2.1 steals
Florida State didn’t just remember her.
They immortalized her.
As Howard stood on the court Sunday with her family beside her and her No. 33 rising above the arena, the Indiana Fever posted a blazing message on X:
“33 forever in the rafters ❤️🔥 Congratulations Natasha Howard!”
And WNBA fans? They erupted instantly.
“Congrats Tash! You earned it!!!!” one supporter wrote.
“Chúc mừng Tasha! 👏🏾” another fan added.
“Flash forever ⚡️,” a third said.
The love flooded across Instagram, X, and TikTok — thousands of comments, thousands of celebrations.
This wasn’t just a jersey retirement.
It was a reminder: Natasha Howard has been that player for a long time.
Here’s where the story turns from celebration to tension.
Howard signed a one-year, $214,466 contract with Indiana before the 2025 season. Now it’s over — and she is officially heading into unrestricted free agency.
The Fever have only three players under contract for 2026.
They need veterans.
They need leaders.
They need stability.
And Natasha Howard delivered all of that.
So the big question becomes:
Will Indiana fight to bring her back?
Or will another contender sweep in and steal one of the league’s top two-way veterans?
Either way, Howard’s name is suddenly one of the hottest on the market.
The Fever’s playoff surge, her steady production, and now her jersey hanging forever in the rafters — Natasha Howard’s 2025 season has become a powerful comeback narrative for a player who’s never fully gotten the spotlight she deserves.
But now?
The spotlight is hers.
The moment is hers.
And the next chapter of her WNBA story just became must-watch drama.
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