In a year already packed with jaw-dropping moments for Indiana Fever fans, Natasha Howard has just added another chapter to her remarkable legacy. The three-time WNBA champion, who powered the Fever to their first-ever Commissioner’s Cup title in 2025, now finds her name etched into history — this time back where it all began, at Florida State University.
On Friday, Florida State dropped a bombshell announcement: Natasha Howard’s legendary No. 33 jersey will be retired, forever hanging in the rafters of the Donald L. Tucker Civic Center. For a player who redefined what it means to dominate on both ends of the floor, it’s an honor that cements her as one of the greatest to ever wear Garnet and Gold.
Howard’s 2025 campaign with Indiana was nothing short of sensational. The 6-foot-3 forward started all 44 regular-season games, anchoring Stephanie White’s Fever squad through adversity — including season-ending injuries to cornerstone superstar Caitlin Clark. When the team needed leadership, Howard delivered. Her defining performance came during the WNBA Commissioner’s Cup Final, where she exploded for 16 points, 12 rebounds, four assists and two steals in a 74–59 victory over the Minnesota Lynx. Her MVP performance not only sealed the Fever’s first-ever Cup but reignited the franchise’s identity as a contender.
Long before her WNBA triumphs, Howard was already a force of nature in Tallahassee. Between 2010 and 2014, she carved out a historic collegiate career with Florida State, earning All-ACC and All-Defense honors multiple times while amassing 1,811 points and 1,047 rebounds. Head coach Brooke Wyckoff summed up the moment perfectly: “Natasha Howard is one of the greatest to ever wear Garnet and Gold… seeing her succeed as a WNBA champion and All-Star only reinforces what we always knew; she’s one of the best to ever do it.”
Howard shared her gratitude on social media shortly after the announcement, thanking her FSU family and the fans who have supported her from day one. The jersey retirement ceremony is set for November 16, following Florida State’s game against Indiana — a poetic matchup that mirrors the dual chapters of her basketball life. She will become just the fifth player in program history to receive this prestigious honor.
But while the celebration is well-deserved, a bigger question now looms on the horizon. With her contract set to expire, Howard enters WNBA free agency in 2026 — and speculation is already swirling about where the veteran forward might land next. After a season that saw her reclaim her dominance and leadership, teams across the league are watching closely.
Will she return to Indiana to finish what she started — or is another bold move on the way? One thing’s certain: Natasha Howard isn’t done shocking the basketball world just yet.
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