Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- Natasha Howard earned her first All-Star nod since 2022 and leads the Lynx with a career-high field goal percentage.
- Her defensive versatility and efficient rim-focused offense have anchored Minnesota to the league's best record during Napheesa Collier's injury.
- The Lynx are 11.0 points per 100 possessions better with Howard on the floor, making her the cornerstone of their title-contending season.
Natasha Howard is a good basketball player. This has always been true, even as she's turned into a journeywoman over the years — the Minnesota Lynx are her third home in the last three seasons — but in 2026, Howard seems to have found a whole new gear.
She earned her first All-Star nod since 2022. She's got the highest field goal percentage of her career. She's a crucial part of a contending team. Let's talk all about that.
Natasha Howard has been key to Minnesota's success
The Lynx entered 2026 in a weird spot. Napheesa Collier was out with an ankle injury and the other key frontcourt pieces from last season — Alanna Smith and Jessica Shepard — had signed with the Dallas Wings. Replacing all of that seemed impossible, and while adding Howard as a free agent was a step in the right direction, surely the 34-year-old forward wouldn't be enough to meaningfully replace all those losses.
Except, she has been. Coupled with the drafting of Olivia Miles, the Lynx not only managed to survive the Collier-less stretch of the season, but they managed to emerge from it with the league's best record, and Howard was a huge part of that on both ends of the floor.
Defense has always been a strength for Howard, as she has the versatility to hold her own against most players. She can defend at the rim, but also has the athleticism to thrive when she's switched off against a ball-handler. She hasn't gotten a vote for Defensive Player of the Year or All-Defense since 2020, but part of that was her changing role. She didn't need to be the defensive catalyst in New York, and then in Dallas and Indiana, the players around her weren't good enough for her to lift the team defense enough to get her recognition.
But this season, Howard's done a great job anchoring things. Her 1.8 steals per game are her most since 2019 and her 0.9 blocks are her ost since 2022, her last All-Star appearance. Howard's been put in a great position by head coach Cheryl Reeve to play defense in a way that best suits her game.
Meanwhile, Howard has looked like a transformed player offensively, and a lot of that comes down to shot selection.
Season | Percentage of FGA (0-3 feet) | Percentage of FGA (2-Pointers) |
|---|---|---|
2024 | 23.4 | 86.6 |
2025 | 41.4 | 90.9 |
2026 | 49.5 | 96.2 |
Howard is taking fewer 3-pointers and, more importantly, is taking fewer midrange shots. Almost half of her total attempts this season come at the rim, and she's shooting 72.2 percent on such attempts. Getting Howard closer to the basket on offense has been crucial to upping her efficiency, and that's been a big part of Minnesota's success.
Just look at the on/off numbers. The Lynx are 11.0 points per 100 possessions better with Howard on the floor vs. off the floor, and the duo of Howard and Miles has a net rating of +18.6 when sharing the floor. Those two really work well together — the Lynx actually have a negative net rating when either player is on the floor without the other.
This should have been a long season as the team waited for Collier to be back, but Howard's resurgent 2026 campaign allowed the team to thrive over the first half of the season. Now, they're the clear title favorites.
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