Waite’s Natasha Howard back in WNBA training camp

Four Florida State alumnae in Natasha Howard (New York Liberty), Shakayla Thomas (Las Vegas Aces), Brittany Brown (Seattle Storm) and Kai James (Connecticut Sun) will participate in WNBA training camps that began on April 25. 

Howard played her high school basketball at Waite, where she led the team to a Division I runner-up finish at the state tournament her senior year.

The WNBA is embarking on its historic 25th season this upcoming year, with regular-season play beginning on May 14. Pre-season games start on May 1 and final 12-player rosters will be finalized on May 13.

Howard begins her first season with the Liberty and her eighth year in the WNBA, enjoying a tremendous professional run so far. She is a three-time WNBA champion with the Minnesota Lynx (2017) and Seattle Storm (2018, 2020), the 2018 WNBA Most Improved Player, a league all-star in 2019, the WNBA Defensive Player of the Year in 2019 as well as a 2019 first-team selection.

The Toledo native established a school record 41 double-doubles in her time with the Seminoles from 2010-14, and is also FSU’s all-time rebounds leader with 1,047.

Florida State women’s basketball has produced 20 players who have been drafted, signed or have played for a WNBA team since the league began in 1997, which was FSU coach Sue Semrau’s first year with the Seminoles.

Howard came to Florida State in 2010 as the highest-ranked recruit in program history, rating No. 2 overall in the 2010 signing class out of Waite High School. She lived up to her billing, becoming a three-time All-ACC Team member as well as an ACC All-Freshman Team performer in the 2010-11 season.

The two-time All-American posted one of the finest individual single seasons ever recorded by a Seminole. As a senior in 2013-14, Howard averaged 20.5 points, 9.3 rebounds, 2.3 blocks and 2.1 steals. In ACC play, she remarkably produced the league’s highest single-game totals in four categories: points (40 vs. Syracuse), field goals made (14 vs. Syracuse, 14 vs. Duke, 14 vs. Virginia, 14 vs. Miami), rebounds (22 vs. Duke) and free throws made (12 vs. Syracuse, 12 vs. Georgia Tech).

In that special senior season, Howard totaled a remarkable five 30-point games, including a school-record 40 points at Syracuse on Feb. 13, 2014. 

When drafted, Howard was the highest WNBA pick in FSU history, being selected fifth overall by the Indiana Fever in 2014.

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