'When my body is hurting or my game is off": $214,466 Fever star shares true feelings on Caitlin Clark and other teammates' support

Natasha Howard didn’t have the outing she had hoped for during the Indiana Fever’s 93-78 win over the Chicago Sky on Sunday. The veteran forward, who is on a one-year, $214,466 deal, struggled early and her performance dipped to the point where coach Stephanie White opted to bench the three-time WNBA champion.

Howard saw just 12:19 minutes, going 0-for-5 from the field in a tough night offensively. On Monday, she expressed her gratitude to Caitlin Clark and her Fever teammates for their unwavering support, especially during moments when she isn’t performing at her best.

"Thankful for my teammates, even when my body is hurting or my game is off, I love how my teammates stay motivated & push through for the win!" Howard wrote on X (formerly Twitter). "They always remind me how much we mean to each other! So proud of kels real baller."

Natasha Howard’s response came after a video surfaced on X showing her applauding Kelsey Mitchell on the bench. While Howard faced a tough outing, Mitchell delivered her best performance of the season, erupting for a season-high 35 points and knocking down a season-best seven 3-pointers.

Makayla Timpson shines during Natasha Howard's off day at work

Natasha Howard’s limited minutes due to a rough performance turned out to be a blessing in disguise for rookie Makayla Timpson. The young forward saw extended time off the bench and made the most of the opportunity, delivering a standout performance.

Even Howard took notice, praising the former Florida State standout with a public shoutout for her impressive showing and for having the veteran forward's back.

Makayla Timpson was the first player off the bench for the Fever on Sunday and made an immediate impact. The rookie logged 22 minutes and delivered a career-high 14 points on an efficient 6 of 8 shooting. She also added four rebounds, one assist and three steals in a well-rounded performance.

Edited by Atishay Jain