Florida State Professional Athletes

Florida State's deepest WNBA footprint right now runs through Minnesota, where Natasha Howard is playing some of the most complete basketball of any Seminole in the league.

Over the week of Aug. 9–15, Howard posted back-to-back multi-stat performances for the Lynx that went well beyond the box score. On Sunday, Aug. 9, she helped Minnesota pull away from the Wings 103–90, finishing with 12 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks — a +12 on the night. Four days later against the Fire, she was even better on the glass: 14 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals in an 85–81 Lynx win, landing at +8. Two games, two double-doubles, four steals, two blocks, and a combined plus-minus of +20. That's not a hot streak — that's a player operating at a different level.

Howard's defensive versatility is the thread tying both performances together. The blocks against the Wings and the steals in both contests reflect an ability to disrupt at multiple points of attack — something that defined her college career at Florida State and has followed her through the league. For FSU fans who remember her as one of the program's most decorated defenders, none of this is a surprise. It's a reminder.

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The rest of the Seminoles

Makayla Timpson gave Indiana Fever fans reasons to stay engaged across two appearances. Against the Liberty on Aug. 11, Timpson grabbed 7 rebounds and posted a +8 in a 106–92 Fever win despite a quiet scoring night (3 points). She was more active on the stat sheet three days later when Indiana beat the Wings 98–87 — 6 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, and a +5. The raw scoring numbers are modest, but Timpson is contributing in the margins that matter: rebounding, staying on the right side of the plus-minus ledger, and picking her spots on defense.

Maria Conde had a rough week with Portland Tempo. She was held off the box score entirely in Thursday's 88–94 loss to the Wings, and on Tuesday against the Dream — a 95–107 Tempo defeat — she finished with 2 points, 3 assists, and a -17. The Tempo as a team have been inconsistent, and Conde's numbers reflect a tough stretch more than a collapse in individual play. Still, it's a week to move past quickly.

Ta'Niya Latson of the Las Vegas Aces did not appear in the game log during this period.

The headline writes itself: four Seminoles active in the WNBA, and the one playing like a franchise cornerstone is the one who's been doing it longest. Howard's week was the kind that makes the alumni box score worth checking every morning.

Natasha Howard Helps Seal the Deal for Minnesota

Florida State's Natasha Howard had her fingerprints all over the biggest moment of the Lynx's season. On Saturday, Aug. 8, Howard posted 17 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 steals as Minnesota dismantled the Las Vegas Aces 98-87 to clinch a WNBA playoff berth — locking up the league's best record at 26-7 in the process. It was a complete performance from Howard, who contributed on every level while Olivia Miles (26 points) and Napheesa Collier (22 points) drew the headlines.

Howard's playoff-clincher capped a productive week. On Sunday, Aug. 2, she scored 13 points with 5 assists and 4 rebounds in a 108-100 Lynx victory over the Indiana Fever, posting a plus-minus of +16 — the best mark of any Seminole in the period. Howard is proving to be exactly the kind of connector piece championship contenders need: a veteran who doesn't force the issue but rarely lets a game slip by without leaving a mark.

Makayla Timpson Earns Her Stripes in Indiana

Howard wasn't the only 'Nole making noise. Makayla Timpson continued to build her reputation as a dependable weapon off the Fever bench. On Saturday, Aug. 8, Timpson delivered a standout showing against the Chicago Sky — 10 points, 3 assists, 2 blocks, a steal, and a team-best +15 plus-minus in a 90-86 Indiana win.

The week wasn't without its grind. Timpson hauled in 11 rebounds in Thursday's narrow 84-86 loss to the Aces — a game Indiana ultimately couldn't hold — but her motor never stopped. Over three games this week, she averaged 7.0 points and 6.3 rebounds, quietly doing the things that don't always make box score highlights but earn coaches' trust. A recent feature on her emergence called Timpson a "star in her role," and this week's tape backs that up.

Maria Conde Battles Through a Rough Week for Chicago

Over in Chicago, Maria Conde gave the Tempo something to work with despite a 1-2 week for the club. Her best showing came Wednesday, Aug. 5, when she erupted for 17 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists against the Golden State Valkyries — even if the Tempo fell 82-91. She followed that with a steady 6-point, 6-rebound, 2-assist outing in a loss to the Fire on Friday. Across three games, Conde averaged 11.0 points and 5.7 rebounds, flashing the kind of two-way versatility that has kept her in Chicago's rotation.

Ta'Niya Latson of the Las Vegas Aces did not register notable stats during the period.

The Bigger Picture

Three Florida State alumni logging meaningful minutes across three WNBA franchises in the same week is a testament to the program's pipeline. Howard's role in a playoff clincher is the crown jewel, but Timpson's ascent in Indiana and Conde's consistent production in Chicago paint a picture of a Seminole contingent that's quietly becoming one of the most distributed — and impactful — alumni groups in the league.