Natasha Cloud

Last updated

Natasha Cloud
Natasha Cloud 2024 (cropped).jpg
Cloud with the Phoenix Mercury in 2024
No. 0–Phoenix Mercury
Position Point guard
League WNBA
Personal information
Born (1992-02-22) February 22, 1992 (age 32)
Broomall, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Listed height5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Listed weight160 lb (73 kg)
Career information
High school Cardinal O'Hara
(Springfield, Pennsylvania)
College
WNBA draft 2015: 2nd round, 15th overall pick
Selected by the Washington Mystics
Playing career2015–present
Career history
2015–2019 Washington Mystics
2015–2016 Beşiktaş
2016–2017 Townsville Fire
2021–2023 Washington Mystics
2022–2024 Athletes Unlimited Pro Basketball
2024–present Phoenix Mercury
2025–presentLunar Owls BC
Career highlights and awards
Stats at Basketball Reference   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg

Natasha "Tasha" Cloud (born February 22, 1992) is an American professional basketball player for the Phoenix Mercury of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA).

Contents

Early life

During high school, Cloud led Cardinal O'Hara to the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association Class AAAA state finals as a junior and to the second round as a senior. She earned First Team All-Delco honors in both her junior and senior year. As a junior, she additionally earned a Pennsylvania AAAA Third Team All-State selection. [1]

Natasha Cloud gained recognition after being named AAAA First Team All-State as a senior. During the season, she averaged 12.3 points, 7.9 rebounds, 5.2 assists, and 4.0 steals per game. [1] She earned the Michael Menichini Award in 2009.

Following her high school career, Cloud received a scholarship to play at the University of Maryland as a Terp.

College career

University of Maryland

2010–2011: Cloud played in 31 of 32 games of her freshman year and started six times. [2] During the season, she led the team in assists twice and in blocks three times while also being named a Scholar Athlete. [2]

Her coach, Brenda Frese, stated that:

Natasha is a very athletic and unselfish player who will do whatever her team needs to help us win. She's a strong defensive player, who can play either guard spot and is a terrific passer. Natasha has a ton of personality, is a good student and fits right in with our team. [2]

Following the 2010-2011 basketball season, Cloud transferred to Saint Joseph's University.

Saint Joseph's University

Cloud at Saint Joseph's Natasha Cloud Basketball.jpg
Cloud at Saint Joseph's

2011–2012: Due to NCAA transfer rules, Cloud sat out the 2011–2012 season. She was named a member of the SJU Director's Honor Roll. [1]

2013–2014: Cloud served as co-captain of her team. She earned Atlantic 10 (A10) Defensive Player of the Year and was additionally named to the A10 All-Conference Second Team. [1] She was named to the Nancy Lieberman Award Watch List for the top point guard in the nation.

During the season, Cloud averaged 11.5 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 7.6 assists per game. She ranked second nationally in assists per game, setting the SJU single-season record for assists (243) and leading the A10 in assists and assists to turnover ratio. [1] During the 2014 NCAA tournament, she scored 13 points, seven rebounds, four assists, two blocked shots, and two steals in a first round win over Georgia. During the second round, she posted 10 points, six assists, one block, and one steal against Connecticut, the eventual champions. [1]

2014–2015: Cloud served as the co-captain of her team for the second straight year. She was named Atlantic 10 All-Conference First Team and was an All-Defensive Team selection. She was a finalist for the Nancy Lieberman Award and Naismith Trophy Watch List nominee.

During the season, Cloud averaged 12.9 points a game and led the Atlantic 10 in assists and averaged minutes. [1] She scored a career-high 29 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals and a blocked shot against Liberty. [1]

Professional career

Cloud with the Washington Mystics in 2019 Natasha Cloud (cropped).jpg
Cloud with the Washington Mystics in 2019

WNBA

Cloud was selected in the second round and 15th overall by the Washington Mystics in the 2015 WNBA draft. [3] During her rookie season, she averaged 3.6 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game over an average of 19.3 minutes. [3]

In 2016, Cloud suffered a left hip injury during practice at the Verizon Center. [4]

On October 10, 2019, Cloud won her first WNBA championship. [5]

In June 2020, Cloud announced that she would forgo the 2020 WNBA season due to concerns regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and a desire to focus on social justice advocacy. [6]

After playing for the Mystics for nine years, Cloud signed to the Phoenix Mercury in 2024. [7]

International

During the 2015–2016 season, Cloud played in Istanbul, Turkey for Besiktas. [8]

Athletes Unlimited Pro Basketball

From 2022 to 2024, Cloud played for Athletes Unlimited Pro Basketball. She was a member of the Player Executive Committee from 2022 to 2023 and named to the league's 2023 All Defense Team. [9]

Unrivaled

On August 27, 2024, it was announced that Cloud would appear and play in the inaugural season of Unrivaled, the women's 3x3 basketball league founded by Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart. [10]

National team career

Cloud represented Jordan at the 2021 FIBA Women's Asia Cup in Amman, Jordan. [11] She helped her team to reach the promotion playoff final, before losing to Lebanon and missing promotion to Division A. [12]

Career statistics

Legend
  GPGames played  GS Games started MPG Minutes per game RPG  Rebounds per game
 APG  Assists per game SPG  Steals per game BPG  Blocks per game PPG Points per game
 TO  Turnovers per game FG%  Field-goal percentage 3P%  3-point field-goal percentage FT%  Free-throw percentage
 Bold Career best°League leader
†Denotes season(s) in which Cloud won a WNBA championship

WNBA

Regular season

Stats current through end of 2024 season

WNBA regular season statistics
YearTeamGPGSMPGFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGTOPPG
2015 Washington 342219.3.320.237.6812.83.40.90.11.43.6
2016 Washington 312824.3.348.338.7543.03.80.80.11.45.7
2017 Washington 24018.7.314.235.7412.52.90.70.11.04.4
2018 Washington 272226.5.436.386.7783.24.60.70.11.78.6
2019 † Washington 343432.1.394.326.6832.55.61.00.21.99.0
2020Did not play (opted out)
2021 Washington 272731.6.389.274.8363.66.41.40.12.28.7
2022 Washington 343431.3.399.319.8243.67.01.00.32.810.7
2023 Washington 373732.4.377.298.9003.76.21.10.32.612.7
2024 Phoenix 383833.3.397.308.8264.16.91.40.63.011.5
Career9 years, 2 teams28624228.1.384.309.8063.35.31.00.22.18.6

Playoffs

WNBA playoff statistics
YearTeamGPGSMPGFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGTOPPG
2015 Washington 3214.0.429.333—1.01.31.00.01.72.3
2017 Washington 5017.4.333.333.7502.42.20.60.21.84.8
2018 Washington 9925.7.400.414.7693.44.10.80.11.98.2
2019 † Washington 9934.2.442.378.8503.46.21.10.21.313.1
2022 Washington 2235.5.500.7001.0006.03.00.51.53.018.5
2023 Washington 2237.0.433.5001.0007.08.52.0°0.01.518.5
2024 Phoenix 2236.5.543.462.8335.510.0°1.00.53.024.5°
Career7 years, 2 teams322627.7.439.429.8493.64.70.90.31.810.8

College

Source [13]

YearTeamGPPointsFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGPPG
2010–11Maryland317637.9%26.3%69.2%1.52.00.70.22.5
2011–12Saint Joseph'sredshirt
2012–13Saint Joseph's3229338.9%14.8%73.6%4.64.41.80.59.2
2013–14Saint Joseph's3236839.2%27.4%71.7%6.67.62.00.511.5
2014–15Saint Joseph's3038836.8%35.1%79.1%5.96.61.80.412.9
Career125112538.2%28.6%74.4%4.65.21.60.49.0

Off the court

Personal life

Cloud was married to professional softball player, Aleshia Ocasio. They separated in 2022. [14] [15]

In December 2020, Cloud was named to Forbes 30 Under 30 alongside fellow WNBA players A'ja Wilson and Chiney Ogwumike. [16]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Natasha Cloud Biography". sjuhawks.com. Retrieved February 17, 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 "Natasha Cloud Biography". umterps.com. Retrieved February 17, 2016.
  3. 1 2 "Natasha Cloud - WNBA". WNBA. Retrieved February 26, 2016.
  4. ↑ Lee, Albert (July 20, 2016). "Natasha Cloud injures knee" . Retrieved July 22, 2016.
  5. ↑ "2019 Season Review: Washington Mystics". WNBA.com - Official Site of the WNBA. Retrieved December 21, 2021.
  6. ↑ "WNBA 2020 season: Jonquel Jones, Liz Cambage, Tina Charles among players sitting out". CBSSports.com. Retrieved June 24, 2021.
  7. ↑ "PHOENIX MERCURY SIGNS WNBA CHAMPION NATASHA CLOUD". mercury.wnba.com. Retrieved November 12, 2024.
  8. ↑ Eurobasket. "Besiktas JK Istanbul Basketball Roster 2015-2016". Eurobasket LLC. Retrieved November 12, 2024.
  9. ↑ "AU Pro Basketball Player Profile". AU Pro Sports. Retrieved November 14, 2024.
  10. ↑ @Unrivaledwbb (August 27, 2024). "NATASHA CLOUD IS UNRIVALED👑16/30✅" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  11. ↑ "Team Roster: Jordan". FIBA.
  12. ↑ "Lebanon 80–40 Jordan". FIBA. November 13, 2021.
  13. ↑ "NCAA Statistics". web1.ncaa.org. Retrieved August 28, 2017.
  14. ↑ "Natasha Cloud is engaged!". SBNation. July 28, 2019.
  15. ↑ Reimer, Alex (March 11, 2021). "Natasha Cloud and Aleshia Ocasio got married". outsports.com. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
  16. ↑ Ariail, Cat (December 2, 2020). "Natasha Cloud, Chiney Ogwumike and A'ja Wilson named to the 'Forbes 30 Under 30 List'". Swish Appeal. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
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