Former Notre Dame star Natalie “Ace” Achonwa had a resurgent 2018, her second year in the Fever’s starting lineup. She finished her fourth pro campaign with averages of 10.3 points and 6.9 rebounds per game and joined WNBA Most Improved Player Natasha Howard as the league’s only players with increases from 2017 of more than 3.0 in both categories.
Achonwa’s breakout campaign produced six double-doubles to become just the fourth different Fever star with six or more in a season. Most impressive is that she entered the season with a previous career high of nine rebounds. She matched or surpassed that total 10 times.
Her first four double-doubles came within Indiana’s first 12 games. She posted then-career-highs of 21 points and 12 rebounds at Washington on May 20. She contributed 10 points and 10 boards at New York, June 10, and two nights later set new career highs with 26 points and 15 caroms in an overtime loss to Las Vegas. Her fourth came with 13 points and 14 boards at L.A. in June. Her fifth helped Indiana to a road win at New York in August, producing 10 points and 13 rebounds. In a double-overtime loss to Chicago in which she played 45 minutes, Ace finished with 21 and 11.
Natalie’s Breakout Season