5 Things To Know About Unrivaled Star Natasha Cloud: From Saint Joseph’s to Athlete Activist
We’re on Cloud 9.
In a league where 18 out of 36 players are out as LGBTQ+, Unrivaled is just the beginning of many more groundbreaking and exciting things to come for queer athletes. For queer women’s basketball superfans who’ve long been shooting their shots or newbies who are breaking their ankles to learn all the lore about one of the gayest professional sports leagues, we’re highlighting all the GOated things about its queer players that make them the greatest. This week, we’re spotlighting one of the most unapologetic and courageous players of the league, Natasha Cloud, AKA Tash.
Hooping Hawk
After transferring to Saint Joseph’s University in 2012, Cloud had an impressive three-year playing career on Hawk Hill. She served as team co-captain, led the team to the NCAA tournament twice, and earned them two Philadelphia Big 5 titles and the 2013 Atlantic 10 championship. She finished her historic college career as one of three players in SJU’s program history to record 1,000 points and 350 assists. In 2023, the Atlantic 10 Conference spotlighted her as one of 16 Title IX Trailblazers, an honor given to women who “have paved the way for creating and protecting opportunities for girls and women in sport and intercollegiate athletics throughout their careers.”
Related: 5 Things To Know About Unrivaled Star Brittney Griner: From Baylor Legend To Global Icon
Talented Tash
Cloud has spent nine years playing in the WNBA. In the 2015 WNBA Draft, she was the No. 15 pick for the Washington Mystics, played point guard on the team for eight years, and became known as one of the franchise’s all-time greats. As a rookie, she started in 23 out of 34 games, where her skills only grew, and she led the team to its first championship win in 2019. In 2019 and 2022, she was honored with the WNBA All-Defensive Team Award. She signed with the Phoenix Mercury in February of 2024 and played one successful season, but was recently traded to the Connecticut Sun in a shocking four-team trade. In Unrivaled, she plays on the Phantom team.
An Adamant Activist
Cloud has never been silent. With a long track record of activism, she recalled her activist career beginning after visiting DC elementary school kids upset about bullets being fired through their windows. Her basketball career has only strengthened her voice as an activist. She became an unofficial voice of the WNBA’s social activist movements in 2020 after announcing she would sit out the season to work on social justice issues after the murder of George Floyd. In an interview with Slam about her activism in relation to her large platform as a WNBA player, she explained, “I just want to be a good person and I want to help where I can. I do take that responsibility in understanding that I have a platform and want to use this game in every way I can give back to my community.”
Related: Everything GOated About Breanna Stewart: 5 Things To Know About The Unrivaled Star Player
Fly Fits
One thing about Cloud, she’s one of the best-dressed WNBA players. The pre-game tunnel has turned into her runway over the years, where she’s been photographed in outfits consisting of cuffed dickies and designer brands—not to mention she always pairs them with stylish accessories such as silver tooth gems and chunky chains. Her style has only gotten better, and this Unrivaled season is giving us a taste of many more great outfits to come in the 2025 WNBA season.
Powerful Partnerships
Cloud has secured many exciting partnerships. In 2020, she became the first WNBA player to sign a deal with Converse. During her time in Phoenix, she partnered with 2k Foundations to launch a project that would provide resources to lower-income communities across the state. Last October, she partnered with Working Families Party to encourage people to vote in the 2024 presidential election. Recently, she became a mentor for VOICEINSPORT, a platform that helps young female athletes connect with nutritionists, sports psychologists, or professional athletes.
