Natasha Cloud Bio
Natasha “Tash” Cloud, born on February 22, 1992, in Broomall, Pennsylvania, is an American professional basketball player for the New York Liberty of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). Standing 5 feet 10 inches tall and competing at the point guard position, Cloud has built a reputation as a steady floor general whose defense, vision, and passing shape winning basketball. Beyond the WNBA, she plays for Phantom BC in Unrivaled, the women’s 3-on-3 league founded by Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart.
Cloud first gained national attention when she helped the Washington Mystics capture the 2019 WNBA Championship, the franchise’s first title. Across her career, she has earned WNBA All-Defensive honors, the Dawn Staley Community Leadership Award, and recognition as the league’s assists leader in 2022. Off the court, Cloud is widely known for her social justice advocacy and her mentorship work with young athletes through the WNBA Changemakers Collective.
Early Life and Background
Natasha Cloud grew up in Broomall, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Philadelphia, where she attended Cardinal O’Hara High School. As a junior, she led the team to the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association Class AAAA state finals and earned First Team All-Delco honors. As a senior, she was named First Team All-State after averaging 12.3 points, 7.9 rebounds, 5.2 assists, and 4.0 steals per game, and she received the Michael Menichini Award in 2009.
Following high school, Cloud earned a scholarship to play at the University of Maryland, where she joined the Terrapins under head coach Brenda Frese. She appeared in 31 of 32 games during her freshman year and started six times, contributing as a passer, defender, and Scholar Athlete. After the 2010–2011 season, Cloud transferred to Saint Joseph’s University to continue her development closer to home.
Path to Basketball
At Saint Joseph’s, Cloud sat out the 2011–2012 season under NCAA transfer rules and used the year to earn a spot on the university’s Director’s Honor Roll. She returned to the court as a co-captain and immediately produced one of the top assist seasons in program history, setting the SJU single-season record with 243 assists. She was named Atlantic 10 Defensive Player of the Year and earned a spot on the Nancy Lieberman Award Watch List for the nation’s top point guard.
As a senior, Cloud served as co-captain for a second straight year and was named Atlantic 10 All-Conference First Team while also landing on the All-Defensive Team. She scored a career-high 29 points against Liberty and led the A-10 in assists and minutes played. Her college resume included three A-10 All-Defensive Team selections, A-10 Defensive Player of the Year in 2014, and First-team All-A-10 in 2015, all of which positioned her for the next step in professional basketball.
Natasha Cloud Career
Early Career (2015–2017)
Cloud was selected in the second round, 15th overall, by the Washington Mystics in the 2015 WNBA Draft. During her rookie season, she averaged 3.6 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game in 19.3 minutes, establishing herself as a reliable reserve point guard. In 2016, a left hip injury sustained during practice at the Verizon Center interrupted her momentum and forced her to manage her development carefully.
Determined to round out her game, Cloud spent parts of two offseasons abroad. In 2015–2016, she played for Beşiktaş in Istanbul, Turkey, and in 2016–2017 she suited up for the Townsville Fire in Australia’s WNBL. Those international stints helped refine her passing and leadership skills before she returned to Washington ready for a larger role.
Washington Mystics Breakthrough (2017–2023)
Rejoining the Mystics for the 2017 season, Cloud emerged as a defensive specialist and steady secondary playmaker. Her work on both ends of the floor helped the Mystics build toward championship contention, and on October 10, 2019, she helped Washington win its first WNBA title. That same year, she was honored with the Dawn Staley Community Leadership Award for her impact beyond basketball.
Cloud chose to forgo the 2020 WNBA season, citing concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic and a desire to focus on social justice advocacy. When she returned, she elevated her production and was named a WNBA All-Defensive First Team selection in 2022, when she also led the league in assists. She added a second-team All-Defensive nod in 2019 and another in 2024, punctuating a Mystics tenure that defined her as one of the league’s most respected two-way guards.
Phoenix Mercury and New York Liberty Era (2024–Present)
After nine seasons with the Mystics, Cloud signed with the Phoenix Mercury in 2024, bringing veteran leadership to a new roster. On February 2, 2025, she was part of a multi-player package sent to the Connecticut Sun in a four-team trade, before being moved again on March 16, 2025, to the New York Liberty in exchange for the 7th pick in the 2025 draft and a 2026 first-round pick. The midseason deal placed her on a contending Liberty squad looking to push deeper into the playoffs.
Cloud also expanded her offseason résumé. She joined Unrivaled for its inaugural 2024–2025 season, was originally drafted by Laces BC, then moved to Lunar Owls BC before landing with Phantom BC in the league’s first trade. With Phantom she appeared in 18 games and averaged 9.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 4.7 assists, while also playing for Athletes Unlimited Pro Basketball from 2022 to 2024, where she served on the Player Executive Committee and made the 2023 All-Defense Team.
Driving Style and Strengths
Cloud is best known for her two-way point guard play: pestering on-ball defense, anticipation in the passing lanes, and high-level court vision that turns defense into offense. She consistently ranks among the WNBA’s assist leaders, including leading the league in 2022, and her composure in late-game situations has earned the trust of multiple coaching staffs. Her willingness to embrace tough defensive matchups while facilitating a high-tempo offense defines her value to championship-caliber teams.
Notable Events and Milestones
The signature moment of Cloud’s career remains the Mystics’ 2019 WNBA Championship run, when she played a key role on both ends of the floor. She reached the 2025 WNBA Skills Challenge title, added a career-high 29 points during her senior season at Saint Joseph’s, and set the SJU single-season assist record with 243 helpers. She also represented Jordan at the 2021 FIBA Women’s Asia Cup, a unique international chapter in her résumé.
Natasha Cloud Career Wins
Natasha Cloud’s trophy case is anchored by the 2019 WNBA Championship with the Washington Mystics and the 2025 WNBA Skills Challenge title. She has collected multiple All-Defensive selections, an A-10 Defensive Player of the Year award, and the Dawn Staley Community Leadership Award. Across her professional career, she has also contributed to winning efforts in Turkey, Australia, Athletes Unlimited, and Unrivaled.
WNBA Highlights
Cloud has spent the bulk of her WNBA career with the Washington Mystics, highlighted by the franchise’s 2019 title and her 2022 selection to the All-Defensive First Team. She led the league in assists during that same 2022 campaign and added All-Defensive Second Team honors in 2019 and 2024. Her most recent WNBA stop is the New York Liberty, where she joined a contender midway through the 2025 season.
Other Wins and Performances
Internationally, Cloud helped Jordan reach the promotion playoff final at the 2021 FIBA Women’s Asia Cup in Amman, narrowly missing promotion to Division A. In Unrivaled’s inaugural season, she settled in at Phantom BC and averaged a near double-double in points and rebounds, while in Athletes Unlimited she earned a spot on the 2023 All-Defense Team. Earlier in her career, she played for Beşiktaş in Turkey and the Townsville Fire in Australia, adding overseas experience to a varied résumé.
Natasha Cloud Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Cloud was raised in Broomall, Pennsylvania, where her family supported her basketball journey from her Cardinal O’Hara High School years through college and the professional ranks. Her Pennsylvania roots and family network have been a consistent presence throughout her career.
Personal Life
Natasha Cloud is openly bisexual. She married professional softball player Aleshia Ocasio in 2020; the couple later divorced. She is currently dating her Liberty teammate Isabelle Harrison. Off the court, Cloud is widely recognized for her activism and mentorship, including her role with the WNBA Changemakers Collective and VOICEINSPORT, and her selection to the Forbes 30 Under 30 list in December 2020.
2025 Season Performance
Natasha Cloud’s 2025 WNBA season has been defined by movement. After signing with the Phoenix Mercury in 2024, she was dealt to the Connecticut Sun on February 2, 2025, as part of a four-team trade, and then moved again on March 16, 2025, to the New York Liberty in exchange for the 7th pick in the 2025 draft and a 2026 first-round selection. Joining a Liberty team built to contend, she brings veteran playmaking and championship experience to a guard rotation chasing a deep playoff run.
Her on-court impact in 2025 has been reinforced by her 2025 WNBA Skills Challenge title, an offseason honor that highlighted her ball-handling, passing, and shooting touch. Pairing that showcase performance with her established defensive credentials, Cloud continues to provide a steady two-way presence for New York. As the regular season progresses, her chemistry with the Liberty’s core will be a key storyline for a team with realistic title aspirations.