Natisha Hiedeman Bio
Natisha Hiedeman, born on February 10, 1997, is an American professional basketball player for the Minnesota Lynx of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) and for the Hive of Unrivaled. She was drafted with the eighteenth overall pick in the 2019 WNBA draft, the highest selection for a Marquette basketball player in school history, sharing that distinction only with Dwyane Wade, and the highest draft pick for the Big East Conference since conference realignment. Standing 5 feet 8 inches tall, Hiedeman has built a reputation as a reliable guard, dependable outside shooter, and a respected veteran presence in multiple locker rooms. Over the course of her professional career, she has played in the WNBA, in Europe, in Israel, in China, and in the Unrivaled offseason league.
Early Life and Background
Natisha Hiedeman was born in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and raised in the same community where she first developed her love of sports. Shortly after her birth, she had to wear a full-body harness because of a hyperextension in her left leg. Her mother had her at the age of 19, and Hiedeman grew up in a household shaped by her mother’s hard work and resilience. As a child, she also played baseball, even serving as the only girl on her team, an early signal of the competitive edge that would later define her basketball career.
Hiedeman attended Green Bay Southwest High School, where she earned the nickname T-Spoon in tribute to former WNBA star Teresa Weatherspoon. She was a leading scorer in the Green Bay Metro area during her high school years and still holds school records in the triple jump, high jump, long jump, and 100-meter hurdles. Her multi-sport background helped build the speed, leaping ability, and overall athleticism that became trademarks of her playing style.
Path to Basketball
After her standout high school career, Hiedeman was recruited to Marquette, where she joined one of the most competitive programs in the Big East Conference. In her first season with the Golden Eagles, she was named to the Big East All-Freshman Team, signaling her potential as a future star. She continued to develop steadily, earning a place on the Meyers Drysdale Award Watch List in 2017-18 and growing into a featured scoring option for the program.
By the end of her college career, Hiedeman had become Marquette’s third all-time leading scorer, finishing just 27 points shy of the program record. She was also the first Marquette player to reach 300 made three-pointers and finished sixth on the school’s all-time assist chart. Her senior year brought additional recognition, including Big East Player of the Year and First-Team All-Big East honors in 2019, all of which prepared her for the next step in professional basketball.
Natisha Hiedeman Career
Early Career (2019-2020)
Hiedeman was selected eighteenth overall in the 2019 WNBA draft by the Minnesota Lynx, but her draft rights were immediately traded to the Connecticut Sun in exchange for Lexie Brown. She was briefly waived by the Sun and signed by the Atlanta Dream as a EuroBasket replacement for Alex Bentley, though she never appeared in a game for Atlanta before being waived again. The Sun quickly re-signed her, and on July 10, 2019, she scored her first WNBA points. As a rookie, she averaged 3.7 points, 1.9 assists, and 1.5 rebounds across 20 games, while also appearing in seven of the team’s eight playoff games and scoring a then career-high eight points on two occasions.
In 2020, Hiedeman played all 22 regular-season games for the Sun and led the team in both points and assists off the bench. She set a new career high with 6.1 points per game to go with 1.9 assists and 1.9 rebounds, and her 45 made field goals on 127 attempts nearly doubled her rookie total. That same year, she also began her international career, joining Swedish club Luleå Basket.
Connecticut Sun Breakthrough (2021-2023)
On January 8, 2021, Hiedeman signed the qualifying offer to remain with the Sun, and in 2021 she appeared in all 32 regular-season games, averaging a career-best 20.1 minutes. She set new career highs with 7.6 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game, cementing her role as a key reserve. The 2022 season marked a true breakout, as she entered the starting lineup five games into the year and helped lead the Sun to their fourth WNBA Finals appearance. She averaged career bests of 9.1 points, 3.3 assists, 1.2 steals, and 25.0 minutes per game, and on July 24 she tied her career high with 19 points in an 86-79 win over the Minnesota Lynx, hitting a career-best five three-pointers. In the Finals against the Las Vegas Aces, she posted a postseason career-high nine assists and played 34 minutes in Game 3, finishing the postseason ranked 12th in scoring, eighth in assists, 12th in steals, and third in three-pointers made in Sun playoff history.
On February 3, 2023, Hiedeman signed a two-year contract to stay with the Sun, and she started all 40 games of the 2023 season. She averaged 8.5 points, a career-high 2.1 rebounds, and 2.7 assists in 26.7 minutes, and on July 20 she erupted for a season-high 24 points on 8-of-11 shooting, including a career-best 6-of-7 from three-point range, with three rebounds, three assists, and four steals against the Dream. That performance made her the first player in Sun history and the 10th in WNBA history to record at least 20 points, six three-pointers, and four steals in the same game. During this stretch, she also continued her international career with Nadezhda Orenburg in 2021-22 and Maccabi Bnot Ashdod in 2022-23.
Minnesota Lynx Era (2024-Present)
On January 30, 2024, Hiedeman was traded to the Minnesota Lynx in exchange for Tiffany Mitchell and the 19th pick in the 2024 WNBA draft. She appeared in all 40 regular-season games for the Lynx, averaging 4.9 points, 1.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 0.8 steals in 15.2 minutes off the bench, and she played in all 12 postseason games, including all five WNBA Finals contests, where she averaged 5.7 points on 45.5 percent shooting. Serving as a backup to starting guard Courtney Williams, she provided a steady veteran presence and built a strong rapport with the Lynx backcourt.
On February 1, 2025, Hiedeman re-signed with the Lynx, and she delivered a strong bounce-back campaign. Appearing in all 44 games as a reserve, she averaged 9.1 points, 2.8 assists, and 1.9 rebounds in 18.9 minutes, tying her career-high scoring average while setting a new career best with a 49.2 percent field goal rate. In the final five games of the regular season, she averaged 18.6 points, 4.4 assists, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.0 steals across 27.2 minutes, scoring 20 or more points in four of those five games and ranking seventh in the WNBA in scoring over that stretch. On September 11, 2025, she received the Sylvia Fowles Altruism Award for her community work and selflessness.
Driving Style and Strengths
Hiedeman is best known as a three-point shooter with deep range, a calm pick-and-roll operator, and a smart team defender who rarely makes mistakes. Her combination of quick release, footwork off screens, and willingness to facilitate has made her a valuable piece of second units throughout her career. She has also developed a strong partnership with Courtney Williams in Minnesota, both on the floor and through their popular StudBudz Twitch channel.
Notable Events and Milestones
Her career highlights include tying her career high with 19 points against the Lynx in 2022, posting 24 points and a record-setting 6-of-7 three-point performance in 2023, reaching the WNBA Finals in 2022 and 2024, and winning the Sylvia Fowles Altruism Award in 2025. She also became the first Connecticut Sun player in history to record 20-plus points, six three-pointers, and four steals in a single game.
Natisha Hiedeman Career Wins
Across her WNBA career with the Connecticut Sun and Minnesota Lynx, Hiedeman has been a consistent contributor on playoff teams, including a 2024 WNBA Commissioner’s Cup championship, a trip to the 2022 WNBA Finals with the Sun, and another Finals appearance with the Lynx in 2024. She has also won individual conference and community honors at every level.
WNBA and College Highlights
At Marquette, Hiedeman was a Big East All-Freshman Team selection in 2016, a Meyers Drysdale Award Watch List honoree in 2018, and the 2019 Big East Player of the Year and First-Team All-Big East selection. In the WNBA, she helped the Sun reach the 2022 Finals and was part of the Lynx squad that won the 2024 WNBA Commissioner’s Cup. Her 2024-25 offseason included a stint in the WCBA with Inner Mongolia from November 2024 to January 2025.
Other Wins and Performances
Hiedeman won the Sylvia Fowles Altruism Award in 2025 for her community service. She also earned a promotion to assistant coach at Penn State in August 2023 after serving as Director of Player Development under Carolyn Kieger starting in October 2022, highlighting her growing influence in the sport beyond playing.
Natisha Hiedeman Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Hiedeman’s older brother, Sandy Cohen, is a professional basketball player for Hapoel Afula B.C. in Israel and also played at Marquette, following a similar path through the college ranks. Hiedeman’s mother had her at age 19, and the family remained close to basketball throughout her upbringing.
Personal Life
Hiedeman announced her engagement to former Connecticut Sun player Jasmine Thomas in September 2021. She co-hosts a Twitch channel, StudBudz, with her Minnesota Lynx teammate Courtney Williams, and the channel surged in popularity during the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game after they live streamed the entire weekend. Since then, the two players have appeared on the cover of Slam magazine and completed a feature and photo shoot for Vogue.
2025 Season Performance
Hiedeman’s 2025 campaign with the Minnesota Lynx marked a strong return to form after what had been considered a down year in 2024. She appeared in all 44 games as a reserve and averaged 9.1 points, 2.8 assists, and 1.9 rebounds per game, tying her career-high scoring average while setting a new personal best with a 49.2 percent field goal rate. Her late-season surge, in which she averaged 18.6 points over the final five games, helped solidify her standing as one of the most reliable second-unit guards in the WNBA.
Defensively, she continued to provide pressure on the ball and on closeouts, and her growing familiarity with the Lynx system made her a steady hand when starter Courtney Williams needed rest. Off the court, she was recognized with the Sylvia Fowles Altruism Award on September 11, 2025, an honor given to the Lynx player who best embodies kindness, selflessness, and regard for the community throughout the year.
Looking ahead, Hiedeman is also expected to play for Hive BC in Unrivaled’s 2026 season after being drafted on November 5, 2025, giving her another high-level offseason stage to refine her game. With her shooting, leadership, and team-first reputation, she remains a key piece of the Lynx rotation and a respected veteran voice in the locker room.