Toledo native Natasha Howard is among preseason contenders for the WNBA most valuable player award.

That’s according to odds released this week from SportsBettingDime.com. Howard, a forward for the Seattle Storm, has the ninth-best odds at 25/1.

That ranks behind New York rookie Sabrina Ionescu (19/1), Las Vegas’ A'Ja Wilson (17/1) and Liz Cambage (15/1), Los Angeles’ Nneka Ogwumike (14/1), teammate Breanna Stewart (11/1), Connecticut’s Jonquel Jones (9/1), Phoenix’s Brittney Griner (6/1), and reigning MVP Elena Delle Donne of Washington (5/1).

Last season, Howard started in her first all-star game appearance and was named All-WNBA for the first time.

The Waite High School product averaged career highs of 18.1 points (fourth in the WNBA), 8.2 rebounds (sixth) and 2.2 steals (second) along with 1.7 blocks (third). She was voted to the All-Defensive first team for the second straight year.

The WNBA announced Monday it will have an abbreviated 22-game regular season at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., tipping off in late July.

Howard’s team has the fifth-best odds (10/1) to win the WNBA championship.

The Connecticut Sun, coached by former Bowling Green State University women’s basketball coach Curt Miller, have the fourth-best odds (8/1) after making the WNBA finals last season.

First Published June 16, 2020, 6:49 p.m.