Natalie Achonwa is a Canadian professional basketball player for the Minnesota Lynx of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). She played on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish women’s basketball team.

Natalie Achonwa was born on November 22, 1992, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Achonwa attended Centennial Collegiate and Vocational Institute in Guelph, where she started playing basketball. Later she moved to Hamilton to play with Canada Basketball’s NEDA program at St Mary’s Catholic Secondary School.

Natalie Achonwa played for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish women’s basketball team. In 2011, she was named to the Big East All-Freshman Team along with being selected Big East Freshman of the Week in her freshman season. In 2012, she was named to the NCAA Raleigh Regional All-Tournament Team. In 2015, Achonwa was selected as the Notre Dame Representative in the 2015 Atlantic Coast Conference Women’s Legends Class.

Natalie Achonwa was drafted ninth overall by the Indiana Fever in the 2014 WNBA draft. She missed the entire 2014 WNBA season, due to a left knee injury she suffered during her senior year at Notre Dame in the NCAA playoffs. She did not sign her rookie contract with Indiana Fever until February 2015 once she recovered from her injury. She returned for the 2015 WNBA season. In her rookie season, Natalie Achonwa was a back-up center on the Indiana Fever roster. By the end of the season, she was named to the WNBA All-Rookie Team. Indiana Fever advanced all the way to the Finals facing off against the Minnesota Lynx but lost the series 3–2.

In the 2016 WNBA season, Natalie Achonwa had a reduced role on the Indiana Fever’s roster playing 24 games while coming off the bench with limited minutes. During the 2017 season, she played a full 34 games for the first time in her career while starting in 17 of those games. In the 2018 season, Natalie Achonwa became a full time starter for Indiana Fever and played all 34 games, averaging career-highs in scoring and rebound with her new role, but the Fever would continue their losing ways, finishing 6–28 as the worst team in the league.

In 2019, Natalie Achonwa re-signed with Indiana Fever as a restricted free agent. She played 30 games and would start in 18 of the games played during the season.

On January 28, 2021, Natalie Achonwa signed a multi-year deal with the Minnesota Lynx in free agency.

Natalie Achonwa became the youngest player to ever play on the Canadian national team in 2009. She competed in the 2012 Summer Olympics as well as the 2010 FIBA World Championship for Women.

Natalie Achonwa was also invited to join the national team, to play in the 2013 FIBA Americas Championship for Women, held in Xalapa, Mexico, and helped the Canadian National team to a second place, silver medal finish. She was part of the team to win gold at the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto. Natalie Achonwa was invited to play for Canada at the 2016 Summer Olympics, making it her second Olympic appearance.

She played for Canada at the 2018 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup and the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics.

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