 Legend in 2024 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | Anriel Howard[4][3] (1997-05-06)May 6, 1997 (age 28)[4] |
| Lifepartner | Trick Williams (engaged) |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name | Lash Legend[1] |
| Billed height | 6 ft 0 in (183 cm)[1] |
| Billed from | Atlanta, Georgia[1] |
| Trained by | WWE Performance Center[2] |
| Debut | December 7, 2021[3] |
| Basketball career | |
| Career information | |
| High school | Westlake (Atlanta, Georgia) |
| College |
|
| WNBA draft | 2019: 2nd round, 24th overall pick |
| Drafted by | Seattle Storm |
| Playing career | 2019–2019 |
| Position | Guard |
| Number | 5 |
| Career history | |
| 2019 | Seattle Storm |
| Career highlights | |
| |
| Stats atBasketball Reference | |
Anriel Howard (born May 6, 1997) is an Americanprofessional wrestler. As of December 2020[update], she is signed toWWE, where she performs on theSmackDownbrand under thering nameLash Legend.
Howard is a former college and professionalbasketball player who played for theSeattle Storm of theWomen's National Basketball Association (WNBA).
Howard came out of high school as the 100th rated recruit of the 2015 Class perESPN's HoopGurlz rankings. She was also rated the 15th bestforward at her position.[5] Howard committed to play forTexas A&M. She played for them for three seasons before she transferred toMississippi State for her senior season.[6][7]
During her time at Texas A&M, Howard was the first player in Texas A&M history to have over 1,000 career rebounds with the school, getting 1,002 rebounds.[8] She also set anNCAA Tournament record with 27 rebounds in a2016 NCAA tournament game.[9] She was named to theSoutheastern Conference (SEC) All-Freshman team during her first year with the Aggies.[10]
Howard announced she was going to transfer following her junior season, and ultimately chose to go to Mississippi State. Howard stated, "As soon as I landed I felt like it was the place...In high school when I was recruited, I just felt like Texas A&M was the place for me on my visit. Usually when I go on a visit there's something that I question, but I just never got that feeling and that was the first time ever."[11]
She was named to the 2019 First Team All-SEC by both theAssociated Press (AP) and Coaches, 2019 SEC All-Tournament Team, and to the 2019 APAll-American Honorable Mention team during her one season with the Bulldogs.[12][13]
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | TO | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015–16 | Texas A&M | 32 | 17 | 16.9 | .465 | 0.0 | .558 | 6.5 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 1.1 | 4.6 |
| 2016–17 | Texas A&M | 34 | 34 | 31.1 | .415 | .500 | .660 | 10.4 | 0.9 | 1.5 | 0.3 | 2.0 | 10.2 |
| 2017–18 | Texas A&M | 36 | 36 | 33.6 | .441 | .308 | .752 | 12.2 | 1.9 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 2.1 | 12.1 |
| 2018–19 | Mississippi State | 36 | 36 | 29.1 | .512 | .337 | .725 | 8.4 | 1.5 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 2.1 | 16.4 |
| Career | 138 | 123 | 27.9 | .462 | .331 | .701 | 9.4 | 1.2 | 1.1 | 0.4 | 1.8 | 11.0 | |
| Statistics retrieved fromSports-Reference.[14] | |||||||||||||
In the2019 WNBA draft, Howard was taken 24th overall by theSeattle Storm.[15] After debuting against theMinnesota Lynx on May 29, Howard played a total of three games with the Storm. She was waived from the team early in the season.[16]
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game | RPG | Rebounds per game |
| APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game | BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game |
| TO | Turnovers per game | FG% | Field-goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field-goal percentage | FT% | Free-throw percentage |
| Bold | Career best | ° | League leader |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | TO | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Seattle | 3 | 0 | 6.7 | .400 | .500 | .000 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 1.7 |
| Career | 3 | 0 | 6.7 | .400 | .500 | .000 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 1.7 | |
Howard signed withWWE on December 2, 2020.[17][18] She first appeared on the NXT 2.0 premiere in a backstage segment congratulatingBron Breakker, on his victory againstLA Knight, and a week laterNXT, Howard made her official debut during a backstage segment withFranky Monet, presenting herself asLash Legend.[17] On the September 28 episode ofNXT, Legend began being regularly featured as host of a pre-tapedtalk show segment,Lashing Out with Lash Legend.[19] On the December 10 episode of205 Live, Howard made her in-ring debut, defeating Amari Miller.[20]
In February 2022, Legend and Miller confirmed they would team up to compete at theWomen's Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic;[21] however, the duo was lost in the first round toIo Shirai andKay Lee Ray.[22] On March 8, atNXT: Roadblock, Legend interviewedNikkita Lyons duringLashing Out with Lash Legend, resulting in the two having a heated argument.[23] The two rival wrestlers faced each other on the April 5 and 26 episodes ofNXT, where Legend lost to Lyons both times.[24] AtSpring Breakin', Legend andNatalya lost toCora Jade and Lyons in a tag team match. Shortly after, Legend entered theNXT Women's Breakout Tournament; she lost toRoxanne Perez in the semifinals.[25] Over the next few months, Legend would lose to the likes ofFallon Henley,Wendy Choo,Shotzi andLyra Valkyria while also failing to win title opportunities inbattle royals. Since of August 2022, throughlive events, Legend found an ally inJakara Jackson.[26] They had their first televised appearance as a team on the November 11 episode ofNXT Level Up, where they lost toDiamond Mine'sIvy Nile andTatum Paxley.[27]
On May 28, 2023, atNXT Battleground, during aBritish Rounds Rules match for theNXT Heritage Cup between the championNoam Dar andDragon Lee, Legend alongside Jackson interfered in favor of Dar, helping him to retain the Heritage Cup in the process.[28] Dar would introduce the group of himself, Legend, Jackson andOro Mensah asThe Meta-Four.[29] On the February 20, 2024, episode ofNXT, Legend facedLyra Valkyria for theNXT Women's Championship in an open challenge. However, Legend failed to defeat Valkyria for the title.[30] AtNXT Battleground, she participated in a six-women ladder match to crown the firstNXT Women's North American Championship, but failed to win the championship.[31] At Week 1 ofNXT: The Great American Bash on July 30, Jackson and Legend failed to defeatThe Unholy Union (Alba Fyre andIsla Dawn) for theWWE Women's Tag Team Championship; prior to their match, Legend and the rest of The Meta-Four turnedface when stablemate Oro Mensah began feuding withEthan Page, who attacked him and Noam Dar backstage back in May.[32]
On the October 11 episode ofSmackDown, Legend and Jackson made their main roster debut where they unsuccessfully challenged WWE Women's Tag Team ChampionsBianca Belair andJade Cargill for the title.[33] On the October 18 episode ofSmackDown, Legend defeatedPiper Niven to win her debut singles match on the main roster.[34] On the October 22 episode ofNXT, Legend and Jackson fought Sky and Sane to a no contest after interference from Niven andChelsea Green.[35] On the following episode ofSmackDown, the three brands' general managers announced that Belair and Cargill will defend their titles against Legend and Jackson, Sky and Sane, and Green and Niven in afatal four-way tag team match atCrown Jewel where Belair and Cargill retained their titles.[36][37] On the November 29tape delay episode ofSmackDown, Legend replaced Cargill in the preliminary round of thetournament to crown the inauguralWomen's United States Championship, where she lost toMichin in a triple threat match also involving Niven.[38] AtRoyal Rumble on February 1, 2025, Legend participated in her firstRoyal Rumble match as entrant #9, lasting 17 minutes before being eliminated byChelsea Green, and scoring no eliminations. On the April 29 episode ofNXT, Meta-Four would meet in a backstage segment in which they announced their mutual agreement to disband, sighting personal singles ventures.[39]
AtEvolution on July 13, 2025, Legend entered the 20-woman battle royal and was the runner up of the match.[40]On the November 7, 2025 episode ofSmackDown, Legend made her return to the blue brand as aheel by attackingAlexa Bliss, helpingNia Jax to win againstCharlotte Flair, and in the process, aligning herself with Jax as a tag team.[41]
AtSacrifice on March 14, 2025, Jakara Jackson and Lash Legend made theirTotal Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) debut where they appeared after theTNA Knockouts World Tag Team Championship match to confront the new championsAsh by Elegance andHeather by Elegance.[42] On the April 3 episode ofImpact!, Jackson and Legend made their TNA in-ring debut, defeating Spitfire (Dani Luna andJody Threat).[43] On April 27 atRebellion, Jackson and Legend competed in afour-way tag team match for the TNA Knockouts World Tag Team Championship, but failed to win.[44]
On September 30, 2024, Howard, as Lash Legend, announced her newYouTube series,Dash of Lash, a weeklycooking show premiering on October 17 which will also feature NXT wrestlers as guests.[45]
Howard, as Lash Legend, made hervideo game debut as a playable character inWWE 2K25.[46]
Howard is engaged to fellow professional wrestler Matrick Belton, better known under the ring nameTrick Williams.[47]
