Kentucky guard Rhyne Howard (10) dribbles during a game against Lee on Nov. 4, 2021, in Lexington, Ky. Photo courtesy of Eddie Justice/UK Athletics
April 11 (UPI) — The Atlanta Dream selected University of Kentucky guard Rhyne Howard with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 WNBA Draft on Monday night in New York.
The 6-foot-2 Howard averaged 20.5 points and 7.4 rebounds during the 2021-22 season for the Wildcats, who won the SEC Tournament before losing to Princeton in the first round of the women’s NCAA tourney.
The Washington Mystics won the WNBA draft lottery in December, but the team traded the top pick to the Dream last week. Atlanta moved up from No. 3 to bring Howard — who became the first Kentucky player to go first in the draft — to the organization.
“I’m shaking right now,” Howard said after she was selected. “It’s a dream come true.”
Howard was the Southeastern Conference Player of the Year as a sophomore and a junior. She joins a Dream franchise that went 8-24 last season and has missed the playoffs in four of the past five years.
The 21-year-old Howard is the second player that Atlanta has picked at No. 1. The franchise took Louisville’s Angel McCoughtry — who guided the Dream to three WNBA Finals appearances — in 2009.
Baylor forward NaLyssa Smith, the Big 12 Player of the Year the past two seasons, was the No. 2 overall pick by the Indiana Fever, who have four first-round selections.
Smith averaged 22.1 points and 11.5 rebounds this past season for the Bears. She was part of Baylor’s 2019 national championship team as a freshman.
The Mystics then grabbed Ole Miss center Shakira Austin with the third choice. She averaged 15.2 points and nine rebounds for the Rebels last year.
Draftees were able to attend this year’s event for the first time since 2019. The draft was conducted remotely in 2020 and 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The upcoming WNBA season is scheduled to tip off May 6, with training camps opening later this week.
Below is the round-by-round results from this year’s WNBA Draft:
Round 1:
1. Atlanta Dream: Rhyne Howard, G, Kentucky
2. Indiana Fever: NaLyssa Smith, F, Baylor
3. Washington Mystics: Shakira Austin, C, Ole Miss
4. Indiana Fever: Emily Engstler, F, Louisville
5. New York Liberty: Nyara Sabally, C, Oregon
6. Indiana Fever: Lexie Hull, G, Stanford
7. Dallas Wings: Veronica Burton, G, Northwestern
8. Las Vegas Aces: Mya Hollingshed, F, Colorado
9. Los Angeles Sparks: Rae Burrell, F, Tennessee
10. Indiana Fever: Queen Egbo, C, Baylor
11. Las Vegas Aces: Kierstan Bell, G, Florida Gulf Coast
12. Connecticut Sun: Nia Clouden, G, Michigan State
Round 2:
13. Las Vegas Aces: Khayla Pointer, G, LSU
14. Washington Mystics: Christyn Williams, G, UConn
15. Atlanta Dream: Naz Hillmon, F, Michigan
16. Los Angeles Sparks: Kianna Smith, G, Louisville
17. Seattle Storm: Elissa Cunane, C, N.C. State
18. Seattle Storm: Lorela Cubaj, F, Georgia Tech
19. Los Angeles Sparks: Olivia Nelson-Ododa, F, UConn
20. Indiana Fever: Destanni Henderson, G, South Carolina
21. Seattle Storm: Evina Westbrook, G, UConn
22. Minnesota Lynx: Kayla Jones, F, N.C. State
23. Las Vegas Aces: Aisha Sheppard, G, Virginia Tech
24. Connecticut Sun: Jordan Lewis, G, Baylor
Round 3:
25. Indiana Fever: Ameshya Williams-Holliday, C, Jackson State
26. Phoenix Mercury: Maya Dodson, F, Notre Dame
27. Los Angeles Sparks: Amy Atwell, F, Hawaii
28. Minnesota Lynx: Hannah Sjerven, F, South Dakota
29. New York Liberty: Sika Kone, F, Mali
30. Dallas Wings: Jasmine Dickey, F, Delaware
31. Dallas Wings: Jazz Bond, F, North Florida
32. Phoenix Mercury: Macee Williams, F, IUPUI
33. Seattle Storm: Jade Melbourne, G, Australia
34. Indiana Fever: Ali Patberg, G, Indiana
35. Las Vegas Aces: Faustine Aifuwa, C, LSU
36. Connecticut Sun: Kiara Smith, G, Florida
Kentucky guard Rhyne Howard (10) dribbles during a game against Lee on Nov. 4, 2021, in Lexington, Ky. Photo courtesy of Eddie Justice/UK Athletics April 11 (UPI) — The Atlanta Dream selected University of Kentucky guard Rhyne Howard with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 WNBA Draft on Monday night in New York. The 6-foot-2 Howard averaged 20.5 points and 7.4 rebounds during the 2021-22 season for the Wildcats, who won the SEC Tournament before losing to Princeton in the first round of the women’s NCAA tourney. The Washington Mystics won the WNBA draft lottery in December, but the team traded the top pick to the Dream last week. Atlanta moved up from No. 3 to bring Howard — who became the first Kentucky player to go first in the draft — to the organization. “I’m shaking right now,” Howard said after she was selected. “It’s a dream come true.” Howard was the Southeastern Conference Player of the Year as a sophomore and a junior. She joins a Dream franchise that went 8-24 last season and has missed the playoffs in four of the past five years. The 21-year-old Howard is the second player that Atlanta has picked at No. 1. The franchise took Louisville’s Angel McCoughtry — who guided the Dream to three WNBA Finals appearances — in 2009. Baylor forward NaLyssa Smith, the Big 12 Player of the Year the past two seasons, was the No. 2 overall pick by the Indiana Fever, who have four first-round selections. Smith averaged 22.1 points and 11.5 rebounds this past season for the Bears. She was part of Baylor’s 2019 national championship team as a freshman. The Mystics then grabbed Ole Miss center Shakira Austin with the third choice. She averaged 15.2 points and nine rebounds for the Rebels last year. Draftees were able to attend this year’s event for the first time since 2019. The draft was conducted remotely in 2020 and 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The upcoming WNBA season is scheduled to tip off May 6, with training camps opening later this week. Below is the round-by-round results from this year’s WNBA Draft: Round 1: 1. Atlanta Dream: Rhyne Howard, G, Kentucky 2. Indiana Fever: NaLyssa Smith, F, Baylor 3. Washington Mystics: Shakira Austin, C, Ole Miss 4. Indiana Fever: Emily Engstler, F, Louisville 5. New York Liberty: Nyara Sabally, C, Oregon 6. Indiana Fever: Lexie Hull, G, Stanford 7. Dallas Wings: Veronica Burton, G, Northwestern 8. Las Vegas Aces: Mya Hollingshed, F, Colorado 9. Los Angeles Sparks: Rae Burrell, F, Tennessee 10. Indiana Fever: Queen Egbo, C, Baylor 11. Las Vegas Aces: Kierstan Bell, G, Florida Gulf Coast 12. Connecticut Sun: Nia Clouden, G, Michigan State Round 2: 13. Las Vegas Aces: Khayla Pointer, G, LSU 14. Washington Mystics: Christyn Williams, G, UConn 15. Atlanta Dream: Naz Hillmon, F, Michigan 16. Los Angeles Sparks: Kianna Smith, G, Louisville 17. Seattle Storm: Elissa Cunane, C, N.C. State 18. Seattle Storm: Lorela Cubaj, F, Georgia Tech 19. Los Angeles Sparks: Olivia Nelson-Ododa, F, UConn 20. Indiana Fever: Destanni Henderson, G, South Carolina 21. Seattle Storm: Evina Westbrook, G, UConn 22. Minnesota Lynx: Kayla Jones, F, N.C. State 23. Las Vegas Aces: Aisha Sheppard, G, Virginia Tech 24. Connecticut Sun: Jordan Lewis, G, Baylor Round 3: 25. Indiana Fever: Ameshya Williams-Holliday, C, Jackson State 26. Phoenix Mercury: Maya Dodson, F, Notre Dame 27. Los Angeles Sparks: Amy Atwell, F, Hawaii 28. Minnesota Lynx: Hannah Sjerven, F, South Dakota 29. New York Liberty: Sika Kone, F, Mali 30. Dallas Wings: Jasmine Dickey, F, Delaware 31. Dallas Wings: Jazz Bond, F, North Florida 32. Phoenix Mercury: Macee Williams, F, IUPUI 33. Seattle Storm: Jade Melbourne, G, Australia 34. Indiana Fever: Ali Patberg, G, Indiana 35. Las Vegas Aces: Faustine Aifuwa, C, LSU 36. Connecticut Sun: Kiara Smith, G, Florida