The most decorated player in Kentucky women's basketball history added yet another accolade to her resume on Monday night.
All-American guard Rhyne Howard was selected No. 1 in the 2022 WNBA Draft by the Atlanta Dream, making her the first player in program history to achieve that honor.
“Rhyne is a versatile wing who can score the ball in a variety of ways,” said Dream general manager Dan Padover. “Her athleticism and basketball IQ will be the backbone of her future success in this league. She’s a great kid from nearby and we think she will be a key piece for the future of this basketball team.”
Howard, a 6-foot-2 native of Cleveland, Tenn., is the seventh player in UK women's basketball history to be drafted by the WNBA. She is the first since Evelyn Akhator and Makayla Epps in 2017. Akhator was previously the program's highest pick, going No. 3 overall.
Kentucky is the fifth school from the SEC to produce a No. 1 pick, joining Dena Head (1997 – Tennessee), Chamique Holdsclaw (1999 – Tennessee), LaToya Thomas (2003 – Mississippi State), Seimone Augustus (2006 – LSU), Candace Parker (2008 – Tennessee) and Aja Wilson (2018 – South Carolina).
Howard was a three-time first-team All-American and a four-time member of the All-SEC team. She averaged an SEC-best 20.5 points per game this season to go along with 7.4 rebound per game, and a team-best 102 assists, 71 steals, 70 3-pointers, and 39 blocked shots.
An all-around player on both ends of the floor, Howard finished the 2021-22 season as the only player in the nation with 600-plus points, 200-plus rebounds, 100-plus assists, 70-plus steals and 35-plus blocks.
During her UK career, Howard scored 2,290 points, which ranks second behind Valerie Still in program history. Her 43 points against Alabama in January of 2020 is the most points ever scored in a regulation game and tied the most ever in any game in program history.
“Rhyne is a special talent with a multi-faceted skillset, she’s going to be a great addition to our team,” said Atlanta head coach Tanisha Wright. “She has a quiet competitiveness that I love, and I think the level of play in our league will bring something special out of her which I’m really excited to see.”
