Former Kentucky women’s basketball star invited to compete for spot on U.S. Olympic roster

Former University of Kentucky standout Rhyne Howard, who now plays for the Atlanta Dream of the WNBA, was named by USA Basketball to participate at a February camp in New York as the women’s national team begins its preparation for the Paris Olympics this summer.

The Feb. 2-4 camp in Brooklyn will have 18 participants to start the attempt to ultimately determine a 12-player roster for the 2024 Summer Olympics, which begin in August.

After the camp, 12 players will be selected to represent the United States at the 2024 FIBA Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament Feb. 8-11 in Antwerp, Belgium.

Howard was the No. 1 pick in the 2022 WNBA Draft after an All-America career at Kentucky. She was named the league’s Rookie of the Year and has been selected to the league’s All-Star Game in both of her seasons as a pro.

Howard is averaging 16.9 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.4 steals across two WNBA seasons. She helped lead the Dream to the playoffs in 2023. Howard played four seasons at Kentucky, departing as the second-leading scorer in the history of the women’s program.

Howard will be joined in camp by veteran superstars Diana Taurasi and Britney Griner, among others.

A 10-time WNBA All-Star, Taurasi won the WNBA MVP in 2009 and has helped Team USA to five consecutive Olympic gold medals, starting in 2004 at the Athens Olympics. She and Sue Bird are the only basketball players to have won five Olympic gold medals.

Griner has been on the past two gold-medal winning teams for the United States. After missing the 2022 season while she was detained in Russia on drug smuggling charges, she returned to the Mercury last season to average 17.5 points and 6.3 rebounds.

Also invited to camp were A’Ja Wilson (one gold medal) of the Las Vegas Aces and Breanna Stewart (two gold medals) of the New York Liberty. Wilson is a two-time WNBA MVP and was MVP of the 2023 WNBA Finals when she helped the Aces to consecutive titles. Stewart won her second MVP in 2023 in her first season with the Liberty.

The United States women’s team is 70-3 all-time in Olympic play and has won seven consecutive gold medals. The team has not lost in an Olympic game since 1992.

Full camp roster: Ariel Atkins (Washington Mystics), Aliyah Boston (Indiana Fever), Napheesa Collier (Minnesota Lynx), Kahleah Copper (Chicago Sky), Allisha Gray (Atlanta Dream), Chelsea Gray (Aces), Griner (Mercury), Howard (Dream), Sabrina Ionescu (Liberty), Betnijah Laney (Liberty), Jewell Loyd (Seattle Storm), Arike Ogunbowale (Dallas Wings), Kelsey Plum (Aces), Stewart (Mercury), Taurasi (Mercury), Alyssa Thomas (Connecticut Sun), Wilson (Aces) and Jackie Young (Aces).