WNBA analysts, coaches and executives discuss Rhyne Howard ahead of draft
Rhyne Howard’s future in professional basketball likely changed location on Wednesday.
The Atlanta Dream executed a trade with the Washington Mystics to secure the first overall pick in Monday’s WNBA Draft, and Howard is considered the player most likely to be selected first overall.
The draft order is now Atlanta at one, the Indiana Fever at two and Washington at three.
Despite both the trade and the presence of three clear-cut top prospects leading the draft field — Howard, Baylor forward NaLyssa Smith and Ole Miss center Shakira Austin — Howard is still expected to be the first name called during Monday night’s draft, which will be televised live from New York City on ESPN starting at 7 p.m.
Several analysts, coaches and executives spent time with the media Thursday afternoon previewing the draft and the potential selections in it, including Howard.
The consensus opinion was that Howard is a WNBA-ready player with the tools to help Atlanta immediately.
“It’s so important to be able to run the pick and roll and Rhyne Howard showed that she is excellent in that throughout her college career,” ESPN women’s basketball analyst Rebecca Lobo said. “It’s going to be exciting to see what she can do surrounded by WNBA-level talent.”
“When you look at all the different things she can do on the basketball court. She can score it from three, she has a pull-up game, she can get to the rim. There really just isn’t anything else from a scoring standpoint that you could ask for,” ESPN women’s basketball analyst LaChina Robinson added. “She doesn’t need a lot of space to get her shot off or a lot of time. That’s important for a fast-paced league like the WNBA.”
Both Lobo and Robinson projected the top three picks in the draft to be Howard (Atlanta), Smith (Indiana) and Austin (Washington).
When asked by the Herald-Leader what he hopes the first overall pick will mean for the franchise, new Dream General Manager Dan Padover said he’s hoping for a player that can bring fresh energy to the franchise while also embracing the city of Atlanta.
“We’re in a rebuild right now and we’re also looking to add pieces that can be with us for a long time,” Padover said. “Our hope is this person comes in with fresh energy and sparks something underneath our franchise which we need right now.”
Howard’s college career at Kentucky came to a close in March with an opening-round NCAA Tournament loss to Princeton, but the accolades have continued to come her way in recent weeks.
Howard was named an All-American by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association and the John R. Wooden Award, adding more honors to her name before she officially becomes a professional player Monday night.
Padover spoke glowingly of Howard’s profile as a potential top draft pick, especially in the context of Howard’s college career.
“(Howard) led a program with not a ton of help around her for a lot of those four years and had a lot of responsibility on her back on the offensive end,” Padover said. “So it’ll be interesting to see what she’s like around the pro level with teammates that have her skill. But I think the ceiling for her is very high.”
Should Atlanta decide to pass on Howard with the first overall pick, she would fall to the second overall pick possessed by the Indiana Fever, and the Fever have a key front office member that is keenly aware of what Howard can do.
From 2016 to 2018, Lin Dunn was an assistant coach at Kentucky under former head coach Matthew Mitchell. From 2018 until February, Dunn was the special assistant to the head coach at UK for both Mitchell and Kyra Elzy.
But two months ago Dunn left to become the interim general manager of the Fever, the franchise she served as the head coach of from 2008 to 2014 and with which she won the WNBA championship in 2012.
Dunn has seen Howard grow throughout her college career and knows the potential she possesses at the pro level.
“I think there are a couple of players, two or three players in this draft, that I think are going to have a smooth transition into the pros and are not only going to play, but they’re going to have an impact and I think Rhyne Howard is one of those players,” Dunn said. “Anytime you can play four positions, the 1, 2, 3, 4, and play them well, then you’re special.”
It’s unlikely Howard will fall past the second selection in the draft, and whether she goes to the Dream or Fever, Howard will be joining a franchise in need of her scoring ability and potential star power.
Atlanta went 8-24 last season and hasn’t made the playoffs since 2018. The upcoming season will be the first for new head coach Tanisha Wright and Padover is also about to undertake his first draft as the team’s general manager.
Indiana went a league-worst 6-26 and hasn’t reached the postseason since 2016. Dunn replaced team legend Tamika Catchings as general manager in February and will serve as the interim general manager.
Indiana has a league-high four first-round draft picks.
Potential draft concerns with Howard
One of the most commonly-cited concerns with Howard as a pro prospect has to do with her effort and urgency on the court, something that oftentimes comes through the eye of the observer.
“Just continuing to increase her sense of urgency on the court is something that I’m definitely looking forward to,” Robinson said.
“Can that motor go consistently and really hard every single night?” Lobo asked.
Dunn pushed back against this criticism of Howard when asked about the former Kentucky player’s draft profile.
“Everybody talks about her motor and I think she played on a team this year where she had to conserve her motor in order to play 40 minutes every game and carry the team,” Dunn said. “She has a motor, she uses it when it’s needed. She is exceptional when she’s playing with better players around her and if anybody wants to see her at her best go watch her games in USA Basketball where she won gold medals every time she participated and was the MVP of every one of those competitions.”
History of Kentucky basketball draft picks
Howard is set to become the highest WNBA Draft selection out of Kentucky. That title currently belongs to Evelyn Akhator, who was drafted third overall in 2017.
On the men’s side, three players from UK have been selected first overall in the NBA Draft.
Most recently, Karl-Anthony Towns was taken with the first pick in 2015.
Monday
What: 2022 WNBA Draft
Where: New York City
Draft Order: Atlanta Dream (1), Indiana Fever (2), Washington Mystics (3), Fever (4), New York Liberty (5), Fever (6), Dallas Wings (7), Minnesota Lynx (8), Los Angeles Sparks (9), Fever (10), Las Vegas Aces (11) and Connecticut Sun (12).
Time: 7 p.m.
TV: ESPN
