Rhyne Howard, the Atlanta Dream’s standout basketball star, has made waves in the WNBA and beyond with her exceptional skills and impressive accolades.
Born on April 29, 2000, in Chattanooga, Tennessee, she is an American professional basketball player currently playing as a shooting guard for the Atlanta Dream in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA).
She rose to prominence during her college career at the University of Kentucky, where she became one of the program’s all-time greats.
Drafted first overall by the Atlanta Dream in the 2022 WNBA Draft, Howard quickly established herself as a rising star in the league.
Beyond her WNBA career, she serves as an assistant coach and director of player personnel for the Florida women’s basketball team and has represented the USA in international competitions, including the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Siblings
Rhyne comes from a large family of seven, including her parents and four siblings.
Howard has two brothers, Rhvonja “RJ” Avery and James Howard Jr., and two sisters, Love Howard and Takema Sexton.
Rhyne’s mother, Rhvonja “RJ” Avery, played collegiate basketball at the University of Florida and is cited as a significant influence on Rhyne’s career, pushing her to excel in the sport.
Her father, James Howard, has also been a source of inspiration and support.
Career
Howard’s basketball career is a testament to her talent, hard work, and versatility.
After a stellar high school career at Bradley Central, she committed to the University of Kentucky, where she played from 2018 to 2022.
During her college tenure, Howard became Kentucky’s all-time leader in three-pointers made (284) and finished second in program history in career points (2,290).
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She averaged 20.1 points per game, establishing herself as a prolific scorer and defensive force.
In 2022, Howard was selected as the No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA Draft by the Atlanta Dream.
Her rookie season was nothing short of spectacular, as she averaged 16.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game, earning her the WNBA Rookie of the Year award.
She continued to improve in her second season (2023), posting 17.5 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game.
In 2024, she maintained her status as a key player for the Dream, leading the team in assists, steals, and blocks per game.
Beyond the WNBA, Howard joined the inaugural season of Unrivaled, a women’s 3×3 basketball league, in 2024.
She also took on a coaching role at the University of Florida in 2023, where she serves as an assistant coach and director of player personnel, mentoring the next generation of basketball talent.
Internationally, Howard has represented the USA, winning gold medals with the U18 and U19 teams in 2018 and 2019, respectively, and earning a bronze medal with the 3×3 women’s team at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Accolades
Howard’s list of accolades is extensive, reflecting her dominance at every level of the game.
In the WNBA, she has been named Rookie of the Year (2022), a 2-time All-Star (2022, 2023), and a member of the All-Rookie Team (2022).
During her college career at Kentucky, she was honored as a 2-time SEC Player of the Year (2020, 2021), a Unanimous First-Team All-American (2021), a 3-time First-Team All-American, the USBWA National Freshman of the Year (2019), and a WBCA Coaches All-American (2021).
Internationally, she earned the FIBA AmeriCup MVP title (2021), gold medals with the USA U18 (2018) and U19 (2019) teams, the MVP of the 2018 U18 Tournament, and a bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics in 3×3 basketball.
In high school, she was recognized as the Tennessee Gatorade Player of the Year (2018) and Tennessee Miss Basketball (2018).
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