Atlanta Dream star Rhyne Howard to become assistant coach with Florida Gators’ women’s basketball program

As lengthy because the WNBA has existed, its avid gamers have traveled 1000’s of miles to play in Europe, Asia and Australia so as to earn more cash and keep in form all over the league’s lengthy offseason. In fresh years, then again, some have begun foregoing that path in desire of staying stateside to paintings with NCAA methods. 

Atlanta Dream star Rhyne Howard, the No. 1 total pick out within the 2022 WNBA Draft and that season’s Rookie of the Year, is likely one of the very best profile avid gamers to make that call. She introduced on Monday that she will likely be becoming a member of the University of Florida’s women’s basketball program as an assistant coach and director of participant staff. 

“It has always been important to me that we surround our student-athletes with people who can help equip them with the skills necessary to succeed as professionals on and off the court,” Florida head coach Kelly Rae Finley stated in a press release. “Rhyne is humble, competitive, thoughtful, and driven. She is living many of our student-athlete’s dreams. Her knowledge of the game combined with her ability to teach and connect with them on and off the court will elevate our program.”

Howard, 23, spent her collegiate profession on the University of Kentucky and led the Wildcats to their first SEC convention event championship in 40 years, however has ties to Florida via her mom, who performed for the Gators from 1987-91, and holds a couple of program information. 

“When you really think about it everything is full circle, my mom was a Gator herself and I have been on this campus multiple times, but to actually be able to wear the orange and blue, I know it’s making her proud, I know it’s making everyone who thought I was originally going to be a Florida Gator proud,” Howard said. “I always knew at some point that I would have the connection back with this school and just to be here and to be loved and to feel how much of a family it is already just confirmed all that.” 

In her 2nd season within the league, Howard averaged 17.5 issues, 4.9 rebounds and three.5 assists in step with sport, all career-highs, and helped the Dream get again to the playoffs for the primary time since 2018. Though the Dream had been swept within the first spherical, Howard made historical past with the highest-scoring playoff debut ever when she dropped 36 issues in Game 1 towards the Dallas Wings. 

Howard spent closing offseason gambling in Italy for Famila Schio, whom she helped win the Lega Basket Femminile championship. While Howard has performed fewer than 3 seasons and as such isn’t but matter to the league’s new prioritization rule, it is value taking into account her choice in that context, as it might have affected her after this offseason. 

Starting in 2024, all avid gamers will have to be again in crew markets by way of the beginning of coaching camp or May 1, whichever is later. If they don’t seem to be again by way of then, they’ll be suspended for the season. That will prohibit avid gamers’ flexibility with their out of the country golf equipment transferring ahead, and Howard seems to be getting forward of the problem whilst additionally getting a jumpstart on a possible post-playing profession at the sidelines.