Kentucky Wildcats guard and 2022 WNBA Draft No. 1 overall pick Rhyne Howard Andrew Wevers-USA TODAY Sports

Atlanta Dream select Rhyne Howard with first pick in 2022 WNBA Draft after trade up

By Adam Stites | Last updated Apr 11, 2022 7:48 PM ET

A week after acquiring the top pick in the 2022 WNBA Draft in a trade, the Atlanta Dream used it to select Kentucky Wildcats guard Rhyne Howard.

Howard, 21, was the SEC Player of the Year in back-to-back seasons before she was dethroned by South Carolina's Aliyah Boston this year. In four seasons with the Wildcats, Howard averaged 20.1 points, 2.9 assists, and 6.9 rebounds per game.

Whether you know her by her signature upside down headband or her outstanding college career, @howard_rhyne is ready for the WNBA.

Watch the #WNBADraft presented by @Statefarm April 11 at 7pm/ET on ESPN to see where she lands pic.twitter.com/zqDX0nOZlo
— WNBA (@WNBA) April 10, 2022

Atlanta traded away the No. 14 pick to the Washington Mystics to move up from No. 3 to No. 1. Washington also has the right to swap out its 2023 first-round pick for a 2023 first-rounder that Atlanta acquired in a trade with the Los Angeles Sparks. The Mystics used the No. 3 selection to take Ole Miss center Shakira Austin.

Last season, the Dream finished 8-24, the second worst record in the WNBA. The Mystics won the draft lottery, despite finishing the year 12-20.

Adam Stites

Adam Stites is a Southern California native who lives in a new state every three months. He’s perennially disappointed by both the Jacksonville Jaguars and Arizona State Sun Devils. His dog is named Ramsey after the best cornerback in the NFL

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