Atlanta Dream choose Kentucky’s Rhyne Howard with prime choose in WNBA draft; Indiana Fever take Baylor’s NaLyssa Smith at No. 2

The Atlanta Dream, who traded up final week to accumulate the highest general choose within the 2022 WNBA draft, chosen Kentucky guard Rhyne Howard at No. 1 on Monday evening in New York.

The Washington Mystics received the draft lottery in December however traded the highest choose to Atlanta final week, because the Dream moved up from No. Three to ensure they bought Howard.

The 6-foot-2 Howard, the SEC Participant of the 12 months as a sophomore and a junior, averaged 20.5 factors and seven.Four rebounds throughout her senior season, main the Wildcats in factors, rebounds, 3-pointers, steals and blocks. The one different SEC participant to do this over the previous 20 seasons was Mississippi State‘s Tan White (2003-04 and 2004-05).

“I am shaking proper now,” Howard instructed ESPN’s Holly Rowe after being drafted at No. 1. “It is a dream come true.”

Baylor‘s 6-Four ahead NaLyssa Smith, the Huge 12 Participant of the 12 months the previous two seasons, was the No. 2 choose by the Indiana Fever, who had 4 first-round choices.

“I am coming in hungry,” stated Smith, who can play both the facility ahead or small ahead place within the WNBA. She is understood for scoring within the paint and believes her vary will continue to grow.

Smith averaged 22.1 factors and 11.5 rebounds this previous season for the Bears, who received the Huge 12 regular-season title for the 12th yr in a row. She was a part of Baylor’s 2019 nationwide championship staff as a freshman.

The highest three picks went as anticipated, because the Mystics chosen Ole Miss 6-5 middle Shakira Austin at No. 3. Austin averaged 15.2 factors and 9.zero rebounds for the Rebels in 2021-22 and generally is a pressure on inside offense and protection for Washington.

The Fever had been anticipated to go huge on protection and posts with their early-round picks, and the final choose within the lottery at No. Four match each: Louisville 6-1 ahead Emily Engstler, who helped the Cardinals make the ladies’s Ultimate 4 in 2022. Identical description goes for the Fever’s No. 10 choose, Smith’s Baylor teammate, 6-Three middle Queen Egbo.

However the Fever’s choice at No. 6 was a shock: Stanford guard Lexie Hull, who many projected as a second-round choose. However Hull, who helped the Cardinal win the NCAA title in 2021 and make it again to the Ultimate 4 this previous season, impressed Indiana common supervisor Lin Dunn together with her nonstop hustle and skill to hit 3-pointers.

It was the primary time a WNBA staff has had 4 picks within the first spherical. With Smith, Engstler, Hull and Egbo, Dunn hopes Indiana has a younger basis to assist the Fever return to the playoffs for the primary time since 2016. Franchise legend Tamika Catchings retired following that season.

“We’re gonna rebuild with younger gamers,” Dunn stated of the Fever, who final had a profitable regular-season document in 2015. “I am seeing extremely expert gamers popping out of school, however the true key changes are the physicality and the pace of the sport. I want gamers who can adapt to that shortly.”

The No. 5 choose introduced one other “sister act” to the WNBA, as Oregon middle/ahead Nyara Sabally is headed to New York. Her older sister, Satou Sabally of Oregon, went to Dallas with the No. 2 choose in 2020.

Sabally bought to apply with Liberty level guard Sabrina Ionescu when the 2 had been at Oregon and she or he is worked up to have an opportunity to play together with her within the WNBA. Ionescu was the No. 1 choose within the 2020 draft.

“Sab is such an incredible level guard,” Sabally stated. “I noticed her in apply daily and am excited to share the courtroom together with her.”

The Wings, in the meantime, had the No. 7 choose this yr and went with Northwestern guard Veronica Burton, who was the Huge Ten and WBCA Defensive Participant of the 12 months. The 5-9 Burton is taken into account a top-tier perimeter defender for a Dallas staff that might use an improve there.

One other shock got here at No. 8, as Las Vegas took Colorado ahead Mya Hollingshed, who helped the Buffaloes make the NCAA event this previous season for the primary time since 2013. The Aces made a commerce Sunday with Minnesota to get the Nos. Eight and 13 picks; they took LSU guard Khayla Pointer with the latter.

Tennessee wing Rae Burrell, who helped the Lady Vols to the Candy 16, was the Los Angeles Sparks’ choice at No. 9.

The Aces took Florida Gulf Coast‘s Kierstan Bell with the 11th choose. Bell, who began her faculty profession at Ohio State and averaged 23.6 factors and 9.Four rebounds whereas at FGCU, received the Becky Hammon Mid-Main Participant of the 12 months award the previous two years. She now will get an opportunity to play for Hammon, the Aces’ new coach.

Connecticut completed off the primary spherical by selecting Nia Clouden, who averaged 20 factors this previous season for Michigan State.

Howard is the second participant the Dream have picked No. 1, following Louisville’s Angel McCoughtry in 2009. McCoughtry led the Dream to a few appearances within the WNBA Finals.

Howard’s 284 profession 3-pointers are a part of what makes her a multidimensional risk, as she can also be large enough to submit up towards most defenders. Howard can seize the chance to turn out to be a signature participant for a Dream franchise that went 8-24 final season and has missed the playoffs 4 of the previous 5 years.

Howard, who was the primary Kentucky participant to go No. 1 within the draft, will probably be near dwelling, having grown up in Cleveland, Tennessee, about 118 miles from Atlanta.

“For it to be so shut is big. Quite a lot of household and shut associates can come and help me,” Howard stated. “To go first, I haven’t got phrases for it proper now. Nonetheless shaking. Tremendous thrilling and happy with myself and grateful for everybody that has been on this journey with me and helped me get right here.”

Draftees had been capable of attend the occasion in individual for the primary time since 2019, because the draft needed to be carried out remotely in 2020 and 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Amongst projected first-round picks who dropped into the second spherical had been UConn guard Christyn Williams (No. 14, Mystics), Michigan ahead Naz Hillmon (No. 15, Dream), NC State middle Elissa Cunane (No. 17, Seattle Storm) and South Carolina guard Destanni Henderson (No. 20, Fever). The Storm additionally traded their No. 18 choose to New York for a second-round choose in 2023, and the Liberty took Georgia Tech ahead Lorela Cubaj.

Sika Kone, a 19-year-old middle from Mali, additionally was regarded as a possible first-rounder, however went within the third spherical to New York at No. 29.

The WNBA season ideas off on Could 6, with coaching camps opening later this week.

The Related Press contributed to this report.