ESPN analysts praise Rhyne Howard ahead of WNBA Draft

Everyone knows Rhyne Howard can dominate her NCAA opponents. However, WNBA insiders are confident she can replicate these results at the next level.

As the 2022 WNBA Draft approaches on April 11, Howard fever is spreading. In ESPN’s latest WNBA mock draft, writer Michelle Voepel projected the Atlanta Dream to take Howard with the first pick. During a conference call on Thursday afternoon, ESPN’s women’s basketball analysts Rebecca Lobo and LaChina Robinson seconded Voepel’s prediction.

In a call with ESPN's WNBA analysts Rebecca Lobo and LaChina Robinson.

When they were asked their prediction for the No. 1 pick in the upcoming WNBA Draft, they had the same answer: Rhyne Howard.

— Grant Grubbs (@grant_grubbs_) April 7, 2022

In her senior campaign at UK, Howard averaged 20.5 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. Moreover, the 6-foot-2 star demonstrated her marksmanship, shooting 38.3% from beyond the arc last season. In the eyes of WNBA insiders, Howard is more than ready to take the leap to the WNBA.

“Rhyne is a pro. She’s a game-changer. She’s an elite talent,” Lobo said. “When you look at all the different things she can do on the basketball court. She can score it from 3, she has a pull-up game, she can get to the rim. There really isn’t anything else from a scoring standpoint that you could ask for.”

Outsiders of Kentucky’s program aren’t the only ones who share this opinion. Head coach Kyra Elzy and Howard made history this year when Kentucky won the SEC Tournament for the first time since 1982. As the person who recruited Howard, nobody knows the generational talent better than Elzy.

“Whoever is smart enough to draft [Howard], they are going to have a talent, and she is going to make people better,” Elzy said after Kentucky fell to Princeton in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. “She’s a 6-2 guard with a great frame. She can play multiple positions, and I think in time she will be the face of the WNBA.”

"The ceiling for her is very high, and I think a lot of people would agree with that."

The Atlanta Dream's GM Dan Padover said about Rhyne Howard. The Dream have the first pick in the WNBA Draft.

— Grant Grubbs (@grant_grubbs_) April 7, 2022

Howard repeatedly put her versatility on display during her collegiate career. As a combo guard, Howard was as deadly in the crowded paint as she was from downtown. Lobo and Robinson discussed how Howard’s skillset will transfer to the next level.

“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,” Lobo said. “She’s a very good pass, her ability to find her open teammates because of her size. She can play multiple positions.”

Nonetheless, nobody is perfect. During a slow stretch for Kentucky this season, Howard dropped to the No. 2 pick in ESPN’s draft projections. Although she has returned to the top of the pile, Howard still has room to improve.

“In terms of areas of improvement, can that motor go consistently and really hard every single night?” Lobo questioned.

Despite any flaws, WNBA franchises will welcome Howard with open arms. While Howard’s time at UK has come to an end, she will continue to make BBN proud for years to come.