Kentucky WBB finding new identity without Rhyne Howard

Nobody can fill the hole Rhyne Howard left in Kyra Elzy’s system. However, Elzy and her staff can build a new system altogether.

Kentucky WBB does soul searching

After losing WNBA All-Star Rhyne Howard to the professional ranks earlier this year, Kentucky women’s basketball was lost. Howard was the face of the program all four years she was in Lexington, averaging 20.1 points per game for her career. With 10 fresh faces on the roster heading into the 2022-23 season, the ‘Cats are slowly finding their new identity.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗼𝗼𝗸!@howard_rhyne // Team @_ajawilson22 pic.twitter.com/uMRhBH0KHS

— Las Vegas Aces (@LVAces) July 2, 2022

“It is early on. We are all still trying to figure out who is going to step up, but it’s also just an exciting time because there is so much opportunity for our players that we have,” Kentucky assistant coach Amber Smith said in an interview with Sunday Morning Sports Talk on June 26.

The X’s and O’s

The question may not be “Who will step up?” but instead “How will they step up?” Howard scored nearly a third of Kentucky’s 71.2 points per game last season and accounted for even more of the offense’s success when considering the attention she drew from opposing defenses.

Spot-up 3-pointers and open lanes won’t be as easy to come by without Howard on the team. Nonetheless, this isn’t news for Kentucky. To counter these issues, the staff is prepared to entirely change their offensive scheme.

“When it gets down to X’s and O’s, then that’s when we have to figure out what works for this team. Team-to-team they’re different and so as a coaching staff we have to see how we can put our players in the best position to be successful,” Smith said.

Stepping into a brighter future

Kentucky’s veteran leaders such as Blair Green and Robyn Benton will be key in this metamorphosis, Smith adds. The ‘Cats have five returning players this season, with sophomore Jada Walker being the youngest.

These experienced players are well-aware of the culture that makes Kentucky special, a culture that UK’s staff has no intention of changing.

Intensity.#CommitToIt pic.twitter.com/dRrMpLyvTn

— Kentucky Women’s Basketball (@KentuckyWBB) June 30, 2022

“This year, it’s going to be the same — how we’re going to address the team with working hard, giving energy, giving enthusiasm,” Smith said. “Our approach, as a coaching staff, will be the exact same.”

At the end of the day, a team’s success comes down to its players. Smith believes Kentucky’s players are more than capable of achieving something special, and she is excited to be a part of it.

“We’re going to miss Rhyne and she gave us all she had for four years. Now, obviously, the focus is on the players that are here,” Smith said. “We have a lot of talent and we’re just getting better and better every day.”