Rhyne Howard named to 2024 USA Basketball 3x3 Women’s National Team

Ladies and gentlemen, Rhyne Howard is marking her name in the history books… again.

On Wednesday, the former Kentucky guard was named to the USA 3×3 Women’s National Team. This feat makes Howard the only player in Kentucky Women’s Basketball history to do so, adding another accomplishment to her ever-growing list. She’ll represent Team USA in the 2024 Paris Olympics. 

Per Team USA, “3×3 is played on a half-court with a 10-minute game clock and 12-second shot clock. Play is continuous, as teams ‘clear’ the ball behind the 2-point line following a made basket, defensive rebound or steal. The first team to score 21 points via 1-point field goals or 2-pointers behind the arc is victorious; or if time expires then the team leading wins.”

Paris is always a good idea. ☺️

LET'S GET IT! @howard_rhyne @USAB3x3 #3x3WNT 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/8rONUj7Gh6

— Kentucky Women’s Basketball (@KentuckyWBB) June 5, 2024

Alongside the Kentucky alum on the four-woman roster are former Louisville Cardinal Hailey Van Lith (now at TCU), Cameron Brink (Los Angeles Sparks), and Cierra Burdick (Valencia Basket Club).

The four athletes named to the roster were selected by the USA Basketball 3×3 Women’s National Team Committee after attending training camp in Springfield, Massachusetts earlier this year. During that time, candidates played in the FIBA 3×3 Women’s Series Springfield Stop to prove their skills.

Currently, Howard is in her third year playing for the Atlanta Dream as the 2022 No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA draft. The Tennessee native is a two-time WNBA All-Star and was selected as 2022’s Rookie of the Year unanimously. Through seven games played this season, Howard is averaging 16.4 points, five rebounds, 3.1 assists, 2.6 steals, and one block in 33.1 minutes per outing.

Despite the fact that Howard has made waves in the WNBA, she created her legacy at Kentucky.

As a Wildcat, Howard led her team to its first SEC Championship in 40 years. She averaged 20.1 points and 6.9 rebounds per game across four seasons in Lexington. Howard finished her college career with a grand total of 2,290 points, putting her fourth in Kentucky Basketball history. She recorded 27 career double-doubles and one triple-double. Naturally, Howard is fourth in UK history in steals per game (2.3).

This isn’t Howard’s first time representing Team USA, though. In 2018, the guard participated in the FIBA Women’s Americas Championship. There, she started five of six games and averaged 8.5 points and 4.7 rebounds. In fact, Howard was a part of Team USA every year (minus 2020) since. As a now multi-year Team USA veteran, it’s no surprise that Howard was selected to represent the red, white, and blue in Paris this summer.