Rhyne Howard officially enters name in 2022 WNBA Draft

The inevitable has become official: Rhyne Howard is heading to the pros.

On Tuesday afternoon, the WNBA announced the first list of players who filed as draft candidates for the 2022 Draft, which is set for April 11. 88 names were included among the initial group, including Howard, who is a Kentucky Women’s Basketball three-time All-American and the school’s second all-time leading scorer. Howard is widely expected to hear her name called among the first two picks in the draft.

During her senior season in 2021-22, Howard averaged a team-high 20.5 points per game to go along with 7.4 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 2.3 steals, and 1.3 blocks on a shooting split of 44.1/38.3/80.8.

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Howard is currently projected to go No. 2 in next month’s draft to the Indiana Fever, according to ESPN‘s latest mock. The new interim general manager for the Fever is Lin Dunn, who had been on the Kentucky coaching staff since 2016 before accepting the GM position in mid-February. Dunn served as the special assistant to both of the program’s head coaches, Matthew Mitchell and Kyra Elzy, since 2018.

Baylor’s NaLyssa Smith is currently expected to hear her name called with the top overall pick by the Washington Mystics.

Howard could have technically returned for another season at Kentucky, granted by the additional year of eligibility that was given to all student-athletes who played during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, it had long been suspected that her senior year in 2021-22 would be her last in Lexington. Howard has been a projected top-three WNBA pick since her sophomore season.

If she were to go among the top two picks, Howard would be the first in Kentucky WBB history to do so. Evelyn Ahkator was drafted No. 3 overall in 2017, A’dia Mathies No. 10 overall in 2013, and Victoria Dunlap No. 11 overall in 2011.

Among other notable players who put their names in the 2022 WNBA Draft pool include Tennessee’s Rae Burrell, Georgia’s Jenna Staiti, and a trio of Louisville Cardinals in Emily Engstler, Kianna Smith, and Chelsie Hall.