Rhyne Howard could be the top pick in tonight's WNBA Draft. (Photo by Vicky Graff)
Washington Mystics general manager Lin Dunn has the third pick in tonight’s WNBA Draft and no one knows more about Kentucky All-American Rhyne Howard than Dunn.
Howard is a potential No. 1 pick and certainly no worse than a top three pick.
Dunn saw plenty of Howard when she was an advisor to both Matthew Mitchel and Kyra Elzy at Kentucky. She coached and watched Howard daily.
“Rhyne is uniquely prepared for the next level. I think there are a couple of players, two or three players in this draft that I think are going to have a smooth transition into the pros and are not only going to play but they’re going to have an impact, and I think Rhyne Howard is one of those players,” said Dunn, a former WNBA head coach.
“Anytime you can play four positions, the 1, 2, 3, 4, and play them well, then you’re special. I think Rhyne, everybody talks about her motor. I think she played on the team this year where she had to conserve her motor in order to play 40 minutes every game and carry a team. She has a motor. She uses it when it’s needed. She is exceptional when she’s playing with better players around her.”
Dunn had a message for anyone who doubts Howard.
“If anybody wants to see her at her best, go watch her games in USA Basketball where she won gold medals every time she participated and was the MVP of every one of those competitions,” Dunn said. “I think Rhyne is going to have a huge impact on the league.”
General manager/executive director Dan Padover of the Atlanta Dream has the first pick tonight.
“Obviously, a good-sized wing player who can score in multiple ways and also has the ability to defend when she wants to,” Padover said about Howard. “Led a program with not a ton of help around her for a lot of those four years and had a lot of responsibility on her back on the offensive end.
“So it’ll be interesting to see what she’s like around the pro level with teammates that have pro skill. But I think the ceiling for her is very high, and I think a lot of people would agree with that.”
