Atlanta Dream Select Kentucky S Rhyne Howard With Top Pick In Wnba Draft Indiana Fever Take Baylor S Nalyssa Smith At No. 2

Mechelle VoepelESPN.com Close Mechelle Voepel covers the WNBA, college women’s basketball and other college sports for espnW. Voepel started covering women’s basketball in 1984 and has been with ESPN since 1996.

The Atlanta Dream selected Kentucky guard Ryan Howard as the No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA 2022 draft Monday night in New York. Close

Mechelle Voepel covers the WNBA, college women’s basketball and other college sports for espnW. Voepel started covering women’s basketball in 1984 and has been with ESPN since 1996.

1 Relevant “I’m shivering right now,” Howard told ESPN’s Holly Row after choosing No. 1. “It’s a dream come true.” Baylor 6-legged striker NaLyssa Smith, the Big 12 player of the year for the last two seasons, was the No. 2 pick from Indiana, which has four first-round pick options. “I’m coming hungry,” said Smith, who can play either a power forward or a small forward in the WNBA. She is known for scoring in color and believes her range will continue to grow. The first three selections went as expected, with Washington taking Ole Miss 6-foot-5 center Shakira Austin to No. 3. Austin averaged 15.2 points and 9.0 rebounds for the Rebels in 2021-22 and can be a force in domestic offensive and defense for Washington. UK RankPPG19.92ndFGM7902nd3-pt FGM2841st3-pt FG pct38.14thSteals PG2.294th– ESPN Statistics & Information Howard is the second player Dream has selected as No. 1, after Angel McCatry of Louisville in 2009. McCatry led Dream to three appearances in the WNBA Finals. The 284 three-pointers of Howard’s career are part of what makes her a multidimensional threat, as she is also big enough to face most defenders. Howard could seize the opportunity to become a signing player for a Dream franchise that went 8-24 last season and lost the playoffs four of the last five years. Howard, who was the first Kentucky player to go No. 1 in the draft, will be close to home, having grown up about 90 minutes from Atlanta. “Being so close is huge. Many relatives and close friends can come and support me,” Howard said. “To go first, I have no words for it at the moment. It is still trembling. Very exciting and proud of myself and grateful to all who were on this trip with me and helped me get here.” Smith averaged 22.1 points and 11.5 rebounds last season for the Bears, who won the Big 12 regular season title for the 12th consecutive season. He was a member of the Baylor 2019 national championship team as a freshman. The drawers were able to attend the event in person for the first time since 2019, as the draft had to be done remotely in 2020 and 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic. The WNBA season kicks off on May 6, with training camps opening later this week. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

title: “Atlanta Dream Select Kentucky S Rhyne Howard With Top Pick In Wnba Draft Indiana Fever Take Baylor S Nalyssa Smith At No. 2 " ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-30” author: “Abby Oram”

The Atlanta Dream selected Kentucky guard Ryan Howard as the No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA 2022 draft Monday night in New York. Close

Mechelle Voepel covers the WNBA, college women’s basketball and other college sports for espnW. Voepel started covering women’s basketball in 1984 and has been with ESPN since 1996.

The Washington Mystics won the draft lottery in December, but traded the top spot in Atlanta last week as the Dream climbed from No. 3 to guarantee they got Howard. The 6-legged Howard, the SEC player of the year as a junior and junior, averaged 20.5 points and 7.4 rebounds during her senior season, leading the Wildcats to points, rebounds, 3 points, steals and more. block. The only other SEC player to do so in the last 20 seasons was Miss White of Mississippi (2003-04 & 2004-05). “I’m shivering right now,” Howard told ESPN’s Holly Row after choosing No. 1. “It’s a dream come true.”

1 Relevant Baylor 6-foot-4 striker NaLyssa Smith, the Big 12 player of the year for the previous two seasons, was the No. 2 pick from Indiana Fever, who had four options in the first round. “I’m coming hungry,” said Smith, who can play either a power forward or a small forward in the WNBA. She is known for scoring in color and believes her range will continue to grow. The first three selections went as expected as the Washington Mystics picked Ole Miss 6-foot-5 center Shakira Austin at No. 3. Austin averaged 15.2 points and 9.0 rebounds for the Rebels in 2021-22. and could be a force in domestic offensive and defense for Washington. The Fever were expected to go big in defense and positions with their options early in the round, and the latter in the draw fit both: Louisville striker Emily Engstler, who helped the Cardinals advance to the Women’s Final Four. Engstler went to No. 4, but Fever’s selection at No. 6 was a surprise: Stanford guard Lexi Hull, who was hailed by many as a second-round pick. But Hull, who helped Stanford win the NCAA title in 2021 and return to the Final Four last season, impressed Indiana general manager Lynn Dan with her constant fuss and ability to hit three-pointers. Option No. 5 brought another “sister act” to the WNBA as Oregon center-forward Nyara Sabally headed to New York. Her older sister, Satou Sabally from Oregon, went to Dallas with the No. 2 pick in 2020. The Wings, meanwhile, had the number 7 this year and went with the Northwest Guard Veronica Burton, who was the Big Ten and WBCA Defensive Player of the Year. The 5-foot-9 Burton is considered a top perimeter defender for a Wings team that could use an upgrade there. Another surprise came at No. 8 as Las Vegas beat Colorado ahead of Mya Hollingshed, who helped the Buffaloes win the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2013. Tennessee winger Rae Burrell, who helped the Lady Vols in the NCAA Sweet 16, was Los Angeles’s No. 9 pick. Howard is the second player Dream has selected as No. 1, after Angel McCatry of Louisville in 2009. McCatry led Dream to three appearances in the WNBA Finals. The 284 three-pointers of Howard’s career are part of what makes her a multidimensional threat, as she is also big enough to face most defenders. Howard could seize the opportunity to become a signing player for a Dream franchise that went 8-24 last season and lost the playoffs four of the last five years. UK RankPPG19.92ndFGM7902nd3-pt FGM2841st3-pt FG pct38.14thSteals PG2.294th– ESPN Statistics & Information Howard, who was the first Kentucky player to go No. 1 in the draft, will be close to home, having grown up about 90 minutes from Atlanta. “Being so close is huge. Many relatives and close friends can come and support me,” Howard said. “To go first, I have no words for it at the moment. It is still trembling. Very exciting and proud of myself and grateful to all who were on this trip with me and helped me get here.” Smith averaged 22.1 points and 11.5 rebounds last season for the Bears, who won the Big 12 regular season title for the 12th consecutive season. He was a member of the Baylor 2019 national championship team as a freshman. The drawers were able to attend the event in person for the first time since 2019, as the draft had to be done remotely in 2020 and 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic. The WNBA season kicks off on May 6, with training camps opening later this week. The Associated Press contributed to this report.