COLLEGE PARK, Ga. — Rhyne Howard has a golden sparkle in her eyes as she prepares to suit up in red, white and blue at the Paris Olympics.
The 24-year-old Atlanta Dream guard was recently surprised by Jay Dennings, USA Basketball’s 3-on-3 national team director, as he presented Howard with her No. 13 jersey and invited her to represent the United States this summer in France. Dennings received an immediate reply of acceptance from Howard, who was a standout in the Chattanooga area’s prep scene at Bradley Central and a three-time Associated Press All-American at Kentucky before becoming a No. 1 WNBA draft pick.
Now a two-time WNBA All-Star and the league’s 2022 rookie of the year, Howard headlines the U.S. women’s 3×3 roster for Paris, where she’ll be joined by Los Angeles Sparks rookie Cameron Brink, former University of Tennessee standout Cierra Burdick and Hailey Van Lith, who will be a fifth-year senior guard at TCU this year after playing last season at LSU and three seasons at Louisville. Although none of them played for the U.S. when 3×3 basketball made its Olympic debut three years ago at the pandemic-delayed Tokyo Games, all four will try to help the country win its second straight gold medal in the event.
“Making the Olympics was not something I was dreaming of this soon into my career,” said Howard, who has played on national teams with both Brink and Van Lith before. “To have the opportunity to go and represent the United States is such a surreal feeling. Being considered one of the best in your country is a tremendous honor. I am going to Paris with gold standards. To be an Olympic athlete is something I thank God for.”
(READ MORE: Bradley Central grad Rhyne Howard hopes to help WNBA grow)