As long as the WNBA has existed, its players have traveled thousands of miles to play in Europe, Asia and Australia in order to earn extra money and stay in shape during the league’s long offseason. In recent years, however, some have begun foregoing that route in favor of staying stateside to work with NCAA programs.
Atlanta Dream star Rhyne Howard, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 WNBA Draft and that season’s Rookie of the Year, is one of the highest profile players to make that decision. She announced on Monday that she will be joining the University of Florida’s women’s basketball program as an assistant coach and director of player personnel.
“It has always been important to me that we surround our student-athletes with people who can help equip them with the skills necessary to succeed as professionals on and off the court,” Florida head coach Kelly Rae Finley stated in a press release. “Rhyne is humble, competitive, thoughtful, and driven. She is living many of our student-athlete’s dreams. Her knowledge of the game combined with her ability to teach and connect with them on and off the court will elevate our program.”
Howard, 23, spent her collegiate career at the University of Kentucky and…
