To no one’s surprise, Atlanta Dream’s Rhyne Howard is the 2022 WNBA Rookie of the Year. The Kentucky alumna won the Rookie of the Month award for every month in the season. She is the second player Atlanta player to win the award joining Angel McCoughtry (2009). Sreceived 53 votes from a panel of 56 sportswriters and broadcasters. Washington Mystics center/forward Shakira Austin received two votes and Indiana Fever forward NaLyssa Smith received one vote.
Howard’s accolades:
- She averaged 16.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.59 steals in 31.3 minutes in 34 games (all starts) this season.
- She led all WNBA rookies in points, assists, steals, and minutes per game.
- Among all WNBA players, Howard ranked 11thin scoring average and tied for fifth in steals.
- She finished third in the league in three-pointers made with 85, a single-season record by a WNBA rookie.
- She won WNBA Eastern Conference Player of the Week honors for the first week of the season.
- She set Dream franchise rookie records for total points (552) and rebounds (154).
The league also announced the 2022 All-Rookie Team:
- Shakira Austin, Washington Mystics
- Queen Egbo, Indiana Fever
- Rebekah Gardner, Chicago Sky
- Rhyne Howard, Atlanta Dream
- NaLyssa Smith, Indiana Fever
