Why WNBA star Rhyne Howard has turned to coaching in the offseason

Rhyne Howard is best known for what she can do on the basketball court. As the 2022 WNBA Rookie of the Year, and a two-time WNBA All-Star, Howard has shown she can be a force for her team, the Atlanta Dream. Now, she is in a new role, serving as an assistant coach and director of player development for the University of Florida.

Howard played in Italy during the WNBA’s last offseason, and she wasn’t looking for a different kind of opportunity. But when Florida asked, she was intrigued.

“It just kind of fell in my lap, honestly. It's not an opportunity that you can really pass up because for me, at least, I'm helping set a good example for them,” Howard told Olympics.com. “And they're helping me learn how to be a better leader, how to navigate different personalities, different coaching. It's just a win-win, so it's good to help the next generation.”

'I want them to be great'

The Gators went 19-15 in the 2023 season, and missed the NCAA tournament. Howard wants to push her players so that they are ready for the challenges basketball will throw at them.

“I always give them a hard time, just because I want them to be great. And, you know, life's gonna be hard. If they want to make this next level, I have to show them this is what it's gonna take. But you know, they're loving it. I'm building great relationships with the players,” she said.

In the WNBA, Howard is coached by Tanisha Wright, a former WNBA player herself who is known to be tough, but have a strong relationship with her players. Howard is trying to use what she’s learned from Wright now that she is coaching.

“I've definitely stolen a bit of coach T's drills, just the way she coaches, when it's about business, it's about business. But I always made a player coach as well. Having a little fun with them,” she said. “I could be the one that they come to, if there is ever a dilemma.”

Being adaptable for Team USA

While Howard is spending much of her offseason coaching, she also played for Team USA as they faced off with two college teams to start preparing for Paris 2024. Playing with some of the best players in the country, Howard found herself outside her comfort zone.

“I’m being adaptable. Because here, I'm playing a lot of the four position and obviously, I’m more guard heavy, but just being able to show that I can step up to whatever the team needs,” Howard said.

Howard has played for USA Basketball before, helping the U.S. win the AmeriCup in 2021, and winning the tournament’s MVP award along the way. Her goal as a child watching basketball was to make it to the WNBA. Now, that she's accomplished that, her mind has turned to the Olympics.

“I don't think [the Olympics] was what I was on at first, because it was more, ‘I want to make it to the WNBA.’ But now that I'm older, and I realized how big of an achievement it is like, yeah, I want to be a part of that team.”