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The Atlanta Dream selected Kentucky guard Rhyne Howard with the first overall pick in the 2022 WNBA Draft on Monday evening in New York.

Howard was a three-time first-team All-American during her time with the Wildcats. She averaged 20.5 points, 7.4 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 2.4 steals as a senior.

“I’m shaking right now,” Howard said on the ESPN telecast. “It’s a sigh of relief. It’s a dream come true, and I’m glad it’s real.”

Howard has also been named first-team All-Southeastern Conference four times and helped Team USA win three gold medals in FIBA competitions.

The Washington Mystics originally won the No. 1 pick via the WNBA draft lottery. The Dream, who finished second-to-last in the WNBA last season at 8-24, acquired the top pick from Washington last Wednesday in exchange for the Nos. 3 and 14 picks. The Mystics also got the right to swap 2023 first-round picks as part of the deal.

The Indiana Fever, owners of the league’s worst record at 6-26, had a WNBA-record four first-round selections. With their initial pick, No. 2 overall, the Fever drafted Baylor forward NaLyssa Smith, who averaged 22.1 points and 11.5 rebounds last season. As a junior in 2020-21, Smith won the Wade Trophy, awarded to the best player in women’s college basketball.

Picking third after their trade with Atlanta, the Mystics selected Ole Miss center Shakira Austin, who averaged 15.2 points, nine rebounds a 2.1 blocks per game last season.

The Fredericksburg, Va., native previously played for Maryland before transferring to Ole Miss.

“Let’s go,” Austin said. “I’m coming home, baby.”

The Fever selected Louisville forward Emily Engstler at No. 4, Stanford guard Lexie Hull at No. 6 and Baylor center Queen Egbo at No. 10.

Engstler helped the Cardinals reach the Final Four and averaged 11.9 points, 9.4 rebounds and 2.7 steals in 2021-22. Hull put up 12.5 points and 5.1 rebounds per game as a senior and dropped 36 points in a second-round NCAA Tournament game against Kansas. Egbo averaged 11 points and 8.4 rebounds per game last season for the Bears.

Oregon big Nyara Sabally went fifth overall to the New York Liberty. The Germany native’s older sister, Satou Sabally, went second overall in the 2020 WNBA Draft to the Dallas Wings.

The Wings picked Northwestern guard Veronica Burton at No. 7. Burton was a three-time winner of the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year award.

Colorado forward Mya Hollingshed went No. 8 to the Las Vegas Aces after averaging 13.8 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.1 steals and one block per game in her fifth season of college basketball.

The Los Angeles Sparks chose Tennessee guard/forward Rae Burrell with the ninth pick. Burrell averaged 16.9 points and 4.6 rebounds as a junior in 2020-21 and posted 12.3 points and 3.9 boards per contest last season after returning from a leg injury.

The Aces were back on the clock at No. 11 and chose Kierstan Bell, a guard from Florida Gulf Coast. Bell averaged 23.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.1 steals and 1.9 blocks for a mid-major that spent part of the season ranked in the AP Top 25 poll.

The Connecticut Sun, who had a league-best 26-6 record last season, concluded the first round by drafting Michigan State guard Nia Clouden, a two-time All-Big Ten first teamer. Clouden averaged 20 points and scored a program-record 50 points in a double-overtime loss to Florida Gulf Coast on Dec. 20.

2022 WNBA Draft results
First round
1. Atlanta Dream, G Rhyne Howard, Kentucky
2. Indiana Fever, F NaLyssa Smith, Baylor
3. Washington Mystics, C Shakira Austin, Ole Miss
4. Indiana Fever, F Emily Engstler, Louisville
5. New York Liberty, C Nyara Sabally, Oregon
6. Indiana Fever, G Lexie Hull, Stanford
7. Dallas Wings, G Veronica Burton, Northwestern
8. Las Vegas Aces, F Mya Hollingshed, Colorado
9. Los Angeles Sparks, G/F Rae Burrell, Tennessee
10. Indiana Fever, C Queen Egbo, Baylor
11. Las Vegas Aces, G Kierstan Bell, Florida Gulf Coast
12. Connecticut Sun, G Nia Clouden, Michigan State
Second round
13. Las Vegas Aces, G Khayla Pointer, LSU
14. Washington Mystics, G Christyn Williams, UConn
15. Atlanta Dream, F Naz Hillmon, Michigan
16. Los Angeles Sparks, G Kianna Smith, Louisville
17. Seattle Storm, C Elissa Cunane, North Carolina State
18. Seattle Storm, F Lorela Cubaj, Georgia Tech
19. Los Angeles Sparks, F Olivia Nelson-Ododa, UConn
20. Indiana Fever, G Destanni Henderson, South Carolina
21. Seattle Storm, G Evina Westbrook, UConn
22. Minnesota Lynx, F Kayla Jones, North Carolina State
23. Las Vegas Aces, G Aisha Sheppard, Virginia Tech
24. Connecticut Sun, G Jordan Lewis, Baylor
Third round
25. Indiana Fever, C Ameshya Williams-Holliday, Jackson State
26. Phoenix Mercury, F Maya Dodson, Notre Dame
27. Los Angeles Sparks, F Amy Atwell, Hawaii
28. Minnesota Lynx, C Hannah Sjerven, South Dakota
29. New York Liberty, C Sika Kone, Mali
30. Dallas Wings, G/F Jasmine Dickey, Delaware
31. Dallas Wings, F Jazz Bond, North Florida
32. Phoenix Mercury, F/C Macee Williams, IUPUI
33. Seattle Storm, G Jade Melbourne, Australia
34. Indiana Fever, G Ali Patberg, Indiana
35. Las Vegas Aces, C Faustine Aifuwa, LSU
36. Connecticut Sun, G Kiara Smith, Florida

–Field Level Media