Even as Rhyne Howard plays in Unrivaled, Florida Gators still feel WNBA star’s impact

When Atlanta Dream player Rhyne Howard was a sophomore at Bradley Central High School in Tennessee, girl’s basketball coach Jason Reuter once confronted Howard over poor play. Afterward, Howard’s mother, Rhvonja Avery, told Reuter he wasn’t hard enough on her daughter and threatened to withdraw her from the program.

“She said it with a chuckle, but deep down, I believe she meant it,” Reuter said. “You usually get the other way around: ‘You’re being too hard on my daughter.’ I had a strong-willed mother who wanted me to push her daughter.”

The Dream selected Howard with the first pick in the 2022 WNBA draft. However, witnessing her mom push for her success inspired Howard to also pursue coaching. Since October 2023, during the WNBA offseason, Howard has been the director of player personnel and an assistant coach for the University of Florida women’s basketball team, which her mother played for from 1987 to 1991. However, this offseason, Howard is taking a break from the program to play in Unrivaled, the 3-on-3 professional women’s basketball league that launched in January. Howard’s Vinyl Basketball Club will face the Lunar Owls in the Unrivaled semifinals on Sunday.

“Watching my mom make tons of sacrifices for me and always trying to do what’s best for me, even if that meant taking on another job, [and] seeing the strength she could maintain while caring for me, I had somebody great to look up to,” Howard said.

Florida finished 16-16 overall in Howard’s first season with the program. Although she is away from the team this year, Howard still watches every game and keeps in touch with players via text and phone, updating them about her time in Unrivaled while they tell her about their lives in Gainesville, Florida.

Howard looks to give Florida players a better understanding of what it takes to get to the WNBA. She recalled that during her time at the University of Kentucky (2018-2022), some of her coaches had previous WNBA experience, and Howard wanted to expose collegiate players to the current dynamic of the league through her lens. According to The Washington Post, eight other active WNBA players had a role at a college program during the 2023-2024 season.

Florida head coach Kelly Rae Finley believes her team benefits from having an active WNBA player at their disposal.

“It is a tremendous and unique opportunity for our student-athletes to share experiences and learn from somebody doing what many of them aspire to do,” Finley said.

One of the players Howard has poured into is sophomore Florida guard Laila Reynolds. Reynolds started all but one game as a freshman in 2023, averaging seven points per game. This season, the former five-star recruit is averaging 10.5 points per game. Her assists also have increased, surging from 32 last year to 72 this year.  

Reynolds credits Howard for the bump in her numbers this season. Howard often worked out with Reynolds during practice when Howard was with the team in the 2023-24 season. The two focused on developing Reynolds’ jumper by practicing shot fundamentals and watched film to build Reynolds’ mental understanding of basketball. 

She also learned from Howard’s work ethic. Reynolds watched Howard when she worked out by herself, taking notes on how she trained and the different ways she took shots. 

Howard never hesitated to criticize Reynolds, she said. Howard constantly reminded Reynolds to have confidence throughout her freshman year, and she believes that helped her in her second season. 

Reynolds said she and Howard have spoken on the phone about twice a month this season. During the calls, Howard has told Reynolds she is proud of her for handling the season well, and Reynolds believes her experience with Howard is helping her get closer to WNBA.

“Having Coach Rhy on staff shows me what it takes to get to the next level, both on and off the court,” Reynolds said. “Being able to watch her work and how she carries herself is all significant when it comes to my goals. My game has definitely improved with her guidance and support.” 

Florida center Ra Shaya Kyle said that Howard’s experience in the WNBA and Southeastern Conference (SEC) and as a coach has helped her refine her skills. 

“Coach Rhy has also helped me understand what it takes to succeed at the highest level,” Kyle said. “Her advice has been very valuable in shaping my mindset for the challenges I may face ahead.”

Howard’s advice isn’t limited to the Lady Gators. Her teammates in Unrivaled, where she is averaging 20.5 points per game for Vinyl Basketball Club, also have benefited from her guidance.

When Vinyl guard Rae Burrell faced off against a practice player during a session earlier this season, Howard, recognizing her teammate’s opponent, rhetorically asked Burrell, “Do you know who you are?” to remind her of her worth.

“She’s always instilling confidence into me,” Burrell said. “She likes to challenge you a little bit and talk a little mess to you to get you fired up, but you know it’s coming from a place of wanting you to be better. She says many pointers of, ‘You should’ve lifted on something, or you had the drive.’ She’s always going to tell that to me or another teammate.”

Vinyl coach Teresa Weatherspoon believes Howard’s coaching experience contributes to her outspokenness. 

“Rhyne is very attentive, alert and aware of situations on the floor, and she speaks it,” Weatherspoon said. “She uses her voice, and coaching causes you to use your voice a bit more because you’re trying to put many players in position to succeed.”

Howard wasn’t always vocal. Reuter said Howard led more by example in high school, but when she did speak, her words carried weight. Although Reuter thinks Howard has gotten more vocal over time, he believes decision-making has always been her strength.

“She’s cerebral as far as thinking ahead,” Reuter said. “If you have to make 100 decisions in a basketball game, she’s going to make the right decisions 99 out of 100 times, and I think that attribute very much goes into being a coach.”

Howard, 24, doesn’t plan to coach long term but believes her proximity in age to the Lady Gators makes it easier for players to relate to her.  

“Just because I am so young, they have the opportunity to talk a little smack to me when we are practicing and always want to go back and forth with me,” Howard said. “I’m like, ‘OK, I see what you are doing.’ 

“It’s a known aspect of what I am capable of [on the court], but being able to have that friendly banter and them being comfortable to do that with me and still have a good relationship, they know that I’m still their coach, but we can also have a little fun while doing it.”