The Atlanta Dream made a major commitment to their core roster Saturday, announcing they’ve brought back guard Rhyne Howard along with four additional players for the upcoming season.
The franchise also retained Allisha Gray, Brionna Jones, Naz Hillmon and Jordin Canada as part of the signing announcement.
“This is a group that believes in Atlanta, believes in each other and is united in the pursuit of a championship,” Dream general manager Dan Padover said in a statement. “Allisha, Brionna, Jordin, Naz and Rhyne represent the standard we are building here in Atlanta; talented, unselfish and fully committed to winning. Their decision to continue building together, in this city and with each other, speaks to their belief in our vision and culture — one built to win, with great players and even better people.”
Dream coach Karl Smesko praised the returning players’ impact on the franchise. “These players have established the standard for Atlanta Dream basketball. Their work ethic, competitiveness and belief in one another drive everything we do. We’re excited to continue building with this group.”
The roster decisions follow Atlanta’s major trade earlier this week, when they obtained two-time All-Star Angel Reese from the Chicago Sky on Monday.
Howard, who turns 25, put up impressive numbers last season with 17.5 points per game while adding 4.6 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 1.5 steals. The Kentucky product entered the league as the first overall selection in the 2022 WNBA Draft.
Atlanta will begin their campaign May 10 with a road matchup against the Minnesota Lynx.
