Former Bradley Central standout Rhyne Howard has been named to the 2024 USA Basketball 3x3 Women’s National Team, which will compete at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, it was announced by USA Basketball on Wednesday.
The roster, which includes Cameron Brink, Cierra Burdick, Howard and Hailey Van Lith, was selected by the USA Basketball 3x3 Women’s National Team Committee. The four athletes attended the recent 2024 USA Basketball 3x3 Women’s National Team training camp in Springfield, Massachusetts, and played in the subsequent FIBA 3x3 Women’s Series Springfield Stop.
Each member of the team also has USA Basketball experience in both 5-on-5 and 3x3.
As previously announced, Jennifer Rizzotti, president of the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun, will serve as the head coach and she will be assisted by Tammi Reiss (University of Rhode Island).
FIBA previously announced that USA Basketball automatically qualified the men’s and women’s 3x3 teams for the 2024 Olympics. In each category, the United States was one of three countries that qualified based on FIBA 3x3 world rankings as of Oct. 31, 2023, and bypassed the 2024 Olympic Qualifying Tournaments. For more information about Olympic qualification,
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Different than 5-on-5, 3x3 is played on a halfcourt with a 10-minute game clock and 12-second shot clock. Play is continuous, as teams “clear” the ball behind the 2-point line following a made basket, defensive rebound or steal. The first team to score 21 points via 1-point field goals or 2-pointers behind the arc is victorious; or if time expires then the team leading wins.
Howard, a two-time WNBA All-Star and unanimous 2022 WNBA Rookie of the Year, is in her third season playing for the Atlanta Dream. Seven games into the current season, she is averaging 16.4 points per game, 5.0 rebounds per game, 3.1 assists per game, 2.6 steals per game and 1.0 blocks per game, helping the Dream to a 4-3 record that ranks sixth in the WNBA.
Her 2.6 steals per game is currently the second-most in the league.
The Wildcat will be the first player in program history to represent Team USA at the Olympic Games. The All-American had an exceptional career at the University of Kentucky, playing and starting in 114 games over four seasons, while averaging 20.1 points per game, 6.9 rebounds per game, 2.9 assists per game, 2.2 steals per game and 0.9 blocks per game. She made 284 3-pointers playing for the Blue and White, which is still a school record.
The 3x3 events commence Tuesday, July 30 at the Olympic Games.