ATL Dream Star To Represent USA At FIBA World Cup

ATLANTA, GA — Only 12 WNBA players have been chosen to represent Team USA at the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup Qualifying Tournament, and one of them is Atlanta Dream guard Rhyne Howard.

Safe to say, it's "Rhytime." The Dream and USA Basketball announced the news Wednesday, saying Howard will join the USA Basketball Women’s National Team roster for the International Basketball Federation contest that will be held March 11-17 in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Though the 25-year-old is currently donning a Vinyl uniform for Unrivaled, a 3-on-3 women's basketball league, Howard has been a facet of the Dream since she was drafted first overall in the 2022 WNBA Draft. Dream Head Coach Karl Smesko affectionately calls Howard his "Rhyne or Die."

The Tennessee native averaged nearly 18 points per game last season, making her third playoff appearance with the Dream. She is known as a leading starter on the team.

"A cornerstone of the Atlanta Dream and one of the WNBA’s premier two-way players, Howard continues to be a consistent presence on the international stage, reinforcing her standing among the top players in the global game," the team said in a news release Wednesday.

After a successful run at the University of Kentucky, Howard went on to earn gold at the 2021 World Cup Qualifying Tournament and was named tournament MVP. She later became a bronze Olympian at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games for 3-on-3.

In October 2025, Howard became the first Dream player to notch a spot on the All-Defense team since 2020 by being named the 2025 WNBA All-Defensive Second Team.

"This WNBA season, she led the team in steals and was top 10 in the WNBA in steals per game," the Dream said at the time.

The last time she appeared in the FIBA Women’s World Cup Qualifying Tournament was in 2024 in Belgium, where she banked 39 points across two games.

In addition to Howard, this year's star-studded Team USA roster features Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, Chelsea Gray, Kelsey Plum, Jackie Young, Kiki Iriafen, Kahleah Cooper, Paige Bueckers and Sonio Citron. Dearica Hamby, a 32-year-old Marietta native who graduated from Norcross High School, is also joining the team.

There will be six teams total playing in the San Juan tournament.

Team USA has already qualified for the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup in Berlin thanks to a win in the 2025 FIBA Women’s AmeriCup, USA Basketball said Wednesday. The roster for the Women's World Cup has not yet been set.

Additionally, the Dream has released its 2026 schedule. An official team roster has not yet been revealed.