Atlanta Dream guard Rhyne Howard didn’t have her best performance during Tuesday’s 77-58 win over the Indiana Fever, finishing with just three points and missing all five of her attempts from beyond the arc. But three days later at the Gateway Center in College Park, Georgia, she delivered a stunning response and the Chicago Sky bore the brunt of it.
Howard erupted for a record-tying nine three-pointers, putting on a shooting clinic to lead Atlanta to an 88-70 victory. Her scoring outburst wasn’t the only historic moment of the night, either.
Rhyne Howard Tears Chicago Sky With Historic Performance
Howard bounced back in some way from the disappointing last outing. The All-Star guard scored a staggering 36 points and tied the record for most 3-pointers in a WNBA game, joining an elite company of Arike Ogunbowale, Jewell Loyd, and Kelsey Mitchell, who all made the same number of threes in a single game.
RHYNE HOWARD TONIGHT 🔥
• 36 POINTS
• 8 REBOUNDS
• 4 ASSISTS
• 9 THREES
• 12/25 FG— Women’s Hoops Network (@WomensHoops_USA) June 14, 2025
Howard’s nine threes also broke Atlanta’s franchise record, previously held by Renee Montgomery, who scored eight in 2018. Additionally, the 2022 No. 1 overall pick picked up four assists, with her third of the night helping her surpass Layshia Clarendon to the fourth spot on the all-time assists list.
Howard also picked up eight rebounds on her way and sought the opportunity to promote her bid for her third All-Star selection.
“I’m holding myself to a very, very high standard, and I feel like I haven’t been performing as well as I like,” she said. “Obviously, I’m shouldering a lot this year. But that’s still no excuse for me. Just being able to have a game like this… All-Star voting just started, so if you needed any reason to vote for me, I feel like I gave you that tonight.”
Howard made her first All-Star appearance as a rookie in 2022 and was also named ROTY that season. She made her second appearance in 2023, and given her performance so far this season, a third is very likely.
Howard Chasing A’ja Wilson-Type Success
As Howard noted in her post-game interview, she has set very high standards for herself. But just how high? The All-Star offered some insight during a recent appearance on Up the Score w/ AP, naming Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson as her personal benchmark.
“She’s always been there, and they always say that we in the W motivate younger kids. She’s motivating people in the W,” Howard said. “Whether you want to say it or not, it’s true. I’m not going to hide it because I know what she’s done for the game. It’s like, okay, she’s setting records. I love to chase records, so essentially, I am chasing her. And I want her to continue to up the score, and I’m coming for her.”
That’s quite a big standard given that Wilson has continued to widen the gap between herself and the rest of the league. But Howard appears determined, and given the success she has achieved in the past three years, her trajectory is certainly in an upward direction.