The Angel Reese-Rhyne Howard partnership might be the new face of the Atlanta Dream, but even before that materializes on the hardwood, things are off to a shaky start around them. It tipped off when Howard donned a chain bearing No. 5 in the team’s photoshoot a few days back. This didn’t take long to draw a connection to Reese’s arrival at the franchise, prompting Howard to clear this misunderstanding.

Given that Reese has borne the no. 5 for most of her career, the equation was quite easy to form for ChiBarbie fans. But Howard has clearly stated that the chain wasn’t a tribute to her new teammate, Reese, but rather for her late brother. “Please take this in a respectful way. My brother (5) has been a part of every big accomplishment I’ve made since I lost him,” Howard wrote in her post. “I actually play EVERY game with a dog tag with his pictures on it. However, it just happened that my new teammie also wears the same number which I have no problem acknowledging.

“It honestly didn’t even register to me that it was her number as well until I saw her at the photo shoot. I just got the chain while I was still in Miami and thought that it would be the perfect accessory for that day. Thank you, everyone, for understanding,” Howard added further.

Howard’s emotional rapport with the No. 5 chain stems from a bond of purity tracing back to her Kentucky days. Her Wildcats counterpart on the men’s basketball team, Terrence Clarke, was like a little brother to her, who unfortunately passed away in a car crash five years ago in Los Angeles. Ever since, Howard hasn’t shied away from expressing her love for her brother, Clarke.

One of these moments came to light following the 2022 WNBA Draft. After getting picked as the No.1 pick by Atlanta, Howard took to her social media to pen a heartfelt message for her late Kentucky counterpart. “We made it, brother 🥹,” Howard wrote.

Subsequently, the same happened during the Atlanta Dream photoshoot. Howard wore the No. 5 chain to honor Clarke, who also wore the No. 5 during his Kentucky days. No loud gestures or flashy jersey names. Just a chain to quietly hold on to her brother’s emotions in the photoshoot. But as reality set in, the similarity between her late brother’s jersey number and her new teammate, Reese, muddied things on social media.

However, after Howard’s explanation, multiple ChiBarbie fans have also joined in support of Howard. Most fans said they understood Howard’s sentiment toward the No. 5 chain and apologized for any inconvenience the Atlanta guard faced due to Reese’s fans. Additionally, some of these fans also remarked that Reese should have stepped in amid this fiasco to reinforce the equation between her and Howard.

But with a clear explanation post, this misunderstanding in the media might have been put to rest.

But moving away from this social media drama, relations have been pretty cordial between Rhyne Howard and Angel Reese. Both players have welcomed each other with open arms in the ongoing Dream training camp. And, quite naturally, the chemistry between the two will develop over time. Speaking in the media, Howard also threw in a funny jab at Reese a few days back.

“Any time Angel’s been on the other side of the court, I think I’ve had about 30,” Howard said. The comment wasn’t meant to offend Reese. And as things culminated, ChiBarbie didn’t take any, as both players laughed it away.

On the hardwood, Reese and Howard’s partnership on the court is strategically fitting for the Dream. And the 2022 WNBA Rookie of the Year’s latest assessment just adds weight to it.

Rhyne Howard Makes a Clear Verdict on How Angel Reese Fits in Atlanta

Many would have thought that Angel Reese’s trade to the Atlanta Dream would just enhance the team’s future ceiling. But as an immediate consequence, it settles something much more than that. For context, the team isn’t short of any firepower on the backcourt. Two veterans- Allisha Gray and Rhyne Howard- take care of most of the business in the perimeters.

But in the frontcourt, they needed a formidable enforcer. Someone who can do the dirty defensive work at times, as well as be formidable on offense. And this is where Reese fits in for the Atlanta Dream. Howard is already over the moon about Reese’s addition to the team and feels she is the missing piece. “Angel, I think it’s special for us because she could be exactly what we were missing,” she said.

For Reese, the Atlanta Dream gives her a clear opportunity to compete in the playoffs. It’s an instance she couldn’t achieve during her stint with the Chicago Sky. On the other hand, the Dream has qualified for the playoffs in all of the last three years. Although they faced first-round exits in all of them, Howard’s assessment is clear that ChiBarbie might be the cork that they need.

And quite naturally, they would look to break their first-round curse in the upcoming season with Reese at the helm.

On the contrary, it isn’t just Howard and the Atlanta Dream that are benefiting from Reese’s inclusion. Angel has clearly stated that this partnership is a two-way benefit. And it can result in both parties enhancing together. “Being around these kinds of players would help me be better. And I can help them in different ways to help them win,” Reese said. “And that’s all I ever wanted. I don’t care about anything else.”

All in all, the drama around the league has settled. The Atlanta Dream has settled in quite nicely during training camp before the postseason and official games begin, marking the initial strides toward Reese’s aspiration to win with this new franchise.