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The Atlanta Dream are one of the top teams in the WNBA this season. The franchise currently leads the Eastern Conference race and is set to make a postseason appearance.
Despite the success, star Rhyne Howard believes the crowd support is lacking. She ripped unloyal fans for rooting against the home team for selfish reasons.
Atlanta is 24-14 on the year one season after going 15-25. The turnaround has been one of the best in women’s basketball.
If the season ended today, the Dream would get the No. 2 seed in the WNBA Playoffs. It would provide a legitimate path to the championship round, which hasn’t been reached since 2013.
But while the team experiences good fortune, it still doesn’t have the full support of the home fans.
Rhyne Howard ripped Atlanta Dream fans.
The squad faced off against the Aces on Wednesday, losing 81-75. After the setback, Howard took to the podium to address the media.
Rhyne Howard said it’s hard to compete when the home fans aren’t on your side.
“You wanna come see Gamecocks, we have Gamecocks on our roster. ” pic.twitter.com/EWvBUp2KJQ— No Cap Space WBB (@NoCapSpaceWBB) August 28, 2025
“We rely on our fans,” she said. “When they pick and choose who they want to cheer for, and they come in and make it feel like an away game for us and a home game for the other team, it’s easy to go on a run like that.”
Atlanta led 42-40 at halftime. Las Vegas went on a 21-6 run in the third quarter. While the Dream cut into the deficit in the final period, the damage had been done.
Howard says the home crowd was pro-Aces as it watched Las Vegas pull away. Star forward A’Ja Wilson is to blame.
“If you wanna root for Gamecocks, we have Gamecocks on our roster,” Howard continued. “Don’t get here and switch up because of one player.”
A’Ja Wilson is a South Carolina legend.
Atlanta is one of the closest professional cities to Columbia. A number of alum live in the area. When an all-time great comes to town, the fans come to watch.
Unfortunately for the Dream, it seems the university ties outweigh the WNBA loyalty. South Carolina fans refuse to root against Wilson.
As a Gamecock, she played four seasons for Dawn Staley. She is the program’s all-time leading scorer and led the team to a national title.
She’s remained a major part of the program since. She recently had a statue unveiled outside the basketball facility. She could have a say in the Gamecocks’ future apparel decisions following a deal with Nike.
The Dream have two players with South Carolina ties, including top scorer Alisha Gray. Both, however, came in as transfers. Wilson, meanwhile, is Columbia born and raised and picked the Gamecocks before their women’s basketball resurgence.
Rhyne Howard believes the alma mater support should stick to college basketball. Atlanta fans should be cheering on the Dream in WNBA action.
She might have a point. Unfortunately, it will likely go unheard. Hopefully, the franchise doesn’t matchup up with the Aces in postseason play.