Close bond between Allisha Gray and Rhyne Howard underscores Atlanta Dream’s success and their own

In the second quarter of a July game against the Golden State Valkyries, Atlanta Dream guard Allisha Gray defended forward Cecilia Zandalasini as she tried to cut across the court.

Attempting to shake off Gray’s contact, Zandalasini struck her in the face, sending Gray to the floor in pain. Rising, Gray made a beeline to confront her.

Gray trusts — and allows — only two teammates who can course-correct her when she’s in what she calls a “crazy headspace”: Rhyne Howard and Naz Hillmon. Howard quickly sprinted into action, steering Gray toward the sideline.

The moment offered a small but significant glimpse into Gray and Howard’s friendship — two players who have had each other’s backs since teaming up in Atlanta in 2023.

“If I’m wrong, they’ll tell me I’m wrong, and I take it. And that’s what being a true friend is,” Gray said. “But if I’m right, they’re always that listening ear for me as well, and I just know that they get me.”

The on-court bond between Gray and Howard, Atlanta’s reserved yet dominant All-Stars, has contributed to the formation of one of the most lethal guard tandems in the WNBA. As the Dream’s postseason continues Wednesday in Game 2 of the first round against the Washington Mystics (7 p.m., ESPN), they’ll rely heavily on Howard and Gray, the franchise’s tone-setters and standard-bearers.

“When you look at Atlanta, you’re obviously going to look at us two as the head of the snake. For us to have as close of a bond as we do is really special to not only our relationship personally but for the team’s success,” Howard said. “The team is going to move how we move … how Angel [Reese] moves. Making sure that we’re doing our part to continue to [be successful] is key.”

Gray and Howard’s friendship began with somewhat of an awkward first interaction. They first met, officially, playing the online video game Fortnite shortly after the Dallas Wings traded Gray to Atlanta in 2023. At the time, Howard was playing overseas in Italy. They had played against each other in the WNBA but had never spoken.

As the two played Fortnite, the game’s sound effects filled the otherwise empty silence. 

“We literally didn’t talk to each other,” Gray said. “We just played a game — didn’t know what each other sounded like or anything.”

It wasn’t until after one of their gaming sessions that they spoke for the first time, breaking the ice by talking about basketball and the upcoming season, which would be their first as teammates.

“We just didn’t stop talking from there,” Gray said.

Now lockermates, the two have since become an inseparable duo in Atlanta, whether playing rounds on a golf course or more notably sharing videos of themselves taste-testing new snack hauls — videos that have gained traction on social media.

“We’re both kind of introverted and, you know, they always say you talk a lot to the people who are like you. She’s like my sister,” Howard said. “We get along really well. I think just being able to come here and, you know, watch her grow as a person, as a player, I think it’s been special to see.”

Though introverted by nature, the support Howard and Gray show for each other is vibrant. Their excitement for each other when reaching a milestone on the court is just as loud when seeing each other meet their childhood heroes off the court. For Gray, that was rapper T.I., and for Howard, Queen Latifah.

It’s not easy to crack Gray’s close circle and be considered one of her best friends. It’s a small, exclusive group that requires a high level of admiration and most of all, trust. Howard has earned that.

“Once you’re in, it’s like I open up to you and I trust you with everything,” Gray said. “[Rhyne’s] like that safe space.”

While Gray and Howard have their sights set on leading Atlanta on a deep postseason run, it’s uncharted territory for both players. In Gray’s six seasons with Dallas (2017-22), the Wings made four playoff appearances but never advanced past the first round. Atlanta, where Howard has spent her entire five-year career, hasn’t made it out of the first round since 2018.

There’s optimism, though, that this postseason can serve as the team’s breakthrough. 

“We got to taste a playoff last year. We understand how we felt after that [first-round] exit, and we don’t want to feel that way ever again,” Hillmon said prior to the playoffs. “We’re feeling good about ourselves, not in the way that we’re complacent, but we know that we can continue to get even better. We’re on the right track at the moment.”

Gray and Howard have both turned in All-Star seasons for Atlanta. Gray, 31, ended the regular season averaging a career-best 19 points, along with 1.4 steals and 2.7 assists per game. Howard, 26, averaged a career-best 17.7 points while also leading the WNBA with 2.3 steals per game.

Their games are complementary. Gray’s ability to collapse a defense by driving to the rim balances Howard’s proficient perimeter game. Their chemistry on the floor only amplifies their in-game connection.

In Sunday’s Game 1 win over Washington, Howard finished with a game-high 26 points and five steals, while Gray totaled 22 points. According to ESPN Stats and Information, it was the third time multiple Dream players have scored 20 points in a playoff game over the past 10 seasons. Gray and Howard are responsible for all three.

“I think each year they kind of understand each other’s strengths even more, and they just have a great chemistry,” Atlanta head coach Karl Smesko said. “They know where each other’s going to be and, you know, it’s been to our benefit. They’ve both had All-[WNBA] type seasons.”

Dream forward Angel Reese has appreciated the consistency of the team’s backcourt All-Stars, who have been a resource for her for the entirety of her first season in Atlanta, she said.

“They’ve been in my ear putting confidence into me,” Reese said. “They’re a 1-2 punch, All-WNBA-caliber players, MVP-caliber players for a reason, because they show up every single night [on] both ends of the floor. I love having them. They make my job a lot easier.”

As Howard and Gray navigate the intense WNBA postseason, they will look to each other to stay focused on their shared championship goal.

To do so as best friends would make the breakthrough that much sweeter.

“I love her down. We’re going to be best friends for life,” Howard said. “So it’s about making sure that we each have our best interest in each other, our best interest in the team and just staying true to that.”

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