Te-Hina Paopao Opens Up on Why She Chose South Carolina
COLUMBIA — When Te-Hina Paopao entered the transfer portal after three seasons at Oregon, she thought her next stop would keep her on the West Coast. South Carolina wasn’t even on her radar — until Dawn Staley called.
Her high school coach, Terri Bamford — who also coached WNBA star Kelsey Plum and two McDonald’s All-Americans at La Jolla Country Day — was the one to deliver the surprise news.
“She goes, ‘South Carolina is calling about you,’ and I was like, ‘Who?! South Carolina?! Don’t play with me,’” Paopao recalled with a laugh. “They just said they needed someone like me and felt like I was that piece they were missing. Obviously, they’re going to bring in other pieces, but I feel like they really needed a player like me — someone who’s a veteran, who’s been playing in the Pac-12, and who’s been through it all.”
A top-15 national recruit in the class of 2020, Paopao had ruled out East Coast schools during her high school recruitment, prioritizing staying close to her California roots. But this time, her decision was fueled by a different motivation: her professional future.
“This time around, I wanted to win. I wanted to be surrounded by a culture that can groom me professionally on and off the court,” she explained. “One of the reasons why I went into the portal was because I wanted to be prepared professionally for the WNBA, and I know Coach Dawn can do that. It’s evident she can get players to the league, so I’m just really blessed to learn from her.”
The Gamecocks zeroed in on Paopao for two key reasons: her elite 3-point shooting and her veteran experience. Before she arrived, South Carolina had only one senior on its roster and just four players returning who averaged double-digit minutes last season.
Paopao started for two years at Oregon, averaging 13.1 points, 4.2 rebounds, and shooting 42.4% from three in 2022-23. She also led the Ducks in scoring during their 2023 WNIT run.
South Carolina already has a presumed starter at point guard in Raven Johnson, but Paopao said the staff was upfront with her about what that competition might look like.
“I think I fit very well within their system,” she said. “They’re a great defensive team, and that’s another reason why I wanted to go there — because I know they’ll help me as a defensive player. I know offense will come, but it’s about having that mindset that I’ve got to be better as a whole. I’m just really looking forward to playing with Raven and that squad. Coach can put me wherever she wants — I’ll be there to compete and challenge others.”
That level of honesty was what ultimately sold Paopao on South Carolina. During her official visit to Columbia, a candid meeting with Staley and the staff sealed the deal.
“At the end of the trip, we were able to ask her questions, and she was straight up with the answers,” Paopao said. “I really liked that her whole attitude is: you’re going to come in here, you’re going to be challenged … You’ve got to earn it. You’ve got to compete. And if you’re not out there on the floor, that’s your problem.”
