Atlanta Dream guard Te-Hina Paopao was chosen within the second spherical of the 2025 WNBA Draft, picked 18th general after a collegiate profession that started in Oregon and ended at South Carolina.
Paopao was often known as a gentle shooter — she shot 40% from past the arc in her five-year NCAA profession — however struggled a bit in her senior season, averaging a career-low 9.4 factors per sport. Which will have influenced WNBA groups’ selections to cross up on her.
However, lower than two months into the WNBA season, it’s already clear that the 5’9 guard was one of many largest steals of the draft.
Te-Hina Paopao is taking pictures a league-best 57.1% from three throughout 13 video games this season. That scorching sizzling quantity is unlikely to be sustainable, but it surely’s additionally no shock that the elite school shooter has managed to search out her contact within the WNBA, notably in a three-point centered Dream offense. General, she’s taking pictures 58.2% from the sector.
Paopao is averaging 6.9 factors in 14 minutes an evening, and she or he’s already began 4 video games in Atlanta. Groups who desperately wanted three-point taking pictures — the Chicago Sky come to thoughts — definitely may have used her consistency from past the arc.
On Sunday, the South Carolina product erupted for 5 threes on six makes an attempt; it’s her third time eclipsing that determine in 4 video games.
A rookie that may shoot LIGHTS OUT
Te-Hina Paopao placed on fairly the taking pictures show in at this time’s win over the Sky!
Paopao had 16 PTS and went 5-6 from past the arc and completed the sport taking pictures 83.3% from DEEP#WelcometotheW pic.twitter.com/O8X7WvOWVv
— WNBA (@WNBA) June 22, 2025
Te-Hina Paopao was drafted after a number of gamers who had been already waived
A number of gamers who had been chosen forward of Paopao are at the moment out of the WNBA; Madison Scott, for instance, who was chosen 14th out of Ole Miss by the Dallas Wings, was waived forward of the season. As was Shyanne Sellers, who was chosen seventeenth by the Golden State Valkyries, and waived by each the Valkyries and, later, the Dream.
Others, like Anastasiia Kosu (Minnesota Lynx) and Maddy Westbeld (Sky), stay on the groups that drafted them, however have performed very minimal roles.
Early success doesn’t at all times spell profession success, and different second-round picks could outperform Paopao when it’s all stated and accomplished. For now, although,
