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If you’re just looking at a flat spreadsheet of numbers, you’re probably going to miss why Te-Hina Paopao is considered one of the most efficient guards in modern basketball history. Honestly, people get caught up in the "points per game" trap. They see 9.4 points and think "average." They couldn't be more wrong.
She's a winner. Period.
You don't start 39 games for a South Carolina team that marches back to a national title game by accident. You don't lead the entire nation in three-point percentage by just getting lucky from the corner. Te-Hina Paopao stats are a masterclass in "less is more," proving that elite efficiency beats volume shooting every single day of the week.
The South Carolina Shift: From Volume to Precision
When Paopao transferred from Oregon to South Carolina, her raw scoring numbers actually took a dip. At Oregon, she was often the primary engine, averaging 13.1 and 13.6 points in back-to-back years. But Dawn Staley didn't need a volume shooter; she needed a floor spacer who wouldn't blink in the fourth quarter.
In her first year with the Gamecocks (2023-24), she put up a staggering 46.8% from beyond the arc. Think about that. Almost every other shot she took from deep went in. That isn't just "good" for college—that's statistically absurd. It was the highest mark in the country.
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By the time she finished her 2024-25 graduate season, she had cemented herself as the second-best three-point shooter in South Carolina history with a career average of 42.2%.
Why the 2024-25 Season Was Deceptive
Some critics pointed to her 9.4 points per game in her final college year as a sign of regression.
Wrong.
She was playing on a roster loaded with future pro talent. Her job was to facilitate and punish teams that dared to double-pole the post.
- Games Started: 39 (A school record for a single season)
- Assist-to-Turnover Ratio: 2.3 (Ranked 4th in the SEC)
- 2-Point Percentage: A career-high 52.3%
She basically stopped taking bad shots. She became a surgical point guard who knew exactly when to pull the trigger and when to move the rock.
Te-Hina Paopao Stats in the WNBA: The Rookie Reality
Transitioning to the pros is a different beast. After being selected 18th overall by the Atlanta Dream in the 2025 WNBA Draft, Paopao had to find her footing in a league where everyone is a superstar.
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Her rookie stat line of 5.8 points, 2.4 assists, and 1.6 rebounds per game might look modest, but look at the context. She was playing roughly 10 minutes a night in several stretches. When she got the minutes, the production followed. Take her September 16 game against Indiana—she dropped 11 points in just 14 minutes, including three triples.
That’s the Paopao effect. You can't leave her open. Even as a rookie, her effective Field Goal percentage (eFG%) sat at 55.7%, which is highly respectable for a guard adjusting to the speed of the professional game.
Performance Against the Best
Paopao has always been a "big game" hunter. In college, she actually scored more against ranked opponents than she did against unranked ones.
It's a rare trait.
While most players' percentages dip when the defense gets tighter, hers stayed remarkably consistent. At South Carolina, she averaged 10.8 points against Top 25 teams. She wasn't just padding stats against mid-majors in November; she was hitting dagger threes in March.
Beyond the Arc: The Distribution Game
We talk about the shooting because it’s flashy, but her vision is what kept her on the floor for 30+ minutes a night in the Pac-12 and SEC. She finished her college career with an average of 3.4 assists per game.
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She isn't a "pure" point guard in the traditional sense, but she’s an elite secondary playmaker. In the WNBA, the Dream have used her as a floor-spacer who can also initiate the offense if the primary guard is trapped. This versatility is why she’s expected to have a long career. Coaches love players who don't turn the ball over, and Paopao’s 1.7 career turnovers per game (college) is a testament to her decision-making.
Key Milestones You Might Have Missed
- 1,000 Point Club: She eclipsed the 1,000-career point mark during her senior year against Clemson.
- Gold Medalist: She wasn't just a college star; she averaged 9.1 points and 4.6 assists for Team USA at the 2021 FIBA U19 World Cup.
- Academic Excellence: She made the SEC Academic Honor Roll twice, proving the "student" part of student-athlete isn't just a cliché for her.
What’s Next for the Paopao Profile?
If you're tracking her for fantasy or just as a fan, watch the "minutes played" column. Her shooting percentages are stable. If she's on the floor for 20 minutes, she's going to give you two or three triples and a handful of assists.
She’s also heading into the 2026 Athletes Unlimited season, which is going to be a fascinating environment for her. The AU format rewards individual stat accumulation and "win points," which suits a player who doesn't make mistakes.
Actionable Insights for Following Paopao:
- Watch the Corner 3: In the WNBA, her percentage from the corner is significantly higher than from the top of the key.
- Efficiency over Volume: Don't expect 20-point games often. Expect 12 points on 5-of-8 shooting. That is her "A-game."
- Defensive Growth: Her steal rate increased in her final year at South Carolina (1.1 per game). If that translates to the pros, she becomes a two-way threat rather than just a specialist.
The bottom line is that Te-Hina Paopao is a blueprint for the modern "3-and-D" plus guard. She doesn't need the ball to dominate a game; she just needs one inch of daylight.