How Te-Hina Paopao’s family-first culture helped in her journey to South Carolina WBB
Workouts as early as 4 and 5 a.m. have been part of Te-Hina Paopao’s life since she was a kindergartner.
At first she watched her brother Israel as he trained to advance his football career. She joined in around middle school when she became fully immersed in basketball. In order to make the most of what people first saw in her around the age of 8, Te-Hina’s father Paul told her, she’d have to make sacrifices.
Te-Hina never flinched.
“There was no fear,” Paul Paopao told The State. “She actually embraced it. That was learned through her brothers.”
That kind of commitment was part of being a Paopao. Te-Hina (21) grew up in a sports-oriented household with four siblings: older brothers Israel (28) and Isaia (25); older sister Tiare (27); and younger brother Iosefa Paopao Meinke-Aviu (19). The boys played football, while Tiare played softball.
And no one let Te-Hina have anything without a fight.
That fight and that drive are what brought her to South Carolina for her senior season. She braved early-morning workouts, two ACL tears in high school and the college transfer portal to be here for this very moment. To lead a legendary team through the dog days of March Madness and come out with all the wins.
Family and basketball
One of Te-Hina’s earliest introductions to basketball came at age 6 or 7, Israel remembered. She passed the time during his football practices by shooting hoops under their father’s supervision.
At 8 or 9, Te-Hina caught the eye of Dominique Conners — Oceanside High School (California) alum and San Diego Toreros (2008-12) all-time leading scorer — who shepherded Te-Hina into the game she now has great command over. By age 10, Te-Hina earned a spot on a 16U girls basketball team coached by Terri Bamford.
That’s when Te-Hina crossed up Kelsey Plum, who was eight years older. This was before Plum became women’s college basketball’s all-time leading scorer, the No. 1 pick in the WNBA Draft and a two-time WNBA champion. But it was after Plum graduated from La Jolla Country Day School, where she cemented herself as the No. 26 overall recruit in the Class of 2013.
The two were participating in a drill together after Coach Bamford assigned Plum to be Te-Hina’s partner. Plum hadn’t even bothered to lace up her shoes. But Te-Hina, with the kind of pure self-confidence only a 10-year-old girl could have, blew past Plum using an in-and-out move and crossed over to her left hand as she made her way to the basket for the unlikeliest of scores.
The gym erupted. Te-Hina wasn’t afraid of taking Plum on. After all, the 10-year-old had been taking on her older siblings all her life.
Over the years they’ve coached each other, trained each other and broken bread with each other. Maintaining a healthy balance between family and sports is just something they’re able to do. Te-Hina says it’s who they are.
“It’s very big in our (Samoan) culture that we have to do everything together, and love doing it and genuine care for each other,” Te-Hina said.
“We’re a really close-knit family. I love them to death.”
Te-Hina’s sister named her daughter after her. Baby Te-Hina is about 7 months old. They FaceTime often, which 21-year-old Te-Hina says brings her home.
When Te-Hina moved to Eugune, Oregon for college, Israel moved too. When she moved to Columbia, Israel followed. So did Isaia, who’s training here in hopes of making an XFL or NFL roster in the region. The three of them try to meet for dinner at least once a week, which usually serves as Isaia’s “cheat” meal.
“We keep that family bond tight,” Israel said. “We’re so used to being together at home at nighttime that those little dinners, they keep us together.”
From California to Oregon to South Carolina
Part of what appealed to Te-Hina about Oregon was how close it was to home — Oceanside, California.
Her trajectory was a little unorthodox. She went from young basketball prodigy to sidelined for much of the beginning of her high school career after two ACL tears. The first came her freshman year of high school, and the second came as a sophomore.
“The first one happened, and it’ll show how much you wanna get back,” her father said. “The second tear was all about, ‘OK, this is gonna show how much you love this game.’ ”
So she battled through four hours of physical therapy per day, six days a week, until she recovered. Finally able to get on the court her junior year, Te-Hina went from flying under the radar to flying high through the national recruiting rankings. She solidified herself as a five-star prospect — one of five in Oregon’s 2020 class.
After starting three years for the Ducks, Te-Hina entered the transfer portal seeking a new, challenging environment to further her basketball career. She considered following longtime Oregon assistant Mark Campbell (who brought that No. 1 ranked 2020 class to Eugene) to TCU after he became the Horned Frogs’ head coach in March.
But Staley called right before Easter. The Paopaos were surprised. They didn’t think Te-Hina was on South Carolina’s radar. She was.
Staley called Te-Hina while she was on her way to an 8:30 a.m. sociology class. She pulled over, chatted with Staley for a few minutes, and made it to class on time. Te-Hina shared the news with Israel and Paul via text — they recalled being practically in disbelief.
“We were like, ‘No way,’ ” Israel remembered. “Then my dad got the call, and from then on, we were just like, ‘Wow.’ ”
When Paul was on the phone with Staley, he had to confirm who he was talking to: “Coach, I just need to make sure this is really you. This the real Coach Dawn Staley?”
Staley liked what she saw in Paopao: a veteran guard who could shoot the basketball and fill a leadership void left by the Class of 2019’s departure. Staley wanted her to work on her defense, which she embraced by sticking her nose in and taking charges during preseason practices.
“She’s a willing participant in giving it up on the defensive side of the ball,” Staley said.
“What we recruited her for and to be, she’s been that. She’s got a great voice. She’s got a great command of our basketball team.”
Paopao committed to Staley and the Gamecocks in April. The move has been good for her. She’s lost about 15 or 16 pounds training with Molly Binetti and earned a host of accolades, earning spots on the Wooden Award (for the best player in college basketball) and Nancy Lieberman Award (for the best point guard in college basketball) watch lists.
And in the early going of a new season, she’s a starter who’s averaging 14 points per game and leading the Gamecocks in 3-pointers made.
’She brings life to wherever she goes’
One can’t help but smile watching Te-Hina play basketball. Look up and see her locked in, dribbling through traffic and shouting directions to her teammates. Look again and see that intensity melt away, exposing a shameless grin.
“I love this job,” Te-Hina said with a smile.
It’s contagious. And genuine. Which makes it even more contagious.
“There’s no facade with Te-Hina,” Paul said. “She brings life to wherever she goes.”
Staley and the Gamecocks have raved about Te-Hina’s leadership during her short time with the team. Developing that voice has been a process.
Israel said his experience playing quarterback helped him guide her along considering how a point guard is like a quarterback on the basketball court. Paul said he used to do mock interviews with her, which she giggled her way through most of the time.
Her penchant for leadership started at home. As silly as it sounds, Te-Hina was the only Paopao child Paul never had to get on to for not doing her chores. She took out the trash, did the dishes and laundry, kept her room clean — all without being asked.
“That’s taking initiative,” Paul said. “...You have a gift that’s not on the basketball court. You’re doing everything like I taught you to do so well.”
But, alas, “somewhere along the line your siblings missed that speech,” he said with a hearty laugh.
Te-Hina’s family does their best to make it to her games. Her uncle Niel Otineru, aunt Chantel and her husband Tony along with siblings Tiare (who brought baby Te-Hina), Israel and Isaia attend the home opener against Maryland.
When they’re gone, though, Te-Hina is not alone. She has family here, too, in the Gamecocks.
To show her coaches, teammates and trainers how much their embrace meant to her, Te-Hina brought them all garnet and black kukui nut necklaces when they returned from summer break. In Samoan culture they’re often given out at graduations, weddings and other special celebrations to represent respect, unity and family.
“To be accepted by them is a great blessing to have and dear to my heart,” Te-Hina said. “And it’s just been really fun to have more sisters added to my family.”
