South Carolina guard Te-Hina Paopao is skipping the in-person 2025 WNBA Draft ceremony in New York City, opting instead to celebrate the moment at home with her family in Oceanside, California. The fifth-year senior is among 16 players invited to attend the draft, but said the desire to share the moment with loved ones was the reason for her decision.

“I'll be having the draft party at home just because I want my family to be there,” Paopao said April 6 following South Carolina's 82-59 loss to UConn in the national championship game, per Lulu Kesin of the Greenville News. “I want to start with the people that have been there for the journey, for the ride. I'm just really excited for my next journey and just super proud.”

Paopao transferred to South Carolina from Oregon ahead of the 2023-24 season. In her final college season, she averaged 9.4 points, 2.8 assists and 1.1 steals per game, leading the Gamecocks in assists and ranking fourth in scoring. She posted a season-high 23 points against NC State in November and led South Carolina with 14 points in the national semifinal win over Texas.

Te-Hina Paopao a potential first-round WNBA Draft pick

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Though she will not be in attendance, Paopao remains a potential first-round pick in Monday’s WNBA Draft, according to several projections. If selected in the first round, she would become South Carolina’s third consecutive first-rounder under coach Dawn Staley. Teammate Sania Feagin will represent the Gamecocks at the WNBA Draft in New York, while Bree Hall did not receive an official invite.

This year’s draft class is headlined by UConn guard Paige Bueckers, widely expected to go No. 1 overall to the Dallas Wings. The event will be held at The Shed at Hudson Yards in Manhattan and broadcast live at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.

Joining Bueckers at the draft will be top prospects including TCU's Hailey Van Lith, LSU’s Aneesah Morrow, USC’s Kiki Iriafen and Kentucky's Georgia Amoore.