South Carolina's Te-Hina Paopao picks up another midseason honor

On Wednesday, South Carolina women’s basketball guard Te-Hina Paopao made the midseason watch list for the Naismith Trophy. Given each year to the top player in the country, the Naismith Trophy has 30 players on its midseason watch list.

This season, Paopao has helped the Gamecocks to a 22-2 record and a top-5 ranking by averaging 10.3 points, 2.7 assists, 2.5 rebounds, and one steal per game. The sharpshooting guard is a future WNBA Draft selection.

Earlier this week, Paopao made a similar midseason watch list for the Wooden Award, another national player of the year honor. She also is on the top-10 watch list for the Nancy Lieberman Award, an annual honor for the country’s top point guard.

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From the South Carolina Athletics release:

COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina women’s basketball fifth-year senior Te-Hina Paopao is one of 30 players named to the 2025 Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy Women’s Player of the Year Midseason Team. She is one of 11 SEC players to make the list.

A 2024 All-American, Paopao’s impact on the Gamecocks’ success goes beyond her stats. Her calm demeanor steadies the offense, and her improved defense has the Gamecocks ranked among the nation’s top 10 in field goal percentage. Last season’s NCAA 3-point percentage leader has diversified her offense this season, averaging 4.5 points from 3-point range, 3.6 from the paint and 1.5 from midrange this season.

Paopao is third on the team with 10.3 points per game, including 11.5 against ranked opponents, which is second most on the team. In 11 games against ranked foes, she is shooting 50.5 percent from the field and 42.0 percent from 3-point range. In SEC games, Paopao adds 2.8 assists per game with a 1.55 assist-to-turnover ratio.

The players on the list are considered strong candidates for the 2025 John R. Wooden Award Women’s Player of the Year. Players not selected for the late midseason list remain eligible for inclusion on the Wooden Award National Ballot. The National Ballot will feature 15 top layers who have demonstrated to their universities that they meet or exceed the Wooden Award qualifications.

Wooden Award voters will be invited to rank 10 of the 15 players on the ballot in order of preference when voting opens during the NCAA Tournament. Voters will also consider performances in the tournament’s early rounds, players’ contributions to their teams, and their character. The Wooden Award All-American Team will be announced during the week of the NCAA Tournament’s Elite Eight.

No. 4/4 South Carolina is back in action this week with a pair of home games beginning on Thu., Feb. 13, against Florida. Tipoff at Colonial Life Arena is set for 6 p.m.

Continue to check GamecocksOnline.com and the team’s social media accounts (@GamecockWBB) for the most up-to-date information on South Carolina women’s basketball.

Naismith Trophy Midseason Team
Georgia Amoore, Kentucky
Sarah Ashlee Barker, Alabama
Raegan Beers, Oklahoma
Lauren Betts, UCLA
Mikayla Blakes, Vanderbilt
Madison Booker, Texas
Paige Bueckers, UConn
Talaysia Cooper, Tennessee
Audi Crooks, Iowa State
Yvonne Ejim, Gonzaga
Rori Harmon, Texas
Hannah Hidalgo, Notre Dame
Kiki Iriafen, Southern Cal
Aziaha James, NC State
Flau’jae Johnson, LSU
Gianna Kneepkens, Utah
Ta’Niya Latson, Florida State
Ayoka Lee, Kansas State
Cotie McMahon, Ohio State
Olivia Miles, Notre Dame
Aneesah Morrow, LSU
Te-Hina Paopao, South Carolina
Khamil Pierre, Vanderbilt
Sedona Prince, TCU
JJ Quinerly, West Virginia
Kiki Rice, UCLA
Sarah Strong, UConn
Harmoni Turner, Harvard
Hailey Van Lith, TCU
JuJu Watkins, Southern Cal

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