What is Te-Hina Paopao's ethnicity? Taking a closer look at South Carolina guard's nationality and background

South Carolina Gamecocks guard Te-Hina Paopao led the nation in 3-pointers at the end of the regular season, and the senior is a key part of the top-ranked Gamecocks' unbeaten team this year.

Her success has led people to ask about her ethnicity and background.

What is Te-Hina Paopao's ethnicity and nationality?

Te-Hina Paopao is an American citizen who helped the United States' 2021 under-19 women's basketball team win gold at the World Cup.

She is of both Samoan and Tokelaun descent. Both the islands of Samoa and Tokelau are located in the Pacific Ocean, meaning that her ethnicity could be classed as Polynesian.

Paopao is not the only athlete in her family. Her uncle is former NFL defensive linesman Joe Salave'a, who is now an assistant coach for the Miami Hurricanes after working for the Oregon Ducks.

Where did Te-Hina Paopao play high school basketball?

Paopao played high school basketball at La Jolla County Day School in California, and at age 10, she was the starting point guard on the under-16 team and trained with WNBA star Kelsey Plum, who also attended the school.

However, while she was talented, she was injury-prone and missed her first two seasons in high school after tearing her ACL on two separate occasions.

As a senior, Paopao averaged 22 points, eight rebounds and four assists per game and led the school to the state championship game. Although the game was canceled, Paopao, a five-star recruit, won the Miss California award for the best girls high school basketball player.

Te-Hina Paopao's college career

Paopao began her college career at the University of Oregon, where she was seen as a replacement for Sabrina Ionescu. She was one of the country's best 3-point shooters during her three years with the Ducks.

However, like many members of her Oregon recruiting class, Te-Hina Paopao departed for another school, in her case, the South Carolina Gamecocks, who wanted her for her 3-point shooting.

This ability was not wasted by the Gamecocks, as Paopao led the league in 3-point shooting (47.6%) and averaged 29 points per game against ranked opposition.