Where South Carolina basketball, Dawn Staley's players projected to land in WNBA draft
(This has been updated to reflect the latest information).
Although South Carolina women's basketball's season just ended, three players have less than a week to prepare for the next chapter.
The 2025 WNBA draft is Monday (7:30 p.m., ESPN) in New York. Guard Te-Hina Paopao is expected to go in the first round. Forward Sania Feagin and guard Bree Hall also are eligible to be selected.
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The last two years, coach Dawn Staley has produced a top-three pick. In 2023, it was Aliyah Boston who went No. 1 to the Indiana Fever and last year it was Kamilla Cardoso who went No. 3 to the Chicago Sky. In 2023, she had two more players drafted in the top 10, Laeticia Amihere at No. 8 and Zia Cook at No. 10.
Here's a closer look at what WNBA draft boards are saying ahead of the draft.
Te-Hina Paopao, South Carolina WNBA draft projections
USA TODAY: No. 10 to the Chicago Sky: "The Sky will prioritize depth by drafting Te-Hina Paopao, reuniting her with former South Carolina teammate Kamilla Cardoso ... Paopao can not only create a shot for her teammates and herself, she's developed as a lockdown defender and has emerged as an elite 3-and-D player."
ESPN: Not in top 12 as of April 11 mock draft
Sports Illustrated: No. 12 to Dallas Wings (via New York Liberty): "While Paopao can handle the ball, her ideal role in the W may be as an off-ball shooting threat to create space for lead guards. She could do just that as a depth piece next to or in support of a Wings backcourt led by (Arike) Ogunbowale and their likely top pick, (Paige) Bueckers."
The Athletic: No. 10 to the Chicago Sky (via Connecticut Sun): "I love the fit of Paopao in Chicago ... A movement shooter who knows how to play off of high-usage frontcourt players is exactly what the Sky require. Paopao was a little hot and cold during the NCAA Tournament .. the hope for Chicago is that she was so good playing next to Cardoso during her senior year (the combo had a plus-40.0 net rating) ... that Paopao simply needs better bigs to perform at a high level."
CBS Sports had Paopao at No. 8 to Connecticut Sun on March 13: "New Sun coach Rachid Meziane wants to bring an European style to Uncasville which will emphasize pace and ball movement, without sacrificing defense. Paopao ... fits that bill. She's a combo guard who can really shoot it, makes good decisions and has improved defensively under Dawn Staley." On April 7, Paopao was no longer listed for the first round
South Carolina's Sania Feagin in WNBA draft projections
ESPN: No. 10 to the Chicago Sky: "Feagin was a late bloomer in college, in large part because she was playing behind WNBA lottery picks Aliyah Boston and Kamilla Cardoso. This season, an injury to Ashlyn Watkins brough Feagin more to the forefront, and she responded as the Gamecocks advanced to the national championship game. Feagin might just be scratching the surface of what she can do and could join Cardoso with the Sky."
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Tankathon's mock draft: No. 19 to the Indiana Fever, where she would join Boston. CBS Sports projected on March 19 that Feagin's draft range is second round.
South Carolina's Bree Hall in WNBA draft projections
Hall is not in most WNBA draft projections. She started every game the last two seasons for Staley but her points per game decreased from 9.2 as a junior to 6.3 per game as a senior. She shot 39.9% from the field and 38.3% from the 3-point range.
She is a lanky, lock down defender who is disciplined in both transition and half court defense. Any team looking to enhance their on-ball defense and defense as a whole might look at Hall to help.
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CBS Sports said March 19 that Hall's draft range is late second round to third round.
TRANSFER TRACKER: South Carolina women's basketball transfer portal tracker 2025: Who's in, out for Dawn Staley
Lulu Kesin covers South Carolina athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email her at lkesin@gannett.com and follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @Lulukesin
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: South Carolina basketball, Dawn Staley players in WNBA draft projections
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