Te-Hina PaoPao knew she had a role. The former Oregon guard has made her name as a sharpshooter, knocking down 147 3-pointers and shooting 38 percent from deep during her three seasons with the Ducks. That made her a high-coveted name when she entered the transfer portal after her junior season, and she knew one school in particular could be a perfect fit for her.

“Watching them in the Final Four I was like, ‘dang,’” PaoPao said. “‘That could really be me out there shooting the ball.’”

For all of South Carolina’s dominance last season, outside shooting remained an issue and ultimately contributed heavily to its narrow Final Four loss to Iowa. The Gameoccks shot just 31 percent from deep last season and their leading returning in 3-point attempts was Bree Hall with just 64 shots from beyond the arc in 35 games.

“I feel like I do have the green light," PaoPao said about outside shooting. "But I definitely have to earn that right in practice in the gym. I’m just going to keep doing what I’m doing and earn that trust in the gym.”

PaoPao is one of five new members of Dawn Staley’s squad this season, but will immediately fill a crucial need on the roster. Here is more to know about the incoming transfer.

The clear role and potential for her skillset to elevate an already elite team was an obvious motivating factor for PaoPao, who said she considered one other school but knew Columbia was the right place after taking her official visit. But much more went into her decision, from coaching to teammates.

“Definitely Coach Staley," she said when asked about what led her to South Carolina. "I think what you see in media is what you get in real life, which I iterated multiple times. It’s just what really reeled my into this program. She knows how to win.”

And beyond just Staley, the culture she has implemented immedietely grabbed PaoPao's attention.

“They’re here to get better," she said. "They have a 'be great' mentality and just want to get better in the gym and learn off each other and get each other better.”

“I would say I’m a pass-first guard. I can create for others, I can create for myself, and just putting the people in the right places to get better and score the ball.”

The leadership question will persist for South Carolina after losing all five starters off last year's Final Four team, going from the most experienced big-game team in the country to a team where nearly half the roster is made up of fresh faces. And while PaoPao has not been in Columbia, she has been in college basketball as long as anyone else who will hit the court this season.

“I think I am definitely the voice of the team," PaoPao said. "I’ve been through some stuff. I am a senior, a veteran, so I kind of know what I’m talking about. I’ve just really got to earn that trust and respect from my teammates to know that I am leading and they trust me to put them in the right place and the right positions to score the ball.”

As for what that leadership looks like, she has a very clear idea of that, too.

"A lot of our players lead in their own way," she said. "I’d say I’m the most vocal leader. Some are that leader [saying] like you have to do this, do that. Ash [Ashlyn Watkins] is one of those quiet leaders that will tell you what you need to do. I’m more of the vocal outburst type of leader, which I can attest to. I’m fine with that role.”

What does Te-Hina PaoPao do to get away from basketball? She's still playing sports, and she's still on the court, but of a very different variety.

“I love to play pickleball," she said. "Pickleball is one of my great hobbies. I play here and there, but when I play it's really fun. It's easy on the knees, easy on the body."

****************************************************************************************

Looking for a place to talk about South Carolina women's basketball all throughout the offseason? Subscribe to the insider's forum.