Three-point shooting is important, but it’s not the only measure of a player’s value to a team. Skills like midrange shooting remain valuable, especially in a WNBA filled with talented players like Courtney Williams. The league is also dominated by strong big players who score primarily in the post.
However, the significance of three-point shooting becomes even clearer when you consider how it creates space for dominant frontcourt players to excel. Teams like the New York Liberty, Minnesota Lynx, Phoenix Mercury, and Atlanta Dream are built around strong frontcourt players supported by strategic three-point shooting.
Atlanta Dream’s coach, Carl Smesko, brought his philosophy of high-volume three-point shooting from his time coaching at Florida Gulf Coast, emphasizing perimeter shooting from starters such as Allisha Gray and Rhyne Howard to complement post players Brittney Griner and Brionna Jones.
A key addition to this three-point strategy has been rookie guard Tehina Paopao. After a challenging college season where she shot just 37% from three on 4.2 attempts per game, Paopao has elevated her game dramatically in the WNBA, hitting a career-high 47% from beyond the arc in the 2023-24 season. She finished third in the league for overall three-point shooting, trailing only Kennedy Burke (49.2%) and Lexi Hull (50%).
Now playing in Atlanta off the bench, Paopao attempts 2.6 threes per game and maintains an impressive 47.6% shooting accuracy, the best efficiency ever recorded by a WNBA rookie playing significant minutes and averaging at least two three-point attempts per game.
Paopao serves as a secondary ball handler in the second unit, effectively spacing the floor for her team. She uses her driving ability to collapse defenses and then kicks out to open shooters, creating easy scoring chances. Her playing time has even increased alongside the starters, thanks to the valuable shooting threat she provides for Griner and Jones.
Beyond shooting, Paopao also commands respect with her midrange scoring and strength, which allows her to hold her own against opposing guards. When defenders don’t stick close, she can score with ease.
Despite averaging just 13.4 minutes per game, Paopao’s impact off the bench has been vital. While some rookies like Page Bookers of the Dallas Wings and Sonia Citron of the Washington Mystics are starting, Paopao finds herself in a different position on a team with playoff aspirations. The Dream value her contribution so much that they aren’t looking to disrupt the current lineup heating up their playoff push.
Whether in the starting lineup or coming off the bench, Paopao has proven she can compete with veteran WNBA talent and has earned a spot on the All-Rookie team through her impressive performances.
Fan Take: Tehina Paopao’s breakout shooting performance is a huge boost for the Atlanta Dream and showcases how impactful rookies can be in the WNBA. Her rise underscores the increasing importance of three-point shooting in the league and offers fans an exciting glimpse of the future talent shaping the sport.
