Dawn Staley celebrates as South Carolina’s Paopao, Hall, and Feagin join WNBA teams

Bree Hall, Sania Feagin, Te-Hina Paopao (AP-FILE)

 (WCIV) — A trio of standouts drafted within minutes of each other elicited a worthy reaction from South Carolina women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley.

Guard Te-Hina Paopao was selected No. 18 overall by the Atlanta Dream, guard Bree Hall was drafted No. 20 by the Indiana Fever and forward Sania Feagin went to the Los Angeles Sparks at pick No. 21. It was the first time Staley didn’t have a player drafted in the first round in three seasons. But the second round of the 2025 WNBA Draft clearly made up for it.

“Thank you Lord,” Staley wrote on social media. “Proud of @GamecockWBB @tehinapaopa0 @breezyhalll @supremenia for being selected in the @WNBA draft. @AtlantaDream @IndianaFever @LASparks yall have some class act human beings and highly tested talented individuals! Let’s gooooo!!!”

Thank you Lord! Proud of @GamecockWBB @tehinapaopa0 @breezyhalll @supremenia for being selected in the @WNBA draft. @AtlantaDream @IndianaFever @LASparks yall have some class act human beings and highly tested talented individuals! Let’s gooooo!!!

— dawnstaley (@dawnstaley) April 15, 2025

WNBA training camp begins on April 27, a quick turnaround for the Gamecocks players who went up against UConn and superstar Paige Bueckers. After being drafted in the second round, and with the 12-person roster limit in the WNBA, all three players drafted out of South Carolina will have to prove they belong on a professional roster.

If Hall makes the roster, she will reunite with former teammate Aliyah Boston, who was drafted No. 1 overall in the 2023 WNBA Draft by Indiana.

BIG BREEZY REUNION 🥹🥹 im literally crying rn

— Aliyah A. Boston (@aa_boston) April 15, 2025

Meanwhile, Feagin will head to a Sparks team that acquired star guard Kelsey Plum in a bid to compete this season.