A California woman has become the first person of Tokelauan ancestry to be drafted into the WNBA.
Tokelau is a remote group of atolls in the South Pacific, halfway between Hawaiʻi and New Zealand. It has a population of about 1,500 people.
Te-Hina Paopao has never been to Tokelau, but she has made history as the first person of Tokelauan ancestry to be drafted by an American pro basketball team.
Paopao started her college basketball career at the University of Oregon in 2020. She later transferred to the University of South Carolina, where she won an NCAA Women's National Championship in 2024.
When Paopao was drafted by the Atlanta Dream last month, she wasn't at the draft venue in New York City. She instead chose to celebrate with her family and friends in Oceanside, Calif.
Paopao was adorned in flower garlands, a puletasi dress and a tifa necklace — the traditional Tokelauan wear that honors the value of women.
Paopao told Radio New Zealand, “It's something that I wanted to showcase because not a lot of people know about our culture, especially in the league."
The Atlanta Dream's season tips off on May 16 when they visit the Washington Mystics.
