Friday’s game between the Washington Mystics and Atlanta Dream is one of three that kicked off the 2025 WNBA season. The matchup is the professional debut for three rookies; Te-Hina Paopao, Kiki Iriafen, and Sonia Citron. All three are a part of one of an exciting draft class. Paopao impressed in the preseason ahead of her regular season debut. Paopao was the last of the three rookies to record her first career points in the WNBA, but she did so with a highlight-reel play. With 3:45 left in the opening quarter, Paopao busted out a smooth euro-step on a Dream fast break to evade a Mystics defender and drop in a layup. The play earned the former South Carolina Gamecock some oohs and aahs from the fans in Washington there to see their team’s season opener. Te-Hina Paopao’s first bucket in the W is smoothhh with the euro 😌 WNBA Tip-Off Test Drive presented by @Carmax | WNBA App 📲 pic.twitter.com/g1vyJzftQI — WNBA (@WNBA) May 16, 2025 Paopao isn’t as big a name as Citron or Iriafen, but she might be the most underrated player in her class. The former national champion is one of the older rookies in the league, and the Dream had her start their first game of the season. The Dream and Mystics finished right next to one another in the standings. However, Atlanta was the last team in the playoffs while Washington was on the outside looking in. This year’s rookie class has a tough act to follow after Caitlin Clark and Co. set the league on fire in 2024. Paopao in particular has a lot on her plate to start the year. Luckily for her, she has veterans like Brittney Griner, Rhyne Howard, and Allisha Gray alongside her to help her settle in to her role. Paopao got her WNBA career off to an exciting start with her first bucket, but her team needs her to be a steady hand at point guard. If she is able to come through for her team, they could climb higher in the standings and make a deeper playoff run. Even early into her career Paopao is already creating a name for herself as a member of the Dream.