Mia Pauldo wants to be the next great one. The No. 13 overall recruit in the Class of 2025 she, along with her twin sister Mya, are two of Tennessee head coach Kim Caldwell’s crown jewels. The new generation of elite basketball players aiming to breathe life into one of the most storied programs in the history of the game.
She sat with No Cap Space WBB at Overtime Select’s Tournament in Atlanta to discuss her path, committing to UT and what she hopes to get out of the elite high school tournament.
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Tyler DeLuca, No Cap SPace WBB: Let's dive into what you got going on here. Because I mean, this is great. This is our first time here Overtime Select. We flew in to be here over the weekend and we've been so impressed by everything. So what has your experience been like over the course of this kind of tournament and what are you taking away the most from your Overtime Select experience so far?
Mia Pauldo: This is the environment for real basketball. I mean, they put us in great positions to be successful, whether that's on social media or showcasing our skills on the court, showcasing our personalities off the court. I think Overtime — this sets us for from greatness, for college, for the WNBA. They're setting us up now so when we get there, we're already prepared. But I always love Atlanta, and Overtime, they treat us great. They give us all the gear they They feed us. I mean, this is the place to be, right?
Greer Engonga, No Cap Space WBB: So you're representing Double Dynasty. And we know that every Captain got to choose and design their jerseys. So can you talk about what went into your design process for the Double Dynasty jerseys?
Mia Pauldo: It's me and my sister. Her favorite color is blue and my favorite color is red. We wanted to do something like different. But it was just really just wanting to be different with the design and stuff like that. But we did a little like the x and little smiley face [on the jersey]. We’re killing you but we still smile while doing it. And I that was the thought process behind it. And it's two of us, that's double and then we're creating our own dynasty.
Tyler: For you, the creative process in that…that's very unique. Especially on a stage like this, to be able to have your creativity shown in that way. What did you learn through that process?
Mia Pauldo: I would really just say, don't overthink it, whatever comes to mind. You got to write down our thoughts. Me and Mya took about, like, probably two weeks to come up with this. And Overtime definitely helped us with it. They gave us different types of color palettes and stuff like that. But they were just like, ‘hey, whatever you're thinking about, just do it, and it's representing you as well. So just put a little bit of everything into it.’ But then they'll overthink it, and it can be so simple because we're overthinking it. And we're just like, ‘listen, we just gotta come up with one name, because it's gonna be it's gonna be tough. Don't matter what we call it because we're going to be winning.’
Greer: Perfect segue for my next question because you're here. You're a captain of a team that's going to be a champion. So what makes Double Dynasty championship power? Why can you guys be posting that trophy in September?
Mia Pauldo: I mean, the type of teammates we have like me and Mya are grateful for being captains but we're already point guards. So we have to deal with different personalities on the regular. No matter what type of team we’re on so that gave us a step ahead of the game from any other team. But I feel like we have the different different types of personnel to put it together. And it just clicked like that, probably not the first half in our first game when were just getting clipped! But then we start finding our rhythm and stuff like that. I just feel like all our personality, our team chemistry, is perfect. Our coach, Coach Sa’de [Wiley-Gatewood], she she went to Tennessee for one year and then she went to Maryland. She's a great coach. Great energy. But I just feel like the players that we have, me and Mya don’t even score. We're just facilitating and they're getting their own on that. So like we all got this different type of talents to put it all together.
Tyler: Well, have you put your GM Captain back on? Keep everyone on your roster . You get to add one WNBA player and one college player to your current roster to secure your the on championship weekend. Who are you picking?
Mia Pauldo: That's a great question. Alright, WNBA, I need to go with A’ja Wilson. A’ja Wilson or Breanna Stewart. It's one of those. I'm not gonna pick one between because I don't know, I don't know y'all pick that for me! Those are the two. And then for college I'll definitely say I like JuJu Watkins because she could get it done all around the court. And probably, she coached [in OT Select], Paige Bueckers. She’s got the IQ. Between those two…I'm not a person that picks one person.
Tyler: Listen, you've been working with a duo. It's been duos your whole life. It’s okay! You mentioned being coached by Paige. How was ‘Coach Paige’? How was that and like, you got JuJu here as well, Flau’jae, Jada Williams being here. Is there anything you've been able to kind of take away specifically from them?
Mia Pauldo: This isn't my first time being around them. Like, I've been around them multiple times, so I'm not really fangirling over them like all the other girls. I'm happy to see that all the other girls are excited to see them, because it's like, they really are doing big things. I'm proud of them but my mindset is like ‘y'all are people’, and I'll look up to them though because they're doing great things. I want to be in that position one day as well. But I'm definitely taking away how they carry themselves. I mean, just their off court etiquette and their style and everything like that. Because on the court I watched them but off the court, that's what I want to see. Like they got some drip! Hey, Paige, JuJu Watkins, Jada Williams, Flau’jae, they had all drip on last night a lot. But no, Paige as a coach, though she's really calm and collected. She’ll really sit here and be like ‘stop playing games,’ because she already knows we're good players. She was actually setting up some real good plays. Yeah, she definitely wrote up some stuff last night. We definitely executed and scored off those things. She really a great coach. So if she wanted to be a coach when she get out in the WNBA or college, she’ll be a great coach.
Greer: I love that you got some people on your team that you’ve probably never played with before. So can you tell us who you've been impressed by on Double Dynasty and getting to play with them.
Mia Pauldo: I'm definitely impressed by Kate harping because I didn't — when you were practicing, we only had two days of practice. She didn't really show off her bag like that. So when she got in the game and she made a big impact on the game and I'm like, ‘Yes, this is what we need.’ Yes, she's that player where she don't need to show that off the court, she don't need to show that in practice, because in the game, she's got to get it done. Deniya Prawl, she's really versatile and she was showing off some moves. And I've seen her play before but playing with her I feel like I could just get give her the ball and we space out and get it done. But all the players on our team, they really impressed us. But I feel like we still got some more stuff in the bag to show through our playoffs. Because we're just getting warmed up. That was just a warm up, and nobody see nothing yet. The real hoops are on the way.
Tyler: Has there been someone that you got to against that you're like, I'm not familiar with the game?
Mia Pauldo: I would definitely say GG [Banks] and Tay [Brown]. They’re really impressive because I've been around them. We've been around the same program, AAU and all that stuff. They looked up to us because I always played up. They're younger than us. So the progression they've made when they grew up, I'm just proud of them and they're doing big things. GG’s just creative and she's really different and Tay as well. They really use what they do, that they learn while training with pros and stuff like that in the game. And I love to see my younger sisters doing that stuff.
Tyler: We do have to talk about the hoodie. We got to talk about the Lady Vols. Obviously a new coach. Take us through what was a moment where you realized ‘I want to go to Tennessee.' This is the place that I and both of you want to be.’
Mia Pauldo: I would definitely say when we went on a visit, it was after the first day. The coaches, the coaching staff, that's probably like the youngest coaching staff in the country. So they're able to relate to us. They're able to have regular conversations with us. Not only about basketball, because we're going to be living there. We're going to be around them 24/7 so that's not going to be the only thing you want to talk about. But when it is time to get serious, they know how to do their job and you know, it was really coach [Gabe] Lazo. He was the one really recruiting hard on me and my sister when he was at Mississippi State. And then when he went to Tennessee. And then we fit Coach Kim's coach playing style when we went there. She was all prepared with a video. She showed how she was at Marshall and then clips of me and Mya and how those two correlated to each other. Now they could push how she put us in the game of college. And it was just interesting because no coach put in the time to do that, not during our during a vision and stuff like that. And they got the bag. That's the play. The NIL is just great there. I mean, it’s perfect and the campus is beautiful. I mean, everything just came together.
Greer: Thompson-Boling Arena, that's you're going to be your home coming up. What do fans of the Lady Vols need to know about the Pauldos that they might not know yet?
Mia Pauldo: We definitely bring the energy. We definitely bring the energy. We could score. Everyone knows we could score. But we do other things. We play defense, we get down, we get ready on the court and off the court. We're not Hollywood, we're not those people that like walk around like we're cool. We actually want to talk to people and actually want to make relationships. And, that's what I want people to know. Because if someone wants to come up to me and we can have a conversation because I'm just a person. I'm just doing big things, but we could do it together. Yeah, the women's basketball game is changing every day and everyone can be a part of it.
Tyler: I love your perspective on — whether it's talking about the college stars here or talking about yourself — that idea of ‘we’re all here’. How do you handle Tennessee? The legacy of Tennessee is lengthy, to say the least. And knowing there's gonna be some jerseys above your head that are some legendary names up there. So for you, when you're thinking about the legacy and really trying to return Tennessee to some form of that legacy, is that something you think about, is that something that you're excited for? Is that a challenge you're looking forward to? What is your kind of mindset when it comes to knowing the history of Tennessee and how you and your sister can potentially get get that back on track in that way?
Mia: Yes, that's definitely our goal. Me and Mya want to bring back that championship vibe, that legacy that Candace Parker and all all of them had back then.That's our goal. We want to bring that but it's not going to happen overnight. We know it's going to be a process. And I feel like we're doing that right now in high school. I mean, obviously, it's two different things but we want to correlate that energy to college but step up our game on that level. We're going to be playing in the hardest conference, the SEC. Tennessee has all the equipment to get us ready for that when we step on the big stage. So, yeah, I would definitely say that, you know, Candace Parker has my [jersey] number. So I'm trying to get some connects, see what I can do about that. But like, at the same time, I respect what she did. And her number deserves to be retired. She's the G.O.A.T at Tennessee. So if I should my number, I just bring it to Kobe, number 8 because number 24 is retired. 33 is retired. 23 a lot of numbers are retired. I'm like, ‘Hey man, clearly got two numbers on this.’ Just being out of legacy school, me and Mya got some big expectations but we are ready for those.
Tyler: Yeah, I love your perspective on this. And to kind of wrap this up here, we can be real honest about this. We're gonna play a little game. Who's better between you and your sister?
Mia: I'm always honest. Go ahead. That hit me.
Tyler: All right, here we go. Who takes the longest to get ready?
Mia: Honestly me. Depends on the day but mostly it's me. I'm not gonna lie. Really be me. I'll be trying to get my life together. Yep, try wake up and looks up like that.
Tyler: Who’s on AUX?
Mia: Uh, honestly, whoever's not driving.
Tyler: What's the rotation?
Mia: We listen to the same type of music, we bumping each other’s music. But it depends on the vibe we are. She playing R&B music and I'm in a hip hop mood. I tell her ‘not this music’ and she’ll switch it. I mean, we don’t argue about the songs. She probably did, like, one or two times. But we listen to the same type of music.
Tyler: What's on the playlist?
Mia: I love a lot of Summer Walker, a lot of Drake. Mya's been listening to a lot of OT7 Quanny. And I'm just like… he's tough but it depends. I've been on my calm music. You know, SZA, H.E.R, Bryson Tiller. But it's really been a lot of Bryson Tiller, Summer Walker.
Greer: Who's the better trash talker?
Mia: I would say me. Mya doesn’t really trash talk like that because she be into the game. But I'll trash talk only if something said to me, though. I’m not a starter, I’m a finisher. Because why are you talking and I'm giving you 20 on you?
Tyler: So obviously we know you both are twins. Who is more independent between the two?
Mia: I would say her, because I do be asking my mom to do my hair a lot more. Dry, wash, Mya’s the one to do all that by herself. I’m like ‘just help me.’ And she says ‘you’re too lazy!’
Tyler: Last one and we heard this from your mom. This is a question from your mom. She said to ask who the better cook is?
Mia: Oh, no, no, that's crazy! Mya’s is the better cook. Not to say I can't cook but Mya’s the one that helped my mom in the kitchen more. I be prepping stuff, I be cutting it up. I don't season nothing because last time I seasoned, I overseasoned But that was one time! That was one time. But other than that, I just prep stuff and give it to Mya. That's how we're going to be at college. We prepping it up. Mya season’s. I know how to cook breakfast, though, that's most easy.
Tyler: What's your go to meal? What are you making for breakfast?
Mia: I’m gonna make scrambled eggs with cheese. Pancakes, that's easy. And sausage, that’s life.
Tyler: One last question for you, Overtime Select Championship weekend… If this is someone's first time tapping in with the Double Dynasty, first time seeing y'all play, what should they expect from your team?
Mia: A lot of lockdown defense, your favorite player might get locked down. So, you know, don't get too high. If this is the first time you're watching, if you think your favorite player is unguardable, just watch me replay that.
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