Indiana Fever forward Damiris Dantas expressed her excitement about returning to play after recovering from an MCL injury that kept her sidelined for four months. Dantas, a seasoned WNBA player with nine years of experience, joined the Fever on a two-year contract in February but had to delay her debut due to her injury. Now healthy, Dantas is set to rejoin her team during their upcoming road trip, which includes games against the Seattle Storm, Phoenix Mercury and Las Vegas Aces.
“I'm so excited,” Dantas said after Wednesday's practice, via Field Level Media. “I couldn't wait for this moment. I worked hard to be ready, to help my teammates, help the team, so now it's just the best part, to enjoy it.”
The 31-year-old forward was motivated by her connection with Fever coach Christie Sides and general manager Lin Dunn, who played significant roles in her decision to return to the WNBA after a year off.
“My first call with Coach and Lin, I felt the energy, the vibe, they support me with everything, so that made my choice, and I am so happy,” Dantas said. “I have good teammates here, everybody is super helpful and helps me, it's like a family.”
Dantas, a native of Brazil, brings eight years' worth of experience to the Fever, having played for both the Minnesota Lynx and Atlanta Dream before joining Indiana. Over her career, she has averaged 7.7 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 202 games and 128 starts. Her versatility allows her to play both forward and small-ball center roles, providing the Fever with much-needed depth and flexibility in the frontcourt.
Damiris Dantas return comes at crucial time for Fever
In the 2022 season with the Lynx, Dantas appeared in 15 games, averaging 5.1 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game, with shooting splits of 30.4% from the field, 26.2% from the three-point line, and 83.3% from the free-throw line. She was the No. 12 overall pick in the 2012 WNBA Draft by the Lynx. She did not make her league debut until the 2014 season.
The Fever have been making strides this season, partly due to the addition of standout rookie Caitlin Clark, and Dantas' return is expected to further bolster their playoff contention efforts. Dantas' reactivation to the roster required the team to waive rookie Celeste Taylor, who had appeared in five games this season. Taylor was the No. 15 pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft.
Dantas' return comes at a crucial time as the Fever aim to solidify their position in the standings.
“I can bring everything,” Dantas said. “More energy, I have experience: I've played in this league for nine years, so I hope I help my teammates.”
The Fever open their road trip against the Storm Thursday, followed by the Mercury on Sunday. They finish their road trip in Las Vegas against the Aces on Tuesday.
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