Damiris Dantas do Amaral (born November 17, 1992) is a Brazilian basketball player for the Indiana Fever of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) and Botaş SK of the Turkish Super League.[1]

Damiris Dantas
Dantas with the Lynx in 2019
No. 12 – Botaş SK
PositionCenter
LeagueTurkish Super League
Personal information
Born (1992-11-17) November 17, 1992 (age 32)
Ferraz de Vasconcelos, Brazil
Listed height6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Listed weight214 lb (97 kg)
Career information
WNBA draft2012: 1st round, 12th overall pick
Selected by the Minnesota Lynx
Playing career2011–present
Career history
2010–2011COC/Jundiaí
2011–2012Real Celta Vigo
2012Ourinhos
2013Maranhao
2013–2015Americana
20142015Minnesota Lynx
2015;
2017
Atlanta Dream
20192023Minnesota Lynx
2023–2024OGM Ormanspor
2024–presentIndiana Fever
2024–presentBotaş SK
Stats at WNBA.com
Stats at Basketball Reference Edit this at Wikidata
Medals
Women's basketball
Representing  Brazil
Pan American Games
Gold medal – first place 2019 Lima Team
Bronze medal – third place 2011 Guadalajara Team
FIBA AmeriCup
Gold medal – first place 2011 Neiva
Gold medal – first place 2023 León
Bronze medal – third place 2013 Xalapa
Bronze medal – third place 2019 San Juan
South American Championship
Gold medal – first place 2013 Mendoza
World Championship U-19
Bronze medal – third place 2011 Chile

Together with the junior Brazilian team, she won the bronze medal at the Under-19 World Championship in 2011, Chile, and was named Most Valuable Player at that tournament.[2] That same year, Dantas was also champion of the 2011 FIBA Americas Championship for Women with the senior national team,[3] and won a bronze medal at the 2011 Pan American Games.[4]

Dantas began to play basketball at Janeth Arcain's basketball institute at the age of 13. Within four years, she had become a professional.[5]

Dantas played for Ourinhos in 2012, Maranhão in 2013, and Americana in 2013–2015.[6]

WNBA

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Minnesota Lynx (2014–2015)

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Dantas was drafted by the Minnesota Lynx in the First Round of the 2012 WNBA draft - 12th Overall. Dantas was not expected to play in the WNBA until after the 2012 Olympic Games.[7]

She was signed by the Lynx on April 2, 2014.[8] Dantas made her WNBA debut on May 16, 2014, gathering 12 rebounds in a win against Washington.[9] Dantas became the second rookie in league history to debut with 10 rebounds and 5 assists. With Rebekkah Brunson being sidelined with tendinitis, Dantas became the starter, and soon led the WNBA rookies in rebounds.[10] On August 9, 2015, she made 18 points.[11]

Atlanta Dream (2015 and 2017)

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On July 27, 2015, Dantas was traded to the Atlanta Dream as part of the three-team deal.[12] She was suspended for the 2016 WNBA season after she failed to report to training camp, instead using the time to train with the Brazilian National team for the 2016 Summer Olympics that the country would host in Rio de Janeiro.[13] Atlanta retained Dantas's rights and they expected her to play with the team during the 2017 season.

Minnesota Lynx (2019–2023)

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On February 8, 2019, Dantas signed with the Minnesota Lynx as a free agent.[14] Dantas missed several games in 2019 due to a calf injury.[15] In 2019, Dantas started all 26 games she played in and recorded career-highs in minutes, points, and assists per game. She continued to expand her game and make herself valuable for the Lynx as she improved her outside shooting to open up the inside play for Sylvia Fowles.[16]

Dantas showed up in 2020 for the Lynx as they played in the WNBA Bubble. Over the 22-game campaign, Dantas shot 44.3% from three-point on just over four attempts beyond the arc per game, cementing her spot as one of the WNBA's elite-shooting bigs. She finished the season with averages of 12.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game.[17] Dantas and the Lynx agreed to a multi-year extension in September 2020 after she completed one of her best years in the WNBA. Coach Cheryl Reeve stated that, “Damiris has been such an important part of the Lynx culture since she first became a member of our organization in 2014...She has made great strides as a player over the last couple of years and remains an important element in our path forward.” [18]

Indiana Fever (2024–present)

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On February 1, 2024 Dantas signed a multi-year contract with the Indiana Fever.[19] Dantas had to miss the opening week of training camp due to an issue with her visa and a family emergency. She returned to Indianapolis for the second week of camp, but a knee injury prevented her from training with the team. The Fever suspended her contract while she recovered from her injury.[20] On June 25, 2024, the Fever activated Dantas.[21]

WNBA career statistics

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Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game  RPG  Rebounds per game
 APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game  BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game
 TO  Turnovers per game  FG%  Field-goal percentage  3P%  3-point field-goal percentage  FT%  Free-throw percentage
 Bold  Career best ° League leader

Regular season

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Stats current through end of 2024 regular season

WNBA regular season statistics[22]
Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG TO PPG
2012 Did not play (Olympic commitment)
2013 Did not play
2014 Minnesota 30 23 21.8 .511 1.000 .760 5.1 1.2 0.5 0.3 0.8 6.0
2015 Minnesota 16 4 16.7 .581 .667 .789 3.3 1.2 0.2 0.3 1.1 5.6
Atlanta 16 16 24.8 .383 .333 .973 5.4 0.7 0.9 0.6 1.1 8.3
2016 Did not play (Olympic commitment)
2017 Atlanta 34 2 18.0 .392 .265 .767 3.6 0.7 0.5 0.5 0.8 7.7
2018 Atlanta 19 0 13.4 .433 .238 .722 2.4 0.8 0.4 0.0 0.5 5.4
2019 Minnesota 26 26 25.6 .432 .393 .731 4.5 3.2 0.7 0.5 1.7 9.2
2020 Minnesota 22 22 26.6 .464 .433 .727 6.1 2.6 1.1 0.2 1.8 12.9
2021 Minnesota 24 20 23.8 .377 .333 .650 4.0 2.3 0.4 0.3 1.8 7.7
2022 Minnesota 15 15 17.5 .304 .262 .833 3.8 1.9 0.2 0.1 1.1 5.1
2023 Did not play
2024 Indiana 20 0 10.5 .459 .394 .667 2.2 0.6 0.3 0.3 0.6 4.5
Career 9 years, 3 teams 222 128 20.2 .426 .345 .776 4.1 1.5 0.5 0.3 1.1 7.4

Playoffs

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WNBA playoff statistics
Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG TO PPG
2014 Minnesota 3 0 8.4 .500 0.7 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.3 0.7
2019 Minnesota 1 1 28.0 .615 .333 1.000 6.0 1.0 2.0 0.0 5.0° 20.0
2020 Minnesota 4 4 34.3 .471 .519 .833 7.5 2.8 1.5 0.0 2.5 18.0
2024 Indiana 2 0 16.0 .500 .400 1.000 1.0 0.5 0.0 0.0 0.5 8.0
Career 4 years, 2 teams 10 5 22.2 .500 .474 .875 4.0 1.4 0.8 0.0 1.7 11.0

References

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  1. ^ Confederação Brasileira de Basketball – player profile. Archived 2010-09-25 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 24 October 2011
  2. ^ FIBA U19W – Dantas named MVP, Headlines All-Tournament Team. Archived 2014-04-07 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 24 October 2011
  3. ^ ¡Brasil Campeón FIBA Américas 2011 femenino!
  4. ^ "Basketball: Women's Bronze Medal Match 17". Guadalajara2011.org.mx. Archived from the original on 2014-08-19.
  5. ^ Q&A With Janeth Arcain | Part I
  6. ^ LBF Profile
  7. ^ "2012 WNBA Draft First Round". Archived from the original on 2014-04-07. Retrieved 2012-04-16.
  8. ^ Minnesota Lynx sign Brazilian center Damaris Dantas
  9. ^ "Lynx at Mystics, May 16, 2014". Archived from the original on May 17, 2014. Retrieved May 17, 2014.
  10. ^ Questions? Dantas Has Answers
  11. ^ "Damaris Dantas stats". WNBA.com. Retrieved 31 August 2016.
  12. ^ Dream Finalize Three–Team Trade with Minnesota and Chicago
  13. ^ "Atlanta Dream Waives Four to Finalize Roster - Atlanta Dream". Atlanta Dream. Retrieved 2016-05-19.
  14. ^ "Lynx sign forward Damiris Dantas". Fox Sports. Retrieved 2019-02-08.
  15. ^ "Damiris Dantas Injury Update". lynx.wnba.com. WNBA. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
  16. ^ Davidson, Katie (11 September 2020). "Dantas, Lynx solidify future together". thenext.substack.com. The Next. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
  17. ^ "Roster Review | Damiris Dantas". lynx.wnba.com. WNBA. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
  18. ^ "Lynx sign forward Damiris Dantas to multiyear extension". Fox Sports. 10 September 2020. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
  19. ^ "Fever Sign Damiris Dantas – Indiana Fever". fever.wnba.com. Retrieved 2024-06-06.
  20. ^ Rosvoglou, Chris (2024-06-06). "Indiana Fever Have Temporarily Suspended Player's Contract". The Spun. Retrieved 2024-06-06.
  21. ^ "Indiana Fever Activate Damiris Dantas and Waive Celeste Taylor – Indiana Fever". fever.wnba.com. Retrieved 2024-06-25.
  22. ^ "Damiris Dantas.750 WNBA Stats". Basketball Reference.
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