Damiris Dantas

Dantas with the Lynx in 2019
No. 12 – Botaş SK
Position	Center
League	Turkish Super League
Personal information
Born	(1992-11-17) November 17, 1992 (age 31) Ferraz de Vasconcelos, Brazil
Listed height	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Listed weight	214 lb (97 kg)
Career information
WNBA draft	2012: 1st round, 12th overall pick
Selected by the Minnesota Lynx
Playing career	2011–present
Career history
2010–2011	COC/Jundiaí
2011–2012	Real Celta Vigo
2012	Ourinhos
2013	Maranhao
2013–2015	Americana
2014–2015	Minnesota Lynx
2015; 2017	Atlanta Dream
2019–2023	Minnesota Lynx
2023–2024	OGM Ormanspor
2024–present	Indiana Fever
2024–present	Botaş SK
Stats at WNBA.com
Stats at Basketball Reference
Medals Women's basketball Representing  Brazil Pan American Games 2019 Lima Team 2011 Guadalajara Team FIBA AmeriCup 2011 Neiva 2023 León 2013 Xalapa 2019 San Juan South American Championship 2013 Mendoza World Championship U-19 2011 Chile

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]

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]

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]

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.

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]

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]

Stats current through end of 2024 regular season

• Career statistics and player information from WNBA.com and Basketball-Reference.com 
• Media related to Damiris Dantas at Wikimedia Commons