The Indiana Fever have activated the contract of veteran forward Damiris Dantas, the team announced on June 25.
In order to keep the roster at the maximum requirement of 12 players, Indiana waived rookie guard Celeste Taylor.
The Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year at Ohio State last year and the 15th overall pick in the 2024 WNBA draft, Taylor was the team’s second selection behind Caitlin Clark, who was chosen with the top pick. The Fever also drafted Leilani Correa out of Florida at No. 27 overall.
The Fever inked Dantas to a multi-year contract in February of 2024 (terms undisclosed). The 6-foot-3 forward promises to provide help for Clark and company both in the post and beyond the arc, as she’s a 34.1% shooter from beyond the arc over her nine seasons in the WNBA.
Fever Cutting Celeste Taylor Isn’t Much of a Surprise
Celeste Taylor was named ACC Defensive Player of the Year (2022-23) and now, Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year. An impressive feat.
“It’s cool to see how my defense has grown in different systems.” #Buckeyes
The 5-foot-11 Taylor appeared in just five games for the Fever this season, averaging 0.6 points, 0.2 rebounds and 0.2 assists in 3.2 minutes of action per contest.
“They always say the easy part is getting drafted, the hardest part is staying. I want to be a player that stays in the league and not just one that makes it for one year or even for a training camp,” Taylor said after getting drafted in April, via Eleven Warriors.
“I think for me, (my focus is on) coming in and learning the business side, understanding everything that comes with it. It’ll be new for me, it’ll be new for everyone around me, trying to enjoy the moments and stay with it and stay with my faith and work hard,” she added.
A standout defender in college, she was won back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year titles in the ACC in 2022 and 2023. Taylor spent two years at the University of Texas before transferring to Duke, where she played for an additional years before using her final year of eligibility at Ohio State.
Over her five-year collegiate career, she averaged 10.8 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists.
What Might We Expect to See From Damiris Dantas?
The 31-year-old Dantas made her WNBA debut in 2014 and has since established herself as one of the best 3-point shooting bigs in the league.
She has been limited by a right knee injury in recent years, last playing for the Minnesota Lynx in 2022. Per the Indianapolis Star, the Brazilian-born Dantas missed the Fever’s training camp in May due to a visa issue coupled with a death in the family.
She’ll join an Indiana lineup featuring starting bigs Aliyah Boston and NaLyssa Smith, along with reserves Temi Fagbenle and Katie Lou Samuelson.
The addition of Dantas to the roster should help Clark in multiple areas, as it’ll give Indiana another threat from downtown. Dantas should also give the Fever more physicality in the paint, which has been an issue for the team at times this season.
“Dantas gives us a WNBA veteran with experience in the post and her international experience in the Olympics will also benefit our team,” Fever general manager Lin Dunn said after signing her. “She will be a tremendous addition on both ends of the floor as well as in our locker room.”
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Indiana Fever Cut Former Big Ten Standout, Add Veteran Big to Help Caitlin Clark