The Fever might want to frame that May 24 roster photo. It’s the closest they have come to full strength all season. Ever since then, they have been missing one or more key players in every game. What began with Caitlin Clark’s left quad strain, followed by injuries to Sydney Colson and Sophie Cunningham, is now continuing with DeWanna Bonner sidelined due to personal reasons. And Damiris Dantas is all set to carry that legacy forward in some time.
Her veteran presence for the Fever hasn’t been explosive, but it has provided them stability. Her major contribution came during the team’s win against Connecticut on the 18th. There she bagged 13 points in just 16 minutes. Apart from that, she has been averaging 4.6 points in around 11.7 minutes. Not a great stat, but not bad either. Because her mindset and motivation compensate for it. “Just play together. Don’t be nervous. Just enjoy the moments,” she once said.
Is Damiris Dantas leaving and why?
Yes, the Fever are expecting Dantas to miss five games between June 25 and July 8. She’s leaving not because of an injury or personal reasons. She will be playing as the backup center for Brazil in the FIBA Women’s AmeriCup tournament. This tournament is set to take place in Santiago, Chile, between June 28 and July 6.
Damiris Dantas (overseas commitment) will temporarily step away from Fever after Tuesday’s game, per @chloepeterson67.
— Underdog WNBA (@UnderdogWNBA) June 21, 2025
Due to her WNBA commitments with Indiana, Damiris Dantas won’t be able to join Brazil’s training camp in São Paulo when it begins on June 15. Instead, she will link up with the national squad in Chile just prior to the competition. She will be departing the Fever following their three-game West Coast road trip. That will conclude in Seattle on June 24.
Her call doesn’t come off as a surprise, though. She has been a cornerstone of Brazil’s national team for a long time now, ever since her senior debut in 2010. She earned MVP honors at the U‑19 World Championship (2011), helped Brazil win the FIBA Americas title that same year, and the South American Championship in 2013. Now, she will return once again for the 2025 AmeriCup campaign, where the Chicago Sky center Kamilla Cardoso is also expected to play for Brazil.
Indiana Fever’s next move?
The Indiana Fever could be in a tight spot soon. With DeWanna Bonner already out for personal reasons, they might drop to just nine available players. This would happen if Bonner doesn’t return and backup center Damiris Dantas leaves for national team duties. This could force the Fever to take emergency action and go down a path they went just a few days ago.
Under Article VII, Section 4(b)(i) of the WNBA’s collective bargaining agreement, a team is eligible to sign an emergency hardship player if fewer than ten players are available due to injuries, illness, or other extenuating circumstances. If both Bonner and Dantas are out at the same time, Indiana would legally qualify for the same.
They have already used this option once this year when Caitlin Clark and Sophie Cunningham were injured. They brought in Aari McDonald as a short-term fix. McDonald is still a free agent and could be an option again if they need guard help. But with Bonner (their backup four) and Dantas (their backup five) possibly both missing, the Fever would probably look for a frontcourt player instead to shore up their post depth.
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