Indiana Fever Sign Veteran Damiris Dantas and Waive Rookie Celeste Taylor
The Indiana Fever have activated veteran forward Damiris Dantas’ contract, as announced on June 25. To maintain their roster at the maximum 12-player limit, the team waived rookie guard Celeste Taylor.
Taylor, who was the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year at Ohio State last year and the 15th overall pick in the 2024 WNBA draft, was the Fever’s second selection after Caitlin Clark, who was chosen first overall. Additionally, the Fever drafted Leilani Correa from Florida with the 27th pick.
Dantas signed a multi-year contract with the Fever in February 2024, with undisclosed terms. The 6-foot-3 forward is expected to support Clark and the team both inside the paint and from beyond the arc, where she has a career 34.1% three-point shooting percentage over nine WNBA seasons.
Celeste Taylor’s Waiver Comes as No Surprise
Despite her defensive accolades, including being named ACC Defensive Player of the Year in 2022-23 and Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year in 2023-24, Taylor appeared in only five games for the Fever this season, averaging 0.6 points, 0.2 rebounds, and 0.2 assists in 3.2 minutes per game.
After being drafted, Taylor emphasized the challenge of staying in the league, saying, “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.”
During her five-year college career, Taylor averaged 10.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game. She played for the University of Texas, Duke, and used her final year of eligibility at Ohio State.
What to Expect from Damiris Dantas
Dantas, 31, debuted in the WNBA in 2014 and is recognized as one of the league’s best three-point shooting bigs. She has faced right knee injuries in recent years, last playing for the Minnesota Lynx in 2022. She missed the Fever’s training camp in May due to a visa issue and a family bereavement.
Dantas will join Indiana’s lineup featuring starting bigs Aliyah Boston and NaLyssa Smith, along with reserves Temi Fagbenle and Katie Lou Samuelson. Her addition is expected to bolster the team’s three-point shooting and physicality in the paint.
“Dantas gives us a WNBA veteran with experience in the post, and her international experience in the Olympics will also benefit our team,” said Fever general manager Lin Dunn. “She will be a tremendous addition on both ends of the floor as well as in our locker room.”
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