Stephanie White Addresses Benching Indiana Fever Veteran

Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White has explained why Damiris Dantas didn't play in their last three games.

Before the Fever faced the Portland Fire on Saturday night, head coach White was asked by the media why the veteran received three straight DNPs.

The former Coach of the Year winner explained that it was mainly due to Makayla Timpson's strong showing and the opposition they faced during this stretch.

"It's gone a little bit with [Makayla Timpson] playing well and a little bit because of our opponent," White said.

Additionally, White highlighted how they adjusted to the flexibility of other teams' rotations on both ends of the floor and how Timpson has been more impactful.

"I mean, small teams playing with versatile lineups and having the versatility that [Timpson] brings offensively and defensively," White stated. "...especially when we were in a lot of our switches, has kind of kept [Dantas] out of the rotation."

But during their game against the Fire, Dantas still found herself sitting on the bench throughout the game and never checked in during their 100-84 loss.

Timpson still got the heavy minutes, playing 25 minutes and finishing with 11 points, six rebounds and two blocks.

This trend shouldn't continue for long. White herself made it clear that the former No. 12 pick in the 2012 WNBA Draft will be back in the rotation sooner or later.

"Certainly not something that's going to continue," White assured pregame. "I mean, the matchups that we have moving forward, when you think about our next three or four games, I expect DD to be back in the rotation."

Dantas last saw action against the Seattle Storm on May 17, where she tallied three points and one block in six minutes of play.

In four appearances this season, Dantas has averaged 4.0 points and 1.0 rebounds in 9.3 minutes per game.

Related: Sophie Cunningham Comments on Indiana Fever's Situation

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This story was originally published May 31, 2026 at 4:04 AM.