Caitlin Clark Gives Promising Update on Return as Damaris Dantas Will Step Away Soon for Brazil Team

Indiana Fever rookie sensation Caitlin Clark provided an optimistic timeline for her return from a minor ankle sprain on Friday, just as veteran forward Damaris Dantas announced she will temporarily step away to join Brazil’s national team for upcoming international qualifiers.

Clark’s Road to Return

Clark, who has been sidelined since tweaking her right ankle in practice last week, reported that she’s made significant progress in her rehabilitation.

“I’m feeling a lot better,” Clark said after Friday’s light shooting session at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. “The swelling’s down, I’ve got full range of motion back, and I’m doing on-court agility drills without pain. My goal is to be available for Sunday’s road game in New York.”

Head coach Marianne Stanley echoed the rookie’s confidence but cautioned that the team will proceed carefully.

“We want Caitlin at 100%,” Stanley said. “She’s doing everything right in training and therapy. As long as she continues to improve, we’re looking at a possible return this weekend against the Liberty.”

If Clark suits up Sunday, she’ll miss just two games—Tuesday’s home matchup with the Chicago Sky and Thursday’s tilt in Atlanta.

Dantas to Join Brazil

Meanwhile, 31-year-old forward Damaris Dantas—who has averaged 8.4 points and 5.7 rebounds over 20 games this season—will leave the Fever next week to represent Brazil at the FIBA Americas Championship in Buenos Aires, beginning June 20.

“I’ve dreamed of wearing the green and yellow since I was a kid,” Dantas said. “This is a chance to help my country qualify for the Olympics, and I couldn’t say no.”

Fever general manager Lin Dunn praised Dantas’s decision. “We fully support her representing Brazil on the international stage. She’s a consummate professional, and her leadership here will be missed, but this is a huge honor for her.”

Dantas is expected to rejoin the Fever immediately after Brazil’s campaign concludes around July 5.

Team Impact and Depth

Indiana enters the weekend with a 16–10 record, holding third place in the Eastern Conference. While Clark’s presence will inject much-needed firepower, Dantas’s absence creates a frontcourt vacancy—one that rookie center Alessandra Fortes and veteran forward Kelsey Mitchell may help fill.

Alessandra Fortes: Has averaged 12 minutes per game off the bench and is coming off a career-high 10-point outing against Seattle.
Kelsey Mitchell: Primarily a guard, but Stanley indicated she may spend more time in small-ball lineups to cover for Dantas.

“We’ve built depth,” Stanley noted. “It’s an opportunity for others to step up. And once Damaris is back, we’ll be even stronger.”

Looking Ahead

The Fever’s next three contests—at New York (Sunday), home vs. Phoenix (Tuesday), and at Atlanta (Thursday)—will test the team’s resilience. Clark’s return on Sunday would bolster Indiana’s backcourt, while Dantas’s absence will challenge its frontcourt rotation.

“I feel good,” Clark reiterated. “I’m itching to get back out there. We’ve worked too hard to let a little sprain slow us down.”

On the international front, Dantas’s stint with Brazil is expected to raise her profile and sharpen her game against elite competition. Indiana fans, in turn, will eagerly await her homecoming in early July—and the official return of their rookie star.