INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Fever have re-signed six-time WNBA All-Star and 12-year WNBA veteran Candice Dupree to a multi-year contract as announced by Head Coach and General Manager Pokey Chatman. Dupree will return to the Fever for her second season in 2018.
Dupree is a 6-2 forward who led the Fever with 15.0 points and 5.8 rebounds per game in 2017. A 33-game starter for Indiana last year after her acquisition as part of a three-team trade, Dupree has played 32 or more games in 11 of her 12 WNBA seasons.
In all, Dupree has started 376 of 380 games since her arrival in the league in 2006. She boasts career averages of 14.7 points and 6.8 rebounds per game, spending seven seasons with Phoenix and her first four in Chicago. Dupree ranks ninth in WNBA career rebounds (2,569) and 10th in points (5,602), and has scored more 2-point field goals (2,280) than any player in league history.
Dupree’s No. 4 jersey was recently retired at Temple University where she starred under former WNBA guard and current University of South Carolina and U.S. National Team head coach Dawn Staley. Following her All-America college career, Dupree became the first draft pick in Chicago Sky history and was named to the 2006 WNBA All-Rookie Team. She has averaged double-figure scoring through each of 12 seasons and started every game of the Mercury’s championship season of 2014.
She is regarded as an active, athletic rebounder and defender, boasting 64 career double-doubles including a franchise-record 32 career double-doubles with Phoenix, and four during her first season with Indiana. Defensively, she averages just shy of one steal (0.9) and one blocked shot (0.7) per game in her WNBA career, and ranks seventh among WNBA active shot blockers (275). Offensively, she averages 50.2 percent shooting in her career, including five seasons among the WNBA’s top ten in percentage. Her 66.4 percent clip in 2010 led the WNBA and set a Phoenix single-season record.
In six playoff seasons with the Mercury, she was a 56.9 percent shooter while averaging 14.8 points and 5.7 rebounds per game. Besides the 2014 title, she helped Phoenix reach the conference finals or WNBA semifinals in every postseason appearance.
“We are ecstatic Candice will continue her impressive career with us,” commented Chatman who also coached Dupree during two seasons in Russia. “Her experience, efficiency, versatility, high IQ and ability to put her voice and actions on the process of success is vital. Simply put, she is an All-Star and a champion!”
Noting her top international and overseas experience, Dupree was a finalist for the 2016 U.S. Olympic Women’s Basketball Team. She is a two-time gold medalist with USA world championship teams in 2010 and 2014. Playing overseas in Poland, Slovakia, Russia and China, she was named the top power forward in Europe in 2011 by EuroBasket.com, and the EuroLeague Defensive Player of the Year in 2010.
Candice Dupree • #4 • Forward
Height: 6-2
Age: 33
Seasons in Indiana: 1
Years Pro: 12
Career Points: 1,518
Career Average: 14.7 PPG
College: Temple
Acquired: Three-team trade with Phoenix & Connecticut 2/21/2017
Watch Me Work