Indiana Fever sign former Rookie of the Year Crystal Dangerfield

INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Fever are bringing in a gifted, but non permanent, reinforcement. Hours earlier than their season opener Friday on the street in opposition to the Washington Mystics, the franchise introduced that it signed Crystal Dangerfield to a hardship exception contract.

Dangerfield was the 2020 Rookie of the Yr and spent her first two seasons with the Minnesota Lynx. Throughout her rookie marketing campaign, the 5-5 guard averaged a team-high 16.2 factors per sport and had eight 20-point performances. Dangerfield regressed final season, averaging 7.7 factors with one 20-point outing.

The previous UConn standout was waived by the Lynx on Tuesday and picked up by the shorthanded Fever. Indiana finalized its 12-player roster Thursday, however since Alaina Coates, Bria Hartley and Danielle Robinson are fulfilling abroad obligations, the crew had 9 gamers heading into the season. In response to WNBA guidelines, if a franchise’s roster drops under 10 accessible gamers, a crew can search to signal a substitute participant — on the league’s discretion — to a hardship exception deal. That contract is terminated as soon as a non-replacement participant comes again and the roster returns to 10 normal gamers.

The Fever have had 5 straight dropping seasons however revamped their roster by way of this yr’s draft. Indiana had a WNBA-record 4 first-round picks, choosing NaLyssa Smith at No. 2, Emily Engstler at No. 4, Lexie Hull at No. 6 and Queen Egbo at No. 10. The Fever added Destanni Henderson, who helped South Carolina win the 2022 nationwide title, within the second spherical with the twentieth choose. All 5 rookies made the ultimate roster.

Observe IndyStar Pacers beat author James Boyd on Twitter: @RomeovilleKid. Attain him by way of e mail: jboyd1@gannett.com.