Mery Andrade
| Toronto Raptors | |
|---|---|
| Title | Assistant Coach |
| League | NBA |
| Personal information | |
| Born | December 31, 1975 |
Listed height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) |
Listed weight | 169 lb (77 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Old Dominion (1995–1999) |
| 1999: 2nd round, 23rd overall pick | |
| Drafted by | Cleveland Rockers |
Playing career | 1999–2015 |
| Position | Forward |
| Number | 10, 23 |
| Career history | |
Playing | |
| 1999–2002 | Cleveland Rockers |
| 2004 | Charlotte Sting |
Coaching | |
| 2015–2019 | San Diego (assistant) |
| 2019–2022 | Erie BayHawks / Birmingham Squadron (assistant) |
| 2022 | Petro de Luanda (assistant) |
| 2023–present | Toronto Raptors (assistant) |
| Stats at Basketball Reference | |
Mery Elizabeth Fernandes Andrade (born December 31, 1975) is a Portuguese professional basketball coach and former player, currently serving as an assistant coach for the Toronto Raptors in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Born in Cape Verde and raised in Portugal, Andrade had a distinguished playing career before transitioning into coaching.
Playing career
Andrade played for Old Dominion University from 1995 to 1999. During her tenure, she was instrumental in leading the Old Dominion Lady Monarchs to four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, including a run to the 1997 NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Championship game.
She earned multiple accolades, including:
- Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Co-Player of the Year (1999)
- Three-time CAA Defensive Player of the Year
- Three-time All-CAA Selection
- CAA All-Defensive Team Selection
- Ranks fourth all-time in CAA history with 382 career steals
In 2010, Old Dominion University retired her jersey number 23 in recognition of her contributions.
WNBA
Andrade was selected 23rd overall in the 1999 WNBA Draft by the Cleveland Rockers. She played five seasons in the league:
- Cleveland Rockers (1999–2002): Contributed to multiple playoff appearances, including an Eastern Conference Finals run in 2000.
- Charlotte Sting (2004): Played her final WNBA season in Charlotte.
International career
Beyond the WNBA, Andrade had a prolific international playing career:
- Portugal: Played for Quinta dos Lombos, winning both the League Championship and Cup Championship.
- Italy: Played for teams including TermoCarispe La Spezia, Pool Comense (Italian Championship), Phard Napoli (FIBA Cup Champion), Umana Venezia (Italian Cup), Le Mura Lucca, and DIKE Napoli.
- Italian League: Three-time All-Star in Italy.
- Portuguese National Team: Represented Portugal for 19 years, solidifying her status as one of the country’s greatest basketball players.
Coaching career
Following her playing career, Andrade transitioned into coaching, working at multiple levels of professional and international basketball.
Assistant Coaching Experience
- Toronto Raptors (NBA, 2023–Present): Currently an assistant coach under Darko Rajaković.
- Boston Celtics (Summer League, 2023): Served as an assistant coach for the Boston Celtics' Summer League team.
- Petro de Luanda (BAL, 2022): Assistant coach in the Basketball Africa League.
- Birmingham Squadron (NBA G League, 2021–2023): Played a key role in player development, contributing to multiple playoff appearances.
- Erie BayHawks (NBA G League, 2019–2021): Developed players and helped shape team success.
Head Coaching Experience
- Led a showcase team in 2021.
- Head coach of Quinta dos Lombos Youth International Team (2013–2014).
Education
- Old Dominion University – Bachelor’s Degree in Sport Science
- Coaching Certifications:
- Italy: Coach certificate Level II
- Portugal: Coach certificate Level II
- Italy: Personal Trainer Certification in Health & Wellness
Career statistics
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game | RPG | Rebounds per game |
| APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game | BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game |
| TO | Turnovers per game | FG% | Field-goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field-goal percentage | FT% | Free-throw percentage |
| Bold | Career best | ° | League leader |
College
Source
| Year | Team | GP | Points | FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | BPG | PPG |
| 1995-96 | Old Dominion University | 32 | 352 | 51.7% | 70.8% | 4.8 | 2.7 | 0.7 | 11.0 |
| 1996-97 | Old Dominion University | 36 | 407 | 44.8% | 73.4% | 6.3 | 3.6 | 0.4 | 11.3 |
| 1997-98 | Old Dominion University | 32 | 455 | 48.4% | 72.8% | 6.8 | 3.5 | 0.3 | 14.2 |
| 1998-99 | Old Dominion University | 32 | 408 | 45.0% | 78.4% | 6.8 | 3.7 | 0.9 | 12.8 |
| Career | 132 | 1622 | 47.2% | 74.0% | 6.2 | 3.4 | 0.6 | 12.3 |
WNBA
Source
Regular season
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | TO | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Cleveland | 32° | 1 | 11.4 | .390 | .292 | .692 | 1.6 | 1.5 | '.6 | .1 | 1.3 | 2.2 |
| 2000 | Cleveland | 32° | 18 | 24.9 | .456 | .360 | .750 | 3.0 | 2.3 | 1.3 | .3 | 2.0 | 8.3 |
| 2001 | Cleveland | 32° | 32° | 27.9 | .339 | .200 | .667 | 2.7 | 3.1 | 1.6 | .3 | 1.9 | 4.8 |
| 2002 | Cleveland | 32° | 16 | 20.8 | .306 | .192 | .783 | 1.8 | 2.1 | .9 | .2 | 1.3 | 2.8 |
| 2004 | Charlotte | 12 | 0 | 5.4 | .429 | .000 | 1.000 | .3 | .6 | .0 | .1 | .3 | .8 |
| Career | 5 years, 2 teams | 140 | 67 | 19.9 | .381 | .288 | .729 | 2.1 | 2.1 | 1.0 | .2 | 1.5 | 4.2 |
Playoffs
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | TO | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Cleveland | 6 | 5 | 27.7 | .242 | .000 | .556 | 2.8 | 2.3 | 1.0 | .5 | 1.8 | 3.5 |
| 2001 | Cleveland | 3 | 3 | 24.0 | .353 | .500 | – | 3.0 | .3 | .7 | .7 | 2.3 | 4.3 |
| Career | 3 years, 1 teams | 9 | 8 | 26.4 | .280 | .091 | .556 | 2.9 | 1.7 | .9 | .6 | 2.0 | 3.8 |
Languages
Andrade is fluent in English, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, and Criolo.
Philanthropy and Community Involvement
Andrade is actively involved in charitable activities, including cancer awareness campaigns, basketball clinics, and community outreach programs.
Awards and honors
- #23 Jersey Retired by Old Dominion University
- CAA Co-Player of the Year (1999)
- Three-time CAA Defensive Player of the Year
- Three-time All-CAA Selection
- Three-time CAA All-Defensive Team Selection
- Ranks fourth all-time in CAA history with 382 career steals
- Three-time Italian League All-Star
- WNBA Eastern Conference Finals appearance (2000)
- Two-time WNBA Playoffs participant
References
- ↑ Star, Chelsea Leite, Special to the (January 14, 2024). "She's a basketball legend in Portugal. Now assistant coach Mery Andrade is an important part of the Raptors' future". Toronto Star. Retrieved February 25, 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ↑ "Mery Andrade, identified as 'big-time coaching talent' by New Orleans Pelicans, proved her worth with Erie Bayhawks this season". www.thebirdwrites.com. Archived from the original on October 12, 2021. Retrieved February 25, 2025.
- ↑ "ODU Media Guide" (PDF). odusports.com/. Retrieved August 28, 2017.
- ↑ "Mery Andrade WNBA Stats". Basketball Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved July 13, 2026.
External links
- Mery Andrade Basketball Player Profile, Sacres Mapei Napoli, ODU, News, Seria A1 stats, Career, Games Logs, Bets, Awards - eurobasket.com
- Old Dominion Athletics – Mery Andrade’s Jersey Retirement
- WNBA Draft History – 1999 WNBA Draft Results
- Basketball Africa League – Petro de Luanda Coaching Staff
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