Mery Andrade

Mery Andrade
Toronto Raptors
TitleAssistant Coach
LeagueNBA
Personal information
Born (1975-12-31) December 31, 1975
Cape Verde
Listed height6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Listed weight169 lb (77 kg)
Career information
CollegeOld Dominion (1995–1999)
WNBA draft1999: 2nd round, 23rd overall pick
Drafted byCleveland Rockers
Playing career1999–2015
PositionForward
Number10, 23
Career history
Playing
1999–2002Cleveland Rockers
2004Charlotte Sting
Coaching
2015–2019San Diego (assistant)
2019–2022Erie BayHawks / Birmingham Squadron (assistant)
2022Petro de Luanda (assistant)
2023–presentToronto 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. [1]
  • 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. [2]

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

Legend
  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[3]

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[4]

Regular season

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG TO PPG
1999 Cleveland 32°111.4.390.292.6921.61.5'.6.11.32.2
2000 Cleveland 32°1824.9.456.360.7503.02.31.3.32.08.3
2001 Cleveland 32°32°27.9.339.200.6672.73.11.6.31.94.8
2002 Cleveland 32°1620.8.306.192.7831.82.1.9.21.32.8
2004 Charlotte 1205.4.429.0001.000.3.6.0.1.3.8
Career 5 years, 2 teams 1406719.9.381.288.7292.12.11.0.21.54.2

Playoffs

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG TO PPG
2000 Cleveland 6527.7.242.000.5562.82.31.0.51.83.5
2001 Cleveland 3324.0.353.500–3.0.3.7.72.34.3
Career 3 years, 1 teams 9826.4.280.091.5562.91.7.9.62.03.8

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

  1. ↑ 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)
  2. ↑ "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.
  3. ↑ "ODU Media Guide" (PDF). odusports.com/. Retrieved August 28, 2017.
  4. ↑ "Mery Andrade WNBA Stats". Basketball Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved July 13, 2026.


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