Destanni Henderson Biography 2024: Age, Relationship, Net Worth, Family, Height, Education, Personal Life, Career and Stats
Destanni Henderson, born on February 2, 1999, is a professional basketball player from the United States.
She has previously played for the Indiana Fever, Los Angeles Sparks, and Phoenix Mercury teams.
During her college years, Henderson showcased her skills as a basketball player for the South Carolina Gamecocks, contributing to their national championship victory and earning first-team All-Southeastern Conference honors in her senior year.
In high school, she achieved remarkable success by securing three consecutive state titles, being selected as a McDonald’s All-American, and being recognized as the top point guard in her class by ESPN.
Henderson also represents the United States national team and recently won a gold medal at the 2021 FIBA AmeriCup.
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | February 2, 1999 Fort Myers, Florida, U.S. |
| Listed height | 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) |
| Listed weight | 140 lb (64 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Fort Myers (Fort Myers, Florida) |
| College | South Carolina (2018–2022) |
| WNBA draft | 2022: 2nd round, 20th overall pick |
| Selected by the Indiana Fever | |
| Playing career | 2022–present |
| Position | Point guard |
| Number | 24 |
| Career history | |
| 2022 | Indiana Fever |
| 2023 | Los Angeles Sparks |
| 2023 | Phoenix Mercury |
| 2023-2024 | Antalya BSB Toroslar BC |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Early Life and High School Career
Henderson was born on February 2, 1999, in Fort Myers, Florida, to Joyel James and Derrick Henderson.
She began playing basketball at the age of four, but it wasn’t until she was 11 that she started taking the sport seriously.
Henderson grew up competing against boys and male relatives, as well as through the YMCA.
She joined the Florida Future, an Amateur Athletic Union program based in Fort Myers, in fifth grade.
Henderson played for Fort Myers Senior High School, where she was named to the Class 7A All-State Second Team in her freshman season.
As a sophomore, she led her team to its first Class 6A state championship while averaging 15.3 points, 4.3 assists, 3.5 rebounds, and three steals per game.
Henderson earned Class 6A All-State First Team honors and was recognized as The News-Press All-Area Player of the Year.
During her junior season, Henderson helped Fort Myers win the Class 7A state title while averaging 17.7 points, 4.3 assists, and four rebounds per game.
She was named The News-Press All-Area Player of the Year for the second consecutive year and was honored as Class 7A Player of the Year.
In her senior year, Henderson secured a third consecutive state championship for Fort Myers in the Class 7A state tournament.
She finished the season with averages of 15.2 points, 6.1 assists, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.3 steals per game.
Henderson’s outstanding performance earned her invitations to play in the McDonald’s All-American Game and Jordan Brand Classic.
She was also named Florida Miss Basketball, Florida Gatorade Player of the Year, and Class 7A Player of the Year.
The News-Press recognized her as the Female Athlete of the Year and Basketball Player of the Year.
In 2020, she was honored as The News-Press Player of the Decade by the newspaper’s writers and editors.
Henderson, rated as a five-star prospect and the top point guard in the 2018 class according to ESPN, made her commitment to play college basketball for South Carolina on January 15, 2017.
Despite receiving scholarship offers from prestigious programs such as Notre Dame, Tennessee, Ohio State, NC State, and Florida State, she ultimately chose South Carolina.
Henderson had been offered a spot on the team by South Carolina during her eighth grade year, and was particularly drawn to the program by head coach Dawn Staley.
Her commitment made her the highest-ranked recruit for the program since A’ja Wilson in 2014.
College Career
On November 11, 2018, Henderson made her debut for South Carolina, scoring 13 points in a dominant 94–38 victory against Alabama State.
She showcased her skills again on February 3, 2019, recording an impressive season-high of 19 points, along with four rebounds and two assists, leading her team to an 87–79 win over Arkansas.
As a freshman, Henderson displayed her talent by averaging 5.5 points and 1.3 assists per game, earning her a well-deserved spot on the Southeastern Conference (SEC) All-Freshman Team.
Continuing her success, on March 7, 2020, she achieved a sophomore season-high of 21 points in a commanding 90–64 victory over Arkansas during the SEC tournament semifinals.
Henderson played a crucial role in her team’s triumph at the SEC Tournament and was honored with all-tournament recognition.
Throughout her sophomore year, she maintained an average of 8.5 points and 2.8 assists per game.
With the departure of Tyasha Harris, Henderson stepped up as a regular starter for South Carolina in her junior season.
On November 29, she displayed her scoring prowess by contributing 23 points, all in the second half, leading her team to a hard-fought 79–72 triumph over Gonzaga at the Crossover Classic.
Her outstanding performance earned her the title of the tournament’s most valuable player.
On January 18, 2021, Henderson achieved her first career double-double, recording 14 points and 10 assists in a convincing 104–82 victory against Arkansas.
She continued to shine on March 7, scoring 18 points and grabbing nine rebounds in a thrilling 67–62 win over Georgia at the SEC tournament final, securing her place on the all-tournament team.
Henderson’s contributions were instrumental in guiding her team to the Final Four of the 2021 NCAA Division I Tournament.
Throughout her junior year, she showcased her versatility, averaging 12.2 points, 5.1 assists, and 4.7 rebounds per game.
On November 29th, Henderson sustained an injury to her left leg during a game against North Carolina A&T.
Following a three-week absence, she made her return on December 21st and delivered an impressive performance, contributing 17 points, seven assists, and a career-high seven steals in a 65-61 victory over second-ranked Stanford.
This remarkable display led South Carolina to overcome an 18-point deficit, marking the largest comeback in the program’s history.
In her final game of the regular season on February 27th, 2022, Henderson showcased her skills by scoring 23 points in a 71-57 triumph against Ole Miss.
Her contributions were instrumental in South Carolina’s journey to winning the national championship.
During the title game, she achieved a personal best of 26 points, along with four assists and three steals, in a 64-49 victory over UConn.
Henderson played a crucial role as the primary defender against Paige Bueckers, limiting her to 14 points.
As a result of her outstanding performance, she was selected for the Final Four all-tournament team.
Throughout her senior year, Henderson maintained an average of 11.5 points, 3.9 assists, and 3.1 rebounds per game.
Her exceptional performance earned her a spot on the First Team All-SEC and she also received Third Team All-American honors from the United States Basketball Writers Association.
Professional Career
Indiana Fever (2022–2023)
In the 2022 WNBA draft, Henderson was selected by the Indiana Fever in the second round, 20th overall, on April 11, 2022.
However, her time with the Fever was short-lived as she was waived on May 16, 2023.
Los Angeles Sparks
Following her departure from the Fever, Henderson joined the Los Angeles Sparks on June 16, 2023, signing a Hardship Contract.
She played for the Sparks until the All-Star break, but her hardship contract was terminated on July 16, 2023, when Layshia Clarendon returned from injury.
Phoenix Mercury
On August 7, 2023, Henderson signed a 7-Day Contract with the Phoenix Mercury.
She extended her stay with the team by signing a second 7-Day Contract on August 14, 2023.
However, after the conclusion of her second contract, Henderson was not re-signed by the Mercury.
Antalya BSB Toroslar BC
In June 2023, Henderson made a move to the Turkish Women’s Basketball Super League (KBSL) and EuroCup team, Antalya BSB Toroslar BC.
National Career
Henderson was selected to represent the United States at the 2016 FIBA Under-17 World Championship for Women in Spain.
She had an impressive performance on June 27, 2016, scoring 15 points, grabbing seven rebounds, and dishing out seven assists in a 79–62 victory over Brazil in the Round of 16.
Throughout the tournament, Henderson maintained solid averages of 7.1 points, five assists, and 4.4 rebounds per game, contributing to her team’s success in securing the bronze medal.
She later competed with the senior national team at the 2021 FIBA AmeriCup in Puerto Rico, where she posted averages of 5.5 points and 3.7 assists per game, ultimately earning a gold medal.
Personal Life
Henderson inherited her nickname, “Boss,” from her mother, who was called “Boss Hog” by her grandfather, inspired by the character from The Dukes of Hazzard.
Upon joining the Florida Future team in fifth grade, her coach Jamie Outten dubbed her “Lil Boss,” a name that evolved into simply “Boss” as she matured.
Henderson pursued a major in criminology and criminal justice at the University of South Carolina, where she earned a spot on the SEC Academic Honor Roll for five semesters within her initial three years at the institution.
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