Izi Castro Marques

WNBA career

Castro Marques began her WNBA career after leading the Paulista League in scoring with BCN Osasco in 2001, earning an invitation to the Miami Sol's training camp. She made the final cut and signed with the Sol, becoming the second-youngest player in the league at 20 years, 1 month, 12 days. After the Sol folded at the end of 2002, she signed with the Phoenix Mercury in 2003 but was waived that season. She sat out the 2004 WNBA season to focus on the Brazilian national team for the Summer Olympics.

Returning in 2005 with the Seattle Storm, she became a starter for the first time. After being benched early in 2006 due to erratic play, she regained the starting role following eight games in reserve. In 2007 she started all 34 games and averaged 12.3 ppg, her first double-digit scoring season, and gained playoff experience. On February 6, 2008, Seattle traded her and a first-round pick to the Atlanta Dream for Roneeka Hodges and the fourth overall pick.

She had her best years there, averaging a career-high 16.9 ppg in 2010 and helping the Dream reach the WNBA Finals in 2010 and 2011. In 2012 she sat out the first half of the season for Olympic preparation, then signed with the Washington Mystics for 11 games. She signed with the Connecticut Sun in 2013, her final WNBA season.

Overseas career

Castro Marques played overseas extensively during her career. In the 2002-03 off-season she played for Aix Basket in France, followed by Perfumerias Avenidas in Spain in 2003-04, and B.C. Euras Ekaterinburg in Russia in 2004-05. She played for USK Praha in the Czech Republic in 2005-06, TTT Riga in the Euroleague in 2006-07, and Hondarribia-Irun in Spain and Ourinhos in Brazil in 2007-08.

During the 2008-09 off-season she played for Villeneuve d'Ascq in France, Extragusa Vilagarcia in Spain, and Spartak Moscow in Russia. She signed with Wisła Can Pack Kraków in Poland for 2009-10, played for Beşiktaş JK in Turkey in 2010-11, and then played for her hometown team Maranhao Basquete in Brazil from 2011 to 2013. She played for Sampaio Basquete in Brazil in 2015-16 and continued there in 2016-17 before retiring.

International competitions

Castro Marques's national team finished fourth at the 2004 Summer Olympics and the 2006 FIBA World Championship for Women, which Brazil hosted. She was not included in the 2008 Olympic roster after refusing to enter a quarterfinal game in overtime following a verbal altercation with her coach during the 2008 FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Spain.

She was cut from the 2012 Olympic team due to an act of indiscipline involving bringing her boyfriend to concentration. She won a bronze medal at the 2011 Pan American Games. Castro Marques played for Brazil at the 2016 Summer Olympics as team captain, her last Olympics before retiring from the team.