After the 2024 season, DeWanna Bonner decided to leave Connecticut and find a new home in free agency. She signed with the Indiana Fever, an addition that was supposed to propel the Fever toward title contention. Bonner didn’t live up to the hype and it quickly became obvious that she simply wasn’t a good fit in Indiana.
So, Bonner voiced her desire to play elsewhere—Phoenix or Atlanta, to be specific—and the Fever waived her. After some time of uncertainty, Bonner signed with the Phoenix Mercury, returning to the team that drafted her.
Her exit from the Fever wasn’t overly graceful, but it only took Bonner two games in a Mercury uniform to make her decision to leave look genius. The veteran played her best game of the season in her second game with the Mercury, helping her new team to a narrow victory over the Golden State Valkyries.
DeWanna Bonner played her best game of the season against Golden State
DeWanna Bonner has been a high-level scorer for most of her time in the WNBA, averaging 14.8 points for her career. With the Fever, she rarely showed that scoring prowess. In nine games, she only scored over ten points twice, including a 21-point performance in a loss to the Washington Mystics. Bonner didn’t get many good looks with the Fever, only taking more than five shots five times.
In her second game with the Mercury, Bonner looked quite different. She recorded her first double-double of the season and led the Mercury in scoring and rebounding despite coming off the bench. She finished the game with 22 points, 11 rebounds, two assists, and one steal in 29 minutes. While Bonner came off the bench, she played more minutes than any starter except for Alyssa Thomas and Sami Whitcomb.
Bonner only missed one of her eight field goal attempts and went 5-8 from the free-throw line. She was by far the most productive reserve in the game—and the most productive player overall—and helped the Mercury overcome the fact that they only had eight players available. The 78-77 victory marks the Mercury’s second consecutive win without Satou Sabally and Kahleah Copper.
Phoenix is a legitimate title contender
The Mercury have been one of the most successful groups in the league all season long. Despite injuries to its three stars, the team found a way to win and build a coherent system. Early on, Satou Sabally carried the team. Then, Alyssa Thomas took over. The Mercury’s supporting cast, which was often seen as one of the weaker ones in the league before the start of the season, stepped up big as well.
With 15 wins, the Mercury have the second-best record in the league, ahead of even the New York Liberty. The addition of Bonner only further strengthens Phoenix’s chances of going on a deep playoff run, especially if she continues to play like she did against the Valkyries.