DeWanna Bonner might’ve long moved on from her time with the Indiana Fever, but the fans sure didn’t. When she, now with the Phoenix Mercury, played at the Fever’s turf on Wednesday, she was met with booes and any negativity that everyone would notice. In fact, this could be one of the crucial reasons behind Bonner’s underwhelming performance that night.
Bonner might not give double-digit stats every night, but when she plays, it’s often at her fullest. However, her match against the Fever spoke otherwise: four points and a rebound in 21 minutes doesn’t scream done. In reference, her last games saw her scoring 18 points and two boards.
Despite the noise DeWanna Bonner faced at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Fever head coach Stephanie White stayed neutral. She didn’t feed the drama and made her respect for Bonner clear.
“Weird seeing her on the other side. But at the end of the day, basketball is basketball and relationships are relationships. And DB is one of my all-time favorites. … I care about DB as a person.”
DeWanna Bonner once played under White, not at Indiana, but in Connecticut, when White was the head coach. Last season, the Sun had a trip to the playoffs, even defeating the Fever in the first round. However, they were defeated by the Minnesota Lynx (2-3) in the second round, which prompted the Sun to part ways with White and Bonner.
Bonner’s time with the Sun cemented the mutual respect she shares with Stephanie White. Even on opposing sides, that bond hasn’t faded. Bonner also made it clear her exit from Indiana was her call—shutting down any talk that she was pushed out or unwelcome.
Stephanie White praises DeWanna Bonner’s vibe with Phoenix
Before the Phoenix Mercury’s Wednesday game against the Indiana Fever, Stephanie White praised DeWanna Bonner’s seamless transition to the Mercury, acknowledging Bonner’s fit with her new team’s stars.
“I think she’s fit in perfectly with Phoenix. Her and AT play so well together, and she does a really good job of adding a different dimension with her ability to be that stretch four, her and Satou [Sabally] being able to play on the floor at the same time with AT,” White said.
“It’s going to be different to game-plan against her, her and AT both, really, honestly, after having been on the sideline with them for a couple of years, it’s going to be different to game-plan against her.”
steph white on DB joining phoenix:
“i think she fits in perfectly with phoenix. her and AT play so well together—with her ability to be that stretch four, compliment satou—she’s comfortable there—i’m glad that she’s happy and i’m glad she’s found her spot.” pic.twitter.com/OVSpS21gOp
— cc akgae (@clrkszn) July 29, 2025
DeWanna Bonner and the Mercury notably lost against the Fever, 107-101, resuming their struggles mid-season. Their next trip: the Atlanta Dream on Friday.
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Dan has been active in sports since 2016 and has worked behind the scenes as a scriptwriter for basketball, volleyball, and other sports. At a time, Dan has also been working as a sports commentator for CBA Pilipinas. During the pandemic, he has also been actively writing betting articles for CashBet and BetNow.
