When the Indiana Fever signed DeWanna Bonner to a one-year contract back in February, the move marked one of the most significant off-season additions across the WNBA. Now, months later, as the regular season approaches, Bonner is fully integrated into the Fever’s culture and poised to begin her next chapter — this time, wearing red and navy.
Bonner, a 15-year WNBA veteran who ranks fourth all-time in scoring, reunites with Fever head coach Stephanie White after spending the past five seasons with the Connecticut Sun.
“DeWanna is one of the greatest players in the history of our league,” said Fever COO and General Manager Amber Cox. “She is a multi-dimensional scorer, can play every position on the floor, and shines brightest in the biggest moments. DB’s longevity and success in the WNBA has everything to do with the work she puts in, as well as her competitive drive.”
Bonner’s résumé speaks for itself. She enters the 2025 season with 7,482 career points — six shy of tying Tina Thompson for third on the WNBA’s all-time scoring list. She also ranks second among active players in career rebounds (3,067), steals (603), and three-pointers made (2,052).
Drafted fifth overall by the Phoenix Mercury in 2009, Bonner won titles in her rookie season and again in 2014. She earned WNBA Sixth Player of the Year honors in each of her first three seasons and has since made six All-Star appearances. She’s coming off another All-Star campaign with the Sun in 2024, averaging 15.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 2.0 assists in 31.8 minutes per game. She joined Tamika Catchings as just the second player in league history to surpass 7,000 points, 3,000 rebounds, and 1,000 assists.
Bonner elevated her production in the playoffs, averaging 16.0 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 1.9 steals in seven games, including back-to-back wins over the Fever that ended Indiana’s season. She also holds the WNBA record for most playoff games played in league history, with 83 appearances.
Leadership and Chemistry from Day One
O-board battle won by DeWanna Bonner, securing a 3-point lead for the @IndianaFever heading into the 4Q 💯
— WNBA (@WNBA) May 3, 2025
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Bonner began laying the foundation for her transition to Indiana even before training camp began. She reached out to both Caitlin Clark and Aaliyah Boston during free agency to get a feel for the franchise and locker room culture.
When asked about joining Indiana, Bonner highlighted the team’s environment and potential.
“Man, the youth, the growth of this market, the fans — I’m just excited to be a piece of the puzzle that hopefully gets us over the hump,” Bonner told BallIsLife.com.
That early outreach resonated with her future teammates.
“I was super excited to talk to DB, especially that first time,” Boston said. “I just told her what a great, number one fan base we have here, but also just the people and the players that we have here that make this so special.”
Bonner Brings Veteran Presence To the Fever
During training camp, Bonner has been working to find her role within the Fever’s young core. She’s eager to be a piece in the puzzle that bring the best out of Clark, Boston, and the whole group.
“They like to run, they like to push the pace,” she told BallIsLife.com, referencing Clark and Boston. “But they’re just basketball players. I’m just trying to see where I fit in to make them even more successful than they were last year.”
That connection was evident in a playful moment between Bonner and Clark during a drill. Clark shoved Bonner’s arm; Bonner grabbed her wrist and wouldn’t let go. The two laughed before resuming practice.
Reflecting on that growing bond, Bonner smiled. “The relationship is going great,” she said. “I love C.”
Clark said Bonner’s presence has already made a major impact, noting that her leadership extends beyond just on-court production and includes daily conversations, accountability, and building cohesion among a roster still learning how to mesh.
“DB has been tremendous. Like, she’s such a selfless leader. She’s here to win. She says that, but she really means it and she leads in that example every single day,” said Clark. “Like we were just sitting over there talking after today, just talking about practice and things we need to work on, things that went well. Everybody knows we have so much talent, but at the same time, you got to put that together. It’s not going to be like, ‘Alright, you have all these great players, you step out on the court, it’s going to work.’ It’s going to take a little bit of time to figure things out, figure out how everybody works with one another.”
Clark noted how Bonner has filled a much-needed leadership gap in the locker room — one that wasn’t fully present during Indiana’s 2024 campaign.
“So DB’s been tremendous, and obviously, not only as a leader, she’s a tremendous basketball player, too, and she’s won championships,” Clark said. “She knows what it is. So when she speaks, everybody listens. I think that was a piece of the thing we were missing last year — we didn’t really have that inside our locker room. So just really grateful for that. And you know, just the way she talks and she leads — for me as a second-year point guard, I want to win for her. This is the end of her career. She deserves it.”
Mentorship for the Present and Future
Bonner isn’t just building relationships with new teammates — she’s reuniting with former Phoenix Mercury teammates Sophie Cunningham and Brianna Turner. Both entered the league as rookies when Bonner was a veteran in Phoenix.
Speaking about Turner, Bonner said she’s seen tremendous growth.
“Oh man, it’s so crazy — I had [Brianna] when she was a rookie,” Bonner told BallIsLife.com. “Just to see her growth as a person and a player — and getting her confidence back. Being here with someone that’s familiar, who believes in her — I’m excited to see what she does this season.”
Bonner is the only Fever player who has previously played under Stephanie White. As camp approached, she became a go-to resource for teammates wanting to understand White’s system.
Bonner shared her impressions of Indiana’s young roster. “It’s definitely different because you go from playing with an older group in Connecticut to a younger one [in Indiana],” Bonner said. “But the most impressive thing is them wanting to be better. They want to be a great team, a great organization. They want that leadership, so it’s just all eyes looking at me like, ‘OK, D.B., what do you want to do next?’ … I’m just trying to give them all of the knowledge I can while also saving my breath because they’re fast.”
Boston praised Bonner’s basketball IQ and communication. “What doesn’t she bring? Experience, leadership, just her mindset, her IQ. Everything she does — she communicates so well,” Boston told BallIsLife.com. “She helps us no matter what we’re doing on the court, and I think that’s always going to be important for us.”
Asked how she approached this offseason, Boston said she adjusted her game to better complement Clark.
“Just making sure my pace is great,” Boston told BallIsLife.com. “Obviously, Caitlin was a big change for us with the way she plays, and I think being able to know that going into this season helped my preparation for sure. Anytime we’re on the court together, it’s a chance to grow. We’ve been doing that — continuing to play to each other’s strengths. We know exactly what each other likes to do, and we use that to our advantage.”
White said Bonner’s ability to connect is invaluable, especially for a Fever team undergoing a culture transformation.
“DB is vocal. You know, she might not say it in front of the masses, but she certainly is going to bring the team together and bring players off to the side and talk to them about what it takes, about the little things,” White said. “She’s experienced a lot of different things, whether it’s been teammates, playing with some of the best in the world, franchises, coaches, all of those things. And so just having her wisdom, having her knowledge, and having her mama bear personality, I mean, it’s so important because she understands how to hold you accountable, but she understands how to love on you, too.”
Indiana Fever Have Eyes on the Prize
With 14 playoff appearances in 15 seasons, Bonner’s postseason résumé speaks for itself. She’s reached at least the semifinals in each of the last five years — and holds the WNBA record for most playoff games played, with 83.
Looking ahead to 2025, Bonner said the Fever are focused on staying even-keeled.
“We’re young. We’ve got to take it one game at a time,” Bonner told BallIsLife.com. “We have to treat every game as a learning experience — whether that’s a win or a loss, we’ve got to learn from it and continue to grow. Can’t get too high, can’t get too low. And if we do those things, I think we’ll be good.”
As the Fever focuses on establishing a strong defensive identity, Bonner is eager to help be a voice that ensures that process reaches its fullest potential.
“That’s the one thing we’ve been focusing on,” Bonner told BallIsLife.com. “That’s the first thing we do every day. We know we have to be better than we were last season in order to compete with the top teams in the league. We’re excited to play defense this year. I’ll make sure of it.”
White reinforced that mindset. “Pressure is a privilege. We’re not shying away from the fact that we want to win a championship,” she said.
As one of the league’s all-time greats, Bonner isn’t just in Indiana to chase banners — she’s here to build them.
