DeWanna Bonner‘s journey this season has been nothing short of dramatic – and her recent words after clinching a trip to the WNBA Finals suggest she’s still grappling with what happened earlier with the Indiana Fever.
Bonner and the Phoenix Mercury sealed their spot in the Finals thanks to a Game 4 victory over Minnesota, sparking celebration in the locker room and among fans. But among her remarks, there was a subtle dig that many believe was aimed at her former team in Indiana.
Bonner was asked about her reintegration into Phoenix midseason and her emotional state heading into the Finals. She spoke candidly: “I came in midseason … I was at a low point in my career, and they just picked me up and loved me with open arms.”
Her gratitude toward the Mercury was clear – and that contrast painted a quiet picture of how things unfolded in Indiana. While she didn’t call out the Fever by name, those comments carry weight, given she left Indiana after just nine games, citing a misfit and seeking a trade.
Throughout the season, tension simmered between Bonner and the Fever‘s star, Caitlin Clark. On at least one occasion in a matchup between Phoenix and Indiana, the two exchanged heated words during a timeout, and Clark gestured toward Bonner to return to her bench, an exchange that made headlines.
Those moments added fuel to rumors that their relationship deteriorated quickly following Bonner‘s arrival in Indiana.
Redemption and narrative control
Now, Bonner finds herself in a position few expected back in Indiana-heading into the Finals with the team she always had deeper ties to. The implied contrast is obvious: Phoenix embraced her midseason; Indiana’s chapter seems over. Whether that message resonates with Fever fans or the organization doesn’t quite matter.
She’s in the title fight, and her words tell a story of vindication, of being valued, and of quiet confidence that she made the right move.
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