DeWanna Bonner’s heartbreaking loss in the WNBA Finals was not the lowest blow she would take this week. Before she could even process the loss of her team, the Indiana Fever fans reopened some old wounds, reminding her and the basketball world in general of a particularly traumatic incident from earlier this year.
Bonner, now a Phoenix Mercury player, also became a trend following her Finals game and the emotional baggage that fans introduced. Indiana fans took to social media to take a look back at her brief stint with the Fever and the still-pending tension over her midseason departure.
A return to old tensions
Bonner signed with the Indiana Fever earlier this year in a signing touted as veteran stabilizing signing for a youth roster led by Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston. The signing seemed to promise balance between youth and experience but it quickly collapsed.
In nine games, Bonner used “personal reasons” as a justification and asked for a release, leaving franchise and loyalists alike in shock. Her departure was preceded by speculation about locker room problems and an impression of her leadership style not being compatible with the new team chemistry.
Months after Bonner’s Mercury lost in the Finals, Fever fans revived the wounds from the break-up, with some relating the loss to poetic justice.
“DeWanna Bonner really talked all that … just to lose in the Finals. The Fever were right to move on.“
It was not the first time trolls on social media had gone against Bonner, but this most recent intensity felt like vengeance.
Mercury management steps in her defense
As fans reopened old debates, Phoenix Mercury management jumped to defend Bonner quickly. General Manager Nick U’Ren praised the veteran’s impact and deflected criticism as undeserved.
“DeWanna has been exactly what we needed – steady, competitive, and passionate,” said U’Ren, adding that her leadership returned Phoenix to championship contention.
Bonner’s stats speak for themselves. She paced the Mercury in playoff offensive and defensive rebounds, showing she had it again at 36. Her emotional leadership, according to teammates, kept the locker room focused throughout a tough playoff run.
The emotional undercurrent
The Indiana fan response to her loss is about something greater, abuot how sporting emotional loyalties can cross over into private grievance.
Since she left the Fever, many felt betrayed by a player who was supposed to help bring out their rising stars. Those fans are now replaying her Finals loss to keep alive a narrative that she very well might have wished was behind her.
But those around Bonner say she is ignoring it, paying more attention to what comes next than to what people are posting on social media. “DeWanna’s been through everything in this league,” Mercury assistant said. “She’s tougher than people realize.”
Even after this kinf of losses, Bonner remains a cornerstone of the Mercury franchise and a reminder that athletes can often carry more than just the weight of a score board.
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