The Indiana Fever‘s offseason has been eventful, with key signings aimed at strengthening their roster ahead of the 2025 WNBA season.
Among the new additions is veteran forward DeWanna Bonner, a six-time WNBA All-Star and two-time champion, who signed a one-year deal after five seasons with the Connecticut Sun.
While Bonner‘s arrival was initially met with excitement, a comment she made during her introductory press conference quickly became a source of controversy.
A social media post by the Fever highlighted a quote from Bonner that mentioned several teammates but noticeably left out star rookie Caitlin Clark, sparking frustration among fans.
Fans react to Bonner’s omission of Clark
During the press conference, Bonner spoke about her excitement to play with her new teammates, particularly emphasizing how their presence would make scoring easier.
“Playing with Kelsey [Mitchell] and Lexie Hull and [Aliyah Boston], it’s just going to be easy to score,” Bonner said in a quote shared by the Fever.
This statement led to immediate backlash, with some fans interpreting the omission of Clark as a deliberate slight.
“Yeah, was stoked she’s came here. But by leaving CC out that statement she can pound salt and leave,” one fan commented. Another wrote, “Umm, already hating on CC-not good.”
Some argued that Bonner should have avoided naming specific teammates altogether to prevent any controversy. One user stated, “I don’t like that she didn’t mention CC. She shouldn’t have named anybody.”
Others suggested that tensions from previous seasons might be influencing Bonner’s comments, with one person claiming, “Still salty about CC… she won’t last long here.”
Bonner sets the record straight
While many were quick to assume that Bonner had intentionally overlooked Clark, others pointed out that the snippet shared by the Fever did not include her full statement.
In reality, Bonner had spoken highly of Clark during the press conference, expressing her enthusiasm about playing alongside the young sharpshooter.
“I couldn’t be more excited to step on the floor with Caitlin,” Bonner clarified. “I hope that I can give her some knowledge and take her game to a bigger level, so when I retire, she can pass that along to other players.”
The Fever‘s decision to highlight only part of Bonner‘s remarks may have unintentionally fueled the backlash. However, as training camp approaches, any lingering concerns about team chemistry will likely be put to rest once players start working together on the court.
The 2025 WNBA season is set to begin on May 16, with the Fever‘s first game scheduled for May 17 against the Chicago Sky. Fans will be watching closely to see how Clark and Bonner build their on-court partnership in the months ahead.
Read the full article here
