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WNBA Reacts to DeWanna Bonner’s Career Move After Being Released by Indiana Fever originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The Phoenix Mercury had a lot of roster turnover after the 2024 season, which was the final campaign for the WNBA’s all-time leading scorer, Diana Taurasi.
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Five of the team’s top six scorers from last season are no longer with the Mercury, including Brittney Griner, now with the Atlanta Dream, and Sophie Cunningham, who joined forces with Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever.
However, the Mercury have decided to bring back a former standout as veteran forward DeWanna Bonner is returning to Phoenix, where she played the first 10 seasons of her WNBA career from 2009-19.
The WNBA reacted on Tuesday to the return of the former Mercury All-Star, who played just nine games this season with the Fever.
“Back where it all began ✨,” the league wrote. “DeWanna Bonner is returning to the @PhoenixMercury, the team that drafted her in 2009 and where she became a 2x WNBA Champion.”
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Bonner was drafted No. 5 overall in the 2009 WNBA Draft by Phoenix and won the WNBA Sixth Woman of the Year award three consecutive times from 2009-11. She also helped Phoenix win championships in 2009 and 2014 while earning the first three of her six trips to the All-Star game.
Bonner also spent five seasons on the Connecticut Sun from 2020-24 before heading to Indiana during last offseason. However, she struggled to get in a rhythm with the Fever and averaged 7.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.2 steals in nine appearances.
But now that Bonner is back in Phoenix, she could revive her season because of her familiarity with the team, which has the second-best record in the league at 13-6. Bonner has averaged double figures in each of her first 15 seasons in the WNBA.
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Former Indiana Fever forward DeWanna Bonner (25).© Grace Smith/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The Mercury defeated the Dallas Wings 102-72 on Monday as they prepare for Wednesday’s game against the Minnesota Lynx.
Forward Satou Sabally scored 20 points against Dallas. She has been named an All-Star starter in her first season in Phoenix and is averaging 19.1 points, 7.7 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.4 steals per game.
Related: Ranking the 25 Best WNBA Players of All Time
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 8, 2025, where it first appeared.
