‘Mama bear’ DeWanna Bonner has seen all of it, will present WNBA title-contending Fever the way in which

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“… when she speaks, everyone listens. I believe that was a chunk of the factor that we have been lacking final yr.”

• DeWanna Bonner is the WNBA profession leaded in playoff video games performed and gained two WNBA championships with Phoenix.
• Bonner is fourth on WNBA’s all-time profession scoring checklist (7,482 factors), passing Tamika Catchings final season.

INDIANAPOLIS — Bounding up the steps to the Fever follow fitness center on the primary day of coaching camp Sunday, Kelsey Mitchell appeared ecstatic.

Not only for her eighth season in a Fever jersey, however for among the new gamers round her — together with 15-year veteran DeWanna Bonner, who joined the crew through free company this offseason.

“I obtained DB, I obtained the very best vet on this planet!” Mitchell shouted towards the digicam, each her and Bonner flexing within the hallway.

It’s a distinct expertise for Mitchell, who’s used to being the veteran because the longest-tenured participant on the roster. She has been with the Fever since she was drafted No. 2 general in 2018 as has practically all the time been thought to be the veteran of the younger group.

Now, she has her personal veterans to lean on this season.

“I believe for us, with the brand new environment, the brand new coaches, every little thing new, it feels actually good,” Mitchell mentioned. “It feels recent. Type of like while you take your garments out the dryer, it feels recent. It feels completely different, and it feels good, as a result of we obtained new gamers, we obtained vet management, so I believe all that mixed simply makes for an excellent environment.”

And Bonner, a well-traveled participant who holds the WNBA playoff recreation look report, is among the finest veterans on the market. 

She was drafted to Phoenix with the No. 5 general choose and performed the primary 10 years of her profession within the desert, successful championships in 2009 and ‘14. She was traded to Connecticut in 2020, taking part in for the Solar for 5 years. 

She performed underneath now-Fever coach Stephanie White in 2023 and ‘24, and the pair led the Solar to the WNBA semifinals every season. Then, a lot to White’s delight, Bonner got here to Indianapolis, too.

“She’s skilled numerous various things,” White mentioned. “Whether or not it’s teammates, taking part in with among the finest on this planet, franchises, coaches, all of these issues. Simply having her knowledge, having her data, having her mama bear persona, it’s so essential as a result of she understands the way to maintain you accountable, however the way to love on you too.”

Bonner is close to the highest of extra league information, too. She is fourth all-time on the profession scoring checklist with 7,482 factors, overtaking Fever legend Tamika Catchings’ 7,380 final season; tenth in defensive rebounds with 2,446; and third in video games performed with 502.

Following her former teammate Diana Taurasi’s retirement, Bonner is the longest-tenured energetic participant within the league. 

Bonner is aware of what it takes to win, each within the common season and within the postseason. She is a longtime veteran, a longtime chief. It doesn’t matter Bonner is on a brand new crew for the primary time in six years, both. She’s going to all the time embody that management high quality; that began even earlier than coaching camp.

“When you solely knew what number of textual content messages I obtained, like ‘What’s follow going to be like? What’s follow going to be like?'” Bonner mentioned with amusing. “… I obtained numerous textual content messages the evening earlier than, attempting to know Steph and what it takes, and like I mentioned, this crew needs to be higher, this crew needs to be nice.”

Bonner was precisely the kind of veteran this younger Fever crew must take that subsequent step into championship rivalry. Indiana had numerous expertise final season with All-Stars Mitchell, Aliyah Boston and Caitlin Clark main the way in which. The Fever improved to with a 20-20 report and its first playoff berth since 2016, however they have been swept by the Solar within the first spherical. 

However they have been lacking one key piece. Indiana didn’t have that bonafide chief, that veteran participant who is aware of what it takes to win a championship. 

Now, the Fever have that guiding gentle in Bonner. They usually wish to give her a 3rd ring.

“She’s been great not solely as a pacesetter, however she’s an amazing basketball participant, too,” Clark mentioned. “She’s gained championships, she is aware of what it’s, so when she speaks, everyone listens. I believe that was a chunk of the factor that we have been lacking final yr, we didn’t actually have that inside our locker room, so I’m simply actually grateful for that, simply the way in which she talks and he or she leads. For me, as a second-year level guard, I wish to win for her. That is the tip of her profession, and he or she deserves it.”