The legacy of DeWanna Bonner

Bonner is also seven points away from passing Tina Thompson on the all-time leading scorer list, which would move her into third all-time, and three rebounds away from eighth in WNBA history. She currently has 7,482 total career points in the WNBA — regular season only. (In the playoffs, it’s another 1,101 points and counting.)

“In a lot of ways she’s been an incredibly consistent player, but she’s a really good leader,” Bonner’s head coach, Stephanie White, said earlier this month. “She is someone who has been in multiple situations in her career, as far as her role. She’s been on championship-caliber teams. She understands what it takes to win…And she’s a great calming influence and reasonable voice for us in the huddles and in the locker room, her teammates respect her.

“For me it’s great to have somebody like that because she is like a coach on the floor. She’s got great perspective and you trust what she’s saying and then to be able to come to us and tell us how they’re feeling. You know, what are they looking for, different options that we could maybe look for.”

Bonner’s legacy goes all the way back to 2009, when she was drafted fifth overall to the Phoenix Mercury. She would spend 10 years of her career there and become a two-time WNBA champion with the franchise [2009 and 2014].

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Bonner has been playing for the Connecticut Sun franchise for the past four years, where she found herself in the starting lineup right away. She is probably the biggest trade deal that Connecticut has landed in franchise history. She made an immediate impact on the team and ranked third in the league for points in 2020. In the first three games in a Sun uniform, Bonner scored 82 points. That set a new WNBA record for points scored in the first three games with a new team.

Bonner is a five-time WNBA All-star (2015, 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2023) and has earned sixth player of the year honors three times (2009, 2010 and 2011).

When asked about the emotions she has had about reaching 500 career games, Bonner told The Next, “I didn’t know that until you just said that, but that’s pretty cool. I’m blessed to be able to play that many games in this league. Happy to be here and happy to still be playing.”

Bonner embodies the league

Bonner isn’t always a player people think of when they think about WNBA legends, but her stats have proved the impact she has made on the league.

Alyssa Thomas, Bonner’s fiancé and Connecticut Sun forward, gave praise to all that she has overcome and accomplished throughout her career.

“I think it’s an underrated legacy. She’s somebody that’s not talked about a lot. I mean, she has a chance to be top three all time in scoring and I mean, that’s kind of unheard of and unreal but we appreciate everything she does here, and we know what she’s capable of,” Thomas told The Next.

Bonner learned from other veteran players in the league, which has allowed her game to flourish relatively quickly behind their guidance. 

“I learned from the best, I had the blueprint of Diana. She’s been in this league and been great a long time, so I just had that. And following her footsteps and her path which is pretty cool,” Bonner said. And as far as her accomplishments, she accredits them to hard work and discipline. “Working in the off season, perfecting my craft, getting better and better and adding things to my game and staying healthy,” she told The Next about how she improves her game.

Bonner has left a mark

Bonner’s legacy has impacted younger generations of players, including her current teammate Sun forward Olivia Nelson-Ododa. Nelson-Ododa has looked up to Bonner throughout the years and has learned from her leadership.

“I mean, it’s crazy. I remember coming to some of the Connecticut Sun games when I was in college, and watching her play, and then, I end up here,” Nelson-Ododa told The Next. “So, it’s kind of like a full circle moment for me in terms of just watching her and other players and just studying their game, and really being able to pay attention to that and actually being able to share the floor with them.”

Her leadership has been an important factor for the current Sun team and her experience provides a lot depth.

“Just talking with her, being able to pick her brain about different things, different things that she’s been through playing basketball in this league for so long. And I think that’s just such valuable things to have, especially for a player like myself,” Nelson-Ododa said.

It’s praise echoed by her head coach.

“I just appreciate her so much,” White said. “It’s been incredible to continue to watch her journey and this I say reemergence but maybe even new found confidence. But I think it’s a tribute to her teammates to being able to get her the ball in positions to be successful and a contribute to her work, to be able to play at such a consistent level for such a long time.”

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