If you take a peek at Across the Timeline at the various records the site has archived – of which there are many – you’re more likely than not to come across DeWanna Bonner’s name.
Bonner, a six-time All-Star, two-time WNBA champion, three-time sixth woman of the year, multi-time All-WNBA first and second team member, is somehow overlooked by the league. Might just be by way of joining the oft-disrespeCTed Connecticut Sun, or by way of the fact that they are always the runner-up, never the winner in the postseason.
Bottom line is, Bonner is a veteran who deserves so much more respect than she receives.
And, we’d better start doing so sooner rather than later. By her own account, she’s getting up there in athlete years at 37 years old.
“I just want to win. I’m old,” said Bonner in the Sun’s postgame press conference after pushing the team’s series against the Minnesota Lynx to five, an elimination game. In Game 4, Bonner racked up 18 points, eight rebounds, and four assists on 67 percent shooting. A masterful, clean performance from the vet forward not trying to do too much in a do or die game.
DeWanna Bonner was asked about apparently exchanging words with Cheryl Reeve during the game:
“Just playoff basketball — both teams want to win, and that’s that.”
“I just want to win. I’m old.” pic.twitter.com/lFkakk3u4K
— Noa Dalzell 🏀 (@NoaDalzell) October 7, 2024
In terms of postseason stats and records broken by the legendary Bonner, the list is long.
Ahead of Game 5, she’s just behind Tamika Catchings for second-most rebounds in the postseason, and just behind Candace Parker for second-most steals in the postseason, per Across the Timeline. She’s just behind Diana Taurasi in total points scored in the postseason with 1,177 per the WNBA stats site. She’s also leading her team in steals per game with two this postseason while sitting just behind Marina Mabrey for most points per game for the Sun in these playoffs with 16.3.
DeWanna Bonner moves up to 2️⃣ on the All-Time Playoffs points list, surpassing Candace Parker with a total of 1,150 points 🏆#WelcometotheW pic.twitter.com/aNVUkp4zxZ
— WNBA (@WNBA) October 5, 2024
You wouldn’t really know that from how she’s been covered this year, or any other year, though. And that’s a disservice to fans new and old who crave watching history being broken live by active legends like Bonner.
You have to scroll fairly down the WNBA’s Twitter page to find any mention of her – just one in reference to her key performance in Connecticut’s Game 4 victory. On the league’s homepage, there’s no mention of Bonner at all. Nothing about her breaking records this postseason, about her ascending the list of greats that include Taurasi and Parker, Catchings and Maya Moore.
Unfortunately, what many have probably seen about Bonner so far this postseason has nothing to do with her performance, and much to do with a completely different player no longer in the playoffs as well as a veteran journalist breaking the cardinal rule of the trade – don’t become the story.
So, this is where she will be getting her flowers amidst that chaos she did nothing to bring on. Bonner, who has been the truest definition of a veteran to a squad already chock full of veterans, and who is not new to the rodeo that is postseason basketball. Before coming to Connecticut, she was making her presence known with the Phoenix Mercury, where she won two championships and was named Sixth Woman of the Year three times.
Before then, she was smashing records at Auburn University, where she was SEC Player of the Year in 2009 as well as an All-Defense team member. She was a multi-time SEC First Team member and a part of an SEC All-Freshman list that included Parker.
Destined for greatness might be a cliché, but when a player like Bonner fits that exact bill, it’s hard not to exhaust. When she’s a plus on the floor for Connecticut this postseason, they win. When she isn’t, they have a hard time navigating the floor defensively as they seek to knock down a high-caliber offense in Minnesota.
