Less than two months ago, DeWanna Bonner dropped 12 points and snagged nine boards for the Phoenix Mercury in a 10-point loss to the Atlanta Dream. Fast forward to today, and the veteran is now wearing a Dream jersey, playing a crucial role in their run to the WNBA Finals, a stunning turnaround that few saw coming. It’s a wild ride for Bonner, who’s been in the league for 17 seasons, and it’s got everyone talking about just how quickly fortunes can change.
From Mercury Release to Dream Sign-On: The Wild Week That Changed Everything
Bonner’s path to Atlanta was as unexpected as it gets. On August 22, she was still with the Phoenix Mercury, a team that had become the first since 2008 to miss the playoffs after a Finals appearance. Her storied career looked like it was heading for a depressing end. But then, on August 24, the Mercury released her, right before the deadline for player playoff eligibility from waivers. Just three days later, on August 27, Bonner officially signed with the Dream for the rest of the season.
Dream general manager Dan Padover, who took over basketball operations in 2022, spilled the beans on how it all went down. “It happened that Phoenix and her worked out a deal to allow her to make a run in the postseason and that turned into a mini-free agency with a bunch of teams that went after her,” Padover said earlier this month. He added that the Dream was “fortunate” because they had “made a run at her the last few free agencies,” and she already had “a great relationship with our players.” Padover has been busy building this Dream squad, making five separate trades over the last four years to bring in all five starters: Jordin Canada, Allisha Gray, Rhyne Howard, Naz Hillmon, and Angel Reese. That’s a lineup stacked with talent: three All-Stars, last season’s Sixth Player of the Year, this season’s Defensive Player of the Year, and three All-Defensive honorees. But even with all that, the Dream coach Karl Smesko admits, “without Bonner falling in their lap, the Dream might not be in the Finals for the first time since 2013.”
Bonner’s Veteran Wisdom: The X-Factor The Dream Needed
So, what does Bonner bring? Experience, pure and simple, and you can’t put a price on that. She’s in her 17th season, a two-time champion, and the only player in WNBA history to hit over 100 postseason appearances, with a staggering 103 playoff games under her belt. Dream rookie Isobel Borlase put it best, joking that Bonner has “played more playoff games than I have regular-season games,” which is an understatement since Borlase has only 44 career games. When Bonner debuted in 2009, Borlase wasn’t even five years old!
Dream coach Karl Smesko didn’t hold back on the praise. “I think she’s made a difference both in terms of how good a player she is. She contributes to winning every time she’s out there. And I think she has everybody’s attention,” Smesko said after the team’s last pre-Finals practice. He highlighted her leadership, saying, “She has the right thing to say at the right moment. She’s just been a great addition for us as a player and as a leader.” Borlase echoed that, pointing out, “I think the biggest thing for us in the locker room is just her voice. She’s a calming voice but also a motivator.”
Now, as the Dream head into the Finals, all eyes are on Bonner. Her incredible journey from being released to becoming a Finals X-Factor in less than two months is the stuff of legend. Will her veteran presence and championship DNA be enough to push the Dream to a title? We’re about to find out, and it’s going to be wild.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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