Report: DeWanna Bonner expected to sign with Phoenix Mercury

WNBA veteran DeWanna Bonner is expected to sign with the Phoenix Mercury, according to ESPN. Bonner was drafted by Phoenix in 2009 and spent the first 10 years of her pro career with the team.

Bonner was most recently a member of the Indiana Fever. She played nine games in Indiana before she was waived by the team after she stepped away from the team, citing limited minutes and a poor fit as the reason why. She missed five games due to what the team called personal reasons before being waived. In a corresponding move, Indiana signed Aari McDonald for the rest of the 2025 WNBA season.

She will resume her 16th WNBA season with the Mercury. She is expected to sign her contract in the coming days.

At the time, Front Office Sports’ Annie Costabile reported that Bonner didn’t have interest in playing for the Fever anymore leading up to her release, and was seeking a change of scenery. The report also stated Bonner’s preferred destinations could include the Atlanta Dream or a return to the Mercury, which is now expected to pan out.

“I want to sincerely thank the Indiana Fever for the opportunity to be part of the Fever franchise,” Bonner said in a statement at the time. “Despite our shared goals and excitement heading into the season, I felt the fit did not work out and I appreciate the organization’s willingness to grant my request to move on, particularly at this point in my career. I wish the Fever great success as they continue to build around this dynamic group of young players.”

Across the nine games that she played for the Fever this season, Bonner averaged 7.1 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.6 assists. Her best game came on May 28 against the Washington Mystics, when she scored a team-high 21 points with star guard Caitlin Clark out due to injury.

For her entire career, Bonner has averaged 14.8 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists. She has played in 598 games in a WNBA uniform, including 87 playoff games. She is a six-time WNBA All-Star and two-time WNBA champion.

In addition, Bonner’s fiancé, Alyssa Thomas, currently plays for the Mercury, one of Bonner’s two preferred destinations. The couple were previously teammates for five seasons on the Connecticut Sun from 2020-24. Now, they will be reuniting in Phoenix — the team that drafted Bonner fifth overall in 2009.