Atlanta Dream Already See ’Benefit’ of Late DeWanna Bonner Addition
After the Phoenix Mercury were eliminated from the playoffs, DeWanna Bonner and the organization agreed to a contract buyout to allow the 39-year-old to sign with a playoff team and compete for a title in what could very well be her final WNBA season.
Bonner signed with the Atlanta Dream, which made a ton of sense from a basketball standpoint. Atlanta lacked depth at the three and four and bench production, as Karl Smesko rarely trusts anyone outside of Isobel Borlase and Madina Okot to play in big games.
Bonner made her Dream debut against the Minnesota Lynx and helped lead Atlanta to a big 89-81 win. She recorded 7 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal in 17 minutes off the bench. She was the only Dream reserve, who played at least ten minutes. In the postgame media availability, Karl Smesko highlighted the defensive versatility Bonner adds with her length and noted the value he hopes she can bring to the team after the World Cup break.
“She gave us a calming presence out there,” Smesko said, per a video by The Ballers Magazine. “It was great to see her out there in a Dream uniform, and I think you can see that she’s going to be a big benefit to us down the stretch here.”
Jordin Canada also credited Bonner with helping the team bounce back after a bad 101-83 loss to the Portland Fire.
“DB coming in, as soon as she got here using her voice and that vet leadership is something that we definitely needed to give us that edge,” Canada said in the postgame media availability, per a video by The Ballers Magazine.
Bonner could have an even bigger impact after the World Cup break
After 16 WNBA seasons and two championships, Bonner can always add veteran leadership and experience to any team she is on. She was also able to make an immediate impact on the court—without much time to get used to her new team or practice with her new teammates. Smesko admitted in the postgame media availability that Bonner knew the specific game plan for Minnesota, but that they hadn’t even had time to go over the Dream’s defensive principles yet.
So, the World Cup break is arriving at the perfect time for Bonner and the Dream. Angel Reese and Rhyne Howard will represent Team USA in Berlin, while Isobel Borlase will suit up for the Australian national team and Sika Kone should be one of the top players for Mali. Despite those absences, Bonner will get a chance to go over playbooks and defensive schemes with the coaching staff and get some practice time with Jordin Canada, Allisha Gray, Naz Hillmon, and the reserves that are sticking around.
That should prepare Bonner well for the final four games of the regular season, including two big ones against the New York Liberty, and the playoffs.
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Elaine Blum covers women’s basketball for On SI from Europe. She has been writing about women's hoops since 2023 and holds a Bachelor’s degree in English and Journalism and a master’s degree in American Studies with a focus on women’s and gender studies. She started playing basketball when she was 10 years old and won several league and state championships at the youth and senior level.