Indiana Fever WNBA Season Rollercoaster Ride Continues Amid DeWanna Bonner Bombshell

Injuries, allegations, and roster shake-ups have sent the Indiana Fever on a wild WNBA season rollercoaster––but signs of promise are on the horizon.

Indiana Fever forward DeWanna Bonner (25) celebrates a 3-pointer Tuesday, June 3, 2025, during a game between the Indiana Fever and the Washington Mystics at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. | Grace Smith/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Indiana Fever entered the 2025 WNBA season with as much buzz any a team can have in the league. With a bolstered roster of veteran additions, and a new sense of direction, expectations were high. But several weeks into the season, it’s been anything but smooth. Between injuries, allegations and one surprising veteran departure, Indiana’s season has turned into a full-blown rollercoaster. 

Injuries and Absences

Starting the season with an eleven player roster instead of the usual twelve, the Fever were already walking a tightrope––and unfortunately, Indiana was hit with the injury bug early.

A team full of fresh faces, the Fever needed development time to jell, but with Caitlin Clark, Sophie Cunningham and Sydney Colson all suffering simultaneous injuries, Indiana was forced to sign Aari McDonald to a hardship contract. And while McDonald shined in the few games she appeared in, Indiana had to let her go as players returned to the court, and rhythm has been hard to find. The Fever’s head coach Stephanie White also had to step away for games, only adding to the shakiness of a team still searching for its identity.

Caitlin Clark will be out a minimum of two weeks with a left quad strain.@indianafever pic.twitter.com/WKu7pUcbaw

— espnW (@espnW) May 27, 2025

Off-Court Noise: Racist Fan Allegations

There have been some highs, such as Clark’s statement triple-double in the Fever’s first game of the season, punctuating her highly anticipated return to the court after a long offseason. 

But that momentum was short-lived. The very next day, the WNBA announced it was launching an investigation into allegations of racist fan behavior directed at Chicago’s Angel Reese during the Fever’s matchup with the Sky at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. That set the internet ablaze with heated debates between opposing fanbases, dissecting the incident from every angle. 

Ultimately, the WNBA concluded its investigation without finding evidence to substantiate the claims—but by then, the controversy had already cast a shadow over what should’ve been a celebratory moment for Indiana.

The following has been released by the WNBA. pic.twitter.com/rFlKQAHmzQ

— WNBA Communications (@WNBAComms) May 27, 2025

Officiating Frustrations Boil Over

Unbalanced officiating has been a season-long complaint—not just from fans, but from multiple WNBA players and coaches alike. Clark in particular has been the target of much physical play, with many feeling the officials weren’t giving her fair protection. That frustration came to a head in a tense game against the Connecticut Sun, when things escalated into a full-blown melee.

After Clark was poked in the eye by the Sun’s Jacy Sheldon and then blindsided by Marina Mabrey, tensions exploded. Sophie Cunningham, long known for her toughness, delivered a hard foul on Sheldon later in the game—earning an ejection and sending a clear message: Indiana was done being pushed around.

“It’s been a build up for a couple of years now, of them not protecting the star player of the WNBA.” pic.twitter.com/FOavJEu4qY

— Ken Swift (@kenswift) June 21, 2025

The Bonner Bombshell

Perhaps the biggest shock of the Fever’s season came off the court. DeWanna Bonner—Indiana’s marquee free agency signing—was suddenly absent from the team for “personal reasons.” After missing multiple games with no return timeline, reports surfaced that Bonner had requested a trade and had no intention of returning. According to Front Office Sports, league sources indicated she would prefer to play for Phoenix, where her partner Alyssa Thomas plays.

Bonner was expected to be the veteran anchor of this team, the steadying force to guide a young core. Instead, her departure left a void on the roster and raised questions about the team’s culture and internal dynamics.

Indiana waived Bonner shortly after the news broke that Bonner had no intention of returning to the team. Bonner’s departure opened up the cap space to bring back Aari McDonald, but the Fever are still missing the size Bonner left in the front court. With the remaining cap space the Fever have, it’s assumed they are on the hunt for a big to finish off the season.

we have signed Aari McDonald for the remainder of the season.

in a corresponding move, we have waived DeWanna Bonner.

more info: https://t.co/0s82LC8l31 pic.twitter.com/MTMWlGXI27

— Indiana Fever (@IndianaFever) June 25, 2025

What’s Next?

Despite the chaos, the Fever have shown flashes of brilliance—most notably when they snapped New York’s undefeated streak and played some of their best basketball with Clark and Boston clicking.

This team clearly has the talent to compete, but consistency has been their Achilles' heel. With a bumpy first half in the rearview and the All-Star break approaching, Indiana has a chance to regroup, reset, and reestablish their identity.

The signing of McDonald brought a spark of hope as an addition who can make an immediate impact. If Indiana can find the right mix and stay healthy, the second half of the season could look very different. One thing’s for sure: this season has been anything but predictable for the Fever.