Reflecting on DeWanna Bonner’s Remarkable Seasons With Connecticut Sun

DeWanna Bonner may not be with the Connecticut Sun anymore, but she's still one of their most prolific players in franchise history.

Oct 1, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Connecticut Sun forward DeWanna Bonner (24) reacts during the second half of game two of the 2024 WNBA Semi-finals against the Minnesota Lynx at Target Center. / Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

When discussing former Connecticut Sun stars who helped the franchise thrive, it's impossible not to bring up DeWanna Bonner. With 15 years of professional basketball under her belt, five of which were with the Sun, she has made quite a name for herself.

Prior to entering the WNBA, Bonner attended Auburn where she became the second player in program history to lead the team in both scoring and rebounding throughout each of the four years. To this day, Bonner still holds several collegiate records at Auburn, including a career record of 2,162 points scored.

Upon graduating from college, Bonner began her professional basketball career in the WNBA with the Phoenix Mercury after being drafted fifth in the first round of the 2009 draft. She had 10 successful seasons with the Mercury before being traded to the Sun in 2020 for three first-round draft picks.

Flashback to Her Seasons With the Sun

Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

2020: This was Bonner's first year with Connecticut — a long way away from her previous home in Arizona. With her leadership, the franchise made it to the playoffs but was eliminated during the semifinals when the Las Vegas Aces claimed the 3-2 series win. Unsurprisingly, Bonner played a major role in their playoff run, averaging 15.4 points and 10.4 rebounds per game. Overall, she finished off her first season with the Sun, amassing 434 points, 172 rebounds and 65 assists.

2021: During Bonner's second year of her Connecticut era, she made her fourth All-Star appearance and became the fourth WNBA player ever to reach the 1,500 career free throws made milestone. The only other players to do so were Diana Taurasi, Tamika Catchings and Angel McCoughtry. She finished her 2021 season with 486 points, 205 rebounds and 110 assists, contributing to their imposing 26-6 overall record. As expected, Bonner played a large role in getting her team through to the playoffs before they were eliminated during the semifinals for the second year in a row.

2022: This was the year of career high points for Bonner in terms of stats. She managed to claim her 2,500th assist, 500th steal and her 6,000th career point which was a feat on its own, but it also meant that she was making WNBA history once again.

2023: During her third season with Connecticut, Bonner was named a WNBA All-Star for the fifth time in her career. When taking into account her average of 17.4 points and 5.6 rebounds, combined with her natural leadership abilities, it becomes clear why she received such an honor. This was the same season in which she set the franchise record for most points in a single game (41).

2024: Each season, the numbers Bonner posted continued to impress, but her final season with the Sun was arguably her best. This was the year in which Bonner finished the year with 601 points, making her the first Connecticut player to have hit the colossal milestone. Considering her incredible consistency, it's no surprise that she was named a WNBA All-Star for the sixth time.

Although Bonner is now back playing for Phoenix, she went down in Sun history as one of their greatest leaders. Her mental fortitude and versatility on the court served as a valuable asset to Connecticut. While there won't be another Bonner, the young trio of rookies on the team right now could certainly follow in her footsteps.

Recommended Articles

feed