When the Indiana Fever signed seasoned swing player DeWanna Bonner during the offseason, the move looked like an ideal fit. Bonner brought two WNBA championship rings, six All-Star selections, and a wealth of veteran savvy to a franchise that had been rebuilding around youthful talent. Many observers believed her presence would both steady the locker room and accelerate the development of the team’s rising stars.
Yet fewer than two months into the new campaign, the partnership unraveled. Tension simmered in public view when head coach Stephanie White—who had coached Bonner the previous two seasons with the Connecticut Sun—made pointed remarks suggesting distance between the two. Asked about the veteran ahead of a late-May game, White replied, according to Chloe Peterson of the IndyStar, “I haven’t had a lot of conversations with [Bonner] recently. We’re really focused on the group we have here and on doing what positions us best to win.” The comment, posted to X (formerly Twitter), fueled speculation that player and coach were no longer on the same page.
Matters came to a head on Wednesday, when the Fever placed Bonner on waivers. In a statement released by the club, she offered gratitude but acknowledged that the arrangement had not clicked. “I want to sincerely thank the Indiana Fever for the opportunity to be part of the franchise,” she wrote. “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 at this point in my career. I wish the Fever great success as they continue building around their dynamic young core.”
Almost immediately, social media chatter painted Bonner as having abandoned her teammates. Early Thursday, the WNBA’s third-leading career scorer fired back on Instagram. “A QUITTER!! Nah, never been that!” her post began. She added, “When the time comes… let’s just make sure the apologies are as loud as the disrespect! IN DUE TIME…” Though Bonner stopped short of detailing the events behind her departure, the implication was clear: any story casting her as disloyal was incomplete at best, and she expected vindication in the future.
With neither side elaborating, questions multiplied. What precisely fractured the relationship? Was it a matter of playing time, role clarity, locker-room chemistry, or something more personal? While fans debated, the tangible fact remained that a storied 6‑foot‑4 wing, still capable of contributing on both ends, had unexpectedly hit the open market.
For Indiana, the parting created both risk and opportunity. The Fever lose a reliable scorer, rebounder, and leader, but they also free minutes for younger wings craving experience. For Bonner, the move shuts one door but potentially opens another on a contender looking for a proven playoff performer. Until either camp provides more detail, however, the true story behind the split exists mainly in rumor and conjecture.
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