The three-time WNBA Champion Phoenix Mercury today announced the signing of two-time WNBA Champion and two-time WNBA All-Star, DeWanna Bonner.
“What DeWanna did last year on the floor after having twins was as impressive as it was unsurprising,” said Mercury General Manager Jim Pitman. “Recent history shows us that championship teams need a ‘Big Three’ and having DB gives us three of the top 15 players in the world on our roster. More than that, DB and her daughters are a part of our family, and we are excited have them back in Phoenix in 2019.”
Selected with the fifth overall pick in the 2009 WNBA Draft by the Mercury, the 6-4, 143-pound Bonner is a two-time WNBA Champion (2009, 2014), three-time WNBA Sixth Woman of the Year (2009, 2010, 2011), two-time WNBA All-Star (2015, 2018), 2018 AP Comeback Player of the Year and All-WNBA First Team selection (2015). Considered one of the most versatile players in the women’s game, Bonner served as the defensive stopper on a 2014 Mercury squad that led the league in defensive efficiency, earned her first career All-Star berth a season later in 2015 by posting one of the best all-around statistical seasons in the WNBA, and was again named an All-Star in 2018, just a year removed from giving birth to twins.
After missing the entire 2017 season, Bonner returned to Phoenix in 2018 to record one of the best seasons of her career. Starting in all 34 games for the Mercury, she averaged 17.3 points (highest mark since 2012), 7.2 rebounds (matching a season-single career high) and dished 3.2 assists per game. Bonner teamed with Brittney Griner and Diana Taurasi in 2018 as a three-headed juggernaut, recording the most total points by a trio of teammates in a season in WNBA history (1,967 points). The do-it-all forward showed just how versatile she is, finishing as the only player in the WNBA to rank in the top-25 in scoring, rebounds, assists, steals and free throw percentage (min. 30 games played) last season. After being moved from small forward to power forward after the late-season injury to Sancho Lyttle, Bonner only increased her numbers, averaging 21.3 points and 10.2 rebounds in the final nine games of the season. She carried that momentum into the playoffs, where she ranked second in the league in scoring (24.0) and first in rebounding (11.1) during postseason play (min. two games played).
Bonner ranks second in multiple categories in the franchise record books, including games played (301), points scored (4,235), free throws made (1,114) and attempted (1,315), while becoming the Mercury’s all-time rebounding leader (1,812) in 2018. DB owns a franchise-record 17 20-point, 10-rebound performances and ranks second with 38 career double-doubles in a Mercury jersey behind only Griner. Bonner holds career averages of 14.1 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.2 steals per game, one of only three active players with career averages of at least 14 points, six rebounds, two assists and one steal per game (Candace Parker and Breanna Stewart).
Bonner spent her 2018-19 WNBA offseason playing overseas for Shandong in the Chinese League. There, she led the team in scoring (22.1 ppg), rebounding (9.1 rpg) and blocks (1.1 bpg), and guided the team to a 23-11 regular season record en route to the team’s first playoff appearance in franchise history. She ranked eighth overall in the league in scoring, 10th in blocks and just outside the top-10 in rebounding.
After coming within one win of a trip to the WNBA Finals, the Phoenix Mercury return in 2019 in search of a league-record tying fourth WNBA title. Led by the All-Star trio of Diana Taurasi, Brittney Griner and DeWanna Bonner, Phoenix opens its title quest on May 25 at Seattle on ABC. Tickets for Fry’s Food Stores Opening Night on Friday, May 31, at Talking Stick Resort Arena can be purchased by calling 602.252.WNBA or by visiting PhoenixMercury.com.