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WNBA Sends Strong Message to DeWanna Bonner After Historic Fever Debut
© Grace Smith/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Saturday’s season opener in Indianapolis offered plenty of storylines, but none were more significant than another chapter in DeWanna Bonner’s storied WNBA career. 

The Indiana Fever dismantled the Chicago Sky 93-58, behind Caitlin Clark’s third career triple-double (20 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists) and a dominant second half that saw the Fever outscore Chicago 48-26.

Yet it was Bonner who stole headlines, as she quietly etched her name deeper into league history by passing former No. 1 pick Tina Thompson for third place on the WNBA’s all-time scoring list, moving her career total to 7,489 points. 

Following the game, the WNBA took to X to congratulate the future Hall of Famer. 

The Fever saw four players finish in double figures on Saturday, including Clark (20), Aliyah Boston (19), Natasha Howard (15), and Kelsey Mitchell (15).

Behind them was Bonner, who finished the game with seven points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals in 27 minutes.

Since entering the league as the No. 5 overall pick in 2005, Bonner has carved out one of the most durable and productive careers in women’s basketball.

Bonner won two WNBA championships with the Phoenix Mercury (2009, 2014), earned an All-WNBA First Team nod in 2015, and six All-Star selections (2015, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2023, 2024).

She holds career marks of 14.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.2 steals per game over 15 seasons, averaging 30.4 minutes over the course of her career.

With Bonner now firmly in the top three scorers of all time, Indiana enters 2025 with championship aspirations.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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