Phoenix Mercury “Set Fire” To Indiana: The DeWanna Bonner Drama is Heating Up the WNBA
The WNBA has seen its fair share of rivalries, but few stories are burning as brightly as the flames engulfing the recent matchup between the Phoenix Mercury and Indiana Fever—a contest stoked white-hot by the lingering drama surrounding DeWanna Bonner. This isn’t just basketball; it’s a saga of loyalty, heartbreak, and redemption, all played out in real time on the hardwood. As the Mercury seemingly “set fire” to Indiana, the temperature of this rivalry has soared, giving fans a storyline that’s impossible to ignore.
The Heart of the Drama: DeWanna Bonner
DeWanna Bonner has always been more than a standout player—she’s been a cornerstone, an inspiration, and a symbol of resilience. Drafted by the Phoenix Mercury back in 2009, Bonner’s time in the desert resulted in two WNBA championships, multiple All-Star nods, and a profound connection with the Mercury faithful. For a decade, the purple and orange were as much a part of her identity as her silky jumper and relentless defense.
But as is often the case in professional sports, time demands change. Ahead of the 2020 season, Bonner was traded to the Connecticut Sun, leaving a legacy behind in Phoenix while opening a new chapter in her storied career. Occasionally, these player-team splits are clean—but in this case, unresolved emotions have lingered, smoldering beneath the surface.
Bonner in Indiana: A Collision Course
While Bonner moved to Connecticut, her personal life intertwined her even more deeply with Mercury history. She had a relationship with Candice Dupree—another Mercury legend—and later married Alyssa Thomas, a Sun teammate. The Mercury, meanwhile, have gone through their own transformation, retaining Diana Taurasi and adding stars but always feeling just a piece short since Bonner’s departure.
This season’s intersection of Phoenix and Indiana took the ongoing drama to center stage. Bonner, now with Connecticut, isn’t directly on either roster, but her narrative shadow hovers over every Mercury-Fever matchup. Fever, home to Caitlin Clark’s sensational rookie campaign and a team desperately seeking identity, has developed a reputation: physical, hungry, but combustible—a perfect foil to a Mercury squad that covets old glory and new respect.
Setting the Court Ablaze: The Matchup
The recent Mercury–Fever clash was pegged as just another regular-season battle. Instead, it became an emotionally charged, physical contest—one where Phoenix “set fire” to Indiana with their passion and play.
From tip-off, you could sense the energy: Diana Taurasi barking out commands, Brittney Griner owning the paint, and a supporting cast determined to make every possession matter. The Mercury wanted to send a message—not just to Indiana, but indirectly to DeWanna Bonner: We’re still here, we’re still a force, and you are still a part of our story, whether you wear our jersey or not.
Indiana responded in kind. Kelsey Mitchell sparked the Fever, sending the crowd into a frenzy with long-range bombs. Clark, as always, dazzled. But in the crucial moments, Phoenix found another gear. Maybe it was pride, maybe it was legacy, or maybe it was the unresolved business symbolized by Bonner. When the final horn blew, Phoenix had overwhelmed Indiana—statistically and emotionally.
The Subtext: Bonner as Lightning Rod
What makes all this so electric isn’t just what happens on the court, but what it represents off it. In the WNBA, rivalries are often about more than wins and losses—they’re about family, about representation, about the fight for respect in a sports world that too often looks the other way.
DeWanna Bonner, in a strange way, is the lightning rod for all these tensions. Her departure from Phoenix left a wound; her ongoing excellence elsewhere plays as a silent reminder of what’s been lost and what might still be reclaimed. Players talk about her in interviews; fans debate her place in Mercury history on social media. When Indiana and Phoenix meet, the Bonner drama is unspoken but omnipresent.
Social Media “Inferno”
What really set this particular fever pitch, though, was the reaction online. Clips of intense fouls, technicals, and sideline animated discussions went viral in the aftermath of the game. Mercury fans cheered for their team’s gutty display, while Fever faithful decried perceived disrespect. Through it all, “What if Bonner had never left?” trended, fanning the flames even more.
BONUS: In a postgame interview, Mercury forward Sophie Cunningham even dropped a quote that sent the media into a frenzy: “We play for Phoenix, but we also play for everyone who ever wore this jersey, including DeWanna. She made us who we are. We want her to remember that.” It was a mic-drop moment—and one more log on the bonfire.
What Comes Next?
Where this saga goes from here is anyone’s guess. The WNBA season is long, and rivalries have a way of simmering until they boil over again. Will Bonner herself comment? Will she cross paths with the Mercury in the playoffs? Will tensions spill over into actual altercations, or will this shared history bond the two sides in unexpected ways?
What’s clear is that neither Indiana nor Phoenix is backing down. The Mercury have shown they can set the court ablaze with passion, physicality, and pride. The Fever, for their part, are eager to stand their ground and forge their identity—partially defined by the shadows and legacies of players like Bonner.
A League Better for the Fire
For all the “drama,” it’s worth remembering this: Rivalries, emotions, even old wounds are what make sports so irresistibly compelling. The WNBA is better for the fire the Mercury brought to Indiana—better for the personalities, the history, and the open wounds that heal only through the game itself.
So the next time Phoenix travels to Indiana, or anytime Bonner faces her former team, scripts will be written and rewritten. Fans will lean in. Social media will ignite. And no matter the winner, DeWanna Bonner’s legend will keep casting its spell—reminding everyone that in this league, the real stories are the ones that you can’t see in the box score, but that set the soul of the game on fire.
And isn’t that exactly what we want from the WNBA?
