DeWanna Bonner (born August 21, 1987) is an American-Macedonian professional
basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular court, compete with the primary objective of shooting a basketball (approximately in diameter) through the defender's h ...
player for the
Connecticut Sun
The Connecticut Sun are an American professional basketball team based in Uncasville, Connecticut that competes in the Eastern Conference (WNBA), Eastern Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA).
The team was established ...
of the
Women's National Basketball Association
The Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) is an American professional basketball league. It is composed of twelve teams, all based in the United States. The league was founded on April 22, 1996, as the women's counterpart to the Natio ...
(WNBA). Bonner played college basketball for
Auburn University. After a successful college career at Auburn, she was drafted by the
Phoenix Mercury
The Phoenix Mercury are an American professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season ...
with the fifth overall pick of the
2009 WNBA draft, and was traded to the Sun 11 years later.
Personal life
Born on August 21, 1987, to LaShelle Bonner and Greg McCall. She has three siblings, sister Vin'Centia Dewberry, brother Justin McCall, and sister
Erica McCall (whom she shares a birthday with). Bonner majored in
Psychology
Psychology is the scientific study of mind and behavior. Psychology includes the study of conscious and unconscious phenomena, including feelings and thoughts. It is an academic discipline of immense scope, crossing the boundaries betwe ...
at
Auburn University.
In November 2014 Bonner married fellow WNBA player (and former Mercury teammate)
Candice Dupree
Candice Dupree (born August 16, 1984) is an American professional basketball coach and former player. She was selected sixth in the 2006 WNBA draft by the Chicago Sky. Dupree has won a WNBA Championship (2014) with the Phoenix Mercury. She has a ...
. In April 2017, it was confirmed Bonner was expecting the couple's first child and will miss the 2017 WNBA season. Bonner and Dupree gave birth to twin daughters in July 2017.
In March 2018, Bonner has received
Macedonian passport and is eligible to play for
Macedonian basketball team.
On February 16, 2021, she posted on her Instagram account that she had begun a romantic relationship with her Connecticut Sun teammate,
Alyssa Thomas
Alyssa Thomas (born April 12, 1992) is an American professional basketball forward for the Connecticut Sun of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She played college basketball for the Maryland Terrapins. The New York Liberty draft ...
. In the post, possibly referencing her relationship with Dupree, she wrote, "I know some may have a lot of questions, but I didn't post this picture for that."
High school
Bonner attended high school at
Fairfield High School in
Fairfield, Alabama
Fairfield is a city in western Jefferson County, Alabama, United States. It is part of the Birmingham metropolitan area and is located southeast of Pleasant Grove. The population was 11,117 at the 2010 census.
History
This city was founded ...
. She was named McDonald's and
WBCA All-American and participated in their All-America games. She earned USA Today Junior All-America and was the Gatorade Alabama Player of the Year while at Fairfield High School. She was featured in ''
USA Today
''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virg ...
'' as one of the top 25 recruits in the nation during summer of 2005.
College career
Bonner went to
Auburn University, where she earned a degree in psychology.
[ She was named to the SEC All-Freshman Team. She scored in double figures in 22 games during the 2005–06 season and led the Tigers with a 13.5 points per game average, the first time since 1980–81 that a freshman led the team in scoring.
This led Bonner to join the youth teams of US basketball, winning the 2006 ]FIBA Americas Under-20 Championship for Women
The FIBA Americas Under-20 Women's Championship was the Americas basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the ...
and the FIBA Under-21 World Championship for Women The FIBA Under-21 World Championship for Women was a women's under-21 only basketball competition organized by FIBA, first held in 2003. FIBA
The International Basketball Federation (FIBA ; French: ) is an association of national organization ...
one year later.
Bonner went on to put together one of the most impressive careers ever at Auburn. The 2009 SEC Player of the Year and a National Player of the Year finalist, she broke the Auburn career scoring record during the Ole Miss game at the SEC Tournament. She finished her career with 2,162 points, nearly 100 more than the former school record.
She also finished her career as one of Auburn's top rebounders, taking second all-time with 1,047 rebounds, placing her among three Tigers to ever finish their career with more than 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds. Listed in the top 10 in every major statistical category at Auburn, she also ranks sixth in blocks, seventh in steals, first in free throws, fourth in field goals and 10th in 3-pointers.
Bonner led the SEC in scoring that season, becoming the first Auburn player to ever earn the honor. She also ranked 10th in the country in scoring while setting the Auburn single-season scoring record with 716 points, 21.1 per game.
She went on to earn WBCA/State Farm, USBWA, AP and ESPN.com All-America honors and was voted the Alabama Sports Writers Association Amateur Athlete of the Year.
Auburn statistics
Source
WNBA career
Bonner was selected 5th overall in the 2009 WNBA Draft by the Phoenix Mercury
The Phoenix Mercury are an American professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season ...
. In her first regular season game with the Mercury, Bonner played 26 minutes and scored 16 points. October 9, 2009, as a rookie, Bonner scored 13 points to contribute toward the 2009 championship.
On September 12, 2014, Bonner won her second WNBA Championship, with 12 points, 9 rebounds and 3 assists.
In 2017 Bonner sat out the whole season due to pregnancy. She would return to the team in 2018 and be voted into the 2018 WNBA All-Star Game
The 2018 WNBA All-Star Game was an exhibition basketball game played on July 28, 2018. The Minnesota Lynx hosted the WNBA All-Star Game for the first time.
Rosters
Selection
On June 5, the WNBA announced that 2018 would have a new roster select ...
. Later on in the season, the Mercury made the playoffs as the fifth seed and were one game away from reaching the finals as they lost in five games to the Seattle Storm
The Seattle Storm are an American professional basketball team based in Seattle. The Storm competes in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) as a member club of the league's Western Conference. The team was founded by Ginger Ackerl ...
in the semi-finals.
On February 11, 2020, Bonner was traded to the Connecticut Sun
The Connecticut Sun are an American professional basketball team based in Uncasville, Connecticut that competes in the Eastern Conference (WNBA), Eastern Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA).
The team was established ...
for three first round draft picks.
WNBA career statistics
Regular season
, -
, style="text-align:left;background:#afe6ba;", 2009
File:2009 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The vertical stabilizer of Air France Flight 447 is pulled out from the Atlantic Ocean; Barack Obama becomes the first African American to become President of the United States; 2009 Iran ...
†
, style="text-align:left;", Phoenix
, 34 , , 0 , , 21.3 , , .457 , , .154 , , .812 , , 5.8 , , 0.4 , , 0.6 , , 0.7 , , 1.0 , , 11.2
, -
, style="text-align:left;", 2010
File:2010 Events Collage New.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2010 Chile earthquake was one of the strongest recorded in history; The Eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland disrupts air travel in Europe; A scene from the opening ceremony of ...
, style="text-align:left;", Phoenix
, 32 , , 4 , , 25.4 , , .465 , , .358 , , .840 , , 6.1 , , 1.3 , , 0.6 , , 1.2 , , 1.2 , , 12.0
, -
, style="text-align:left;", 2011
, style="text-align:left;", Phoenix
, 34 , , 5 , , 25.2 , , .430 , , .343 , , .909 , , 7.0 , , 0.8 , , 1.0 , , 1.0 , , 1.0 , , 10.7
, -
, style="text-align:left;", 2012
File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gather ...
, style="text-align:left;", Phoenix
, 32 , , 32 , , 35.0 , , .364 , , .283 , , .852 , , 7.2 , , 2.2 , , 1.7 , , 0.8 , , 2.3 , , 20.6
, -
, style="text-align:left;", 2013
File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment ...
, style="text-align:left;", Phoenix
, 34 , , 33 , , 32.9 , , .410 , , .325 , , .901 , , 5.8 , , 2.4 , , 1.1 , , 0.3 , , 1.6 , , 14.5
, -
, style="text-align:left;background:#afe6ba;", 2014
File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...
†
, style="text-align:left;", Phoenix
, 34 , , 34 , , 29.2 , , .459 , , .279 , , .780 , , 4.1 , , 2.3 , , 1.4 , , 0.4 , , 1.3 , , 10.4
, -
, style="text-align:left;", 2015
File:2015 Events Collage new.png, From top left, clockwise: Civil service in remembrance of November 2015 Paris attacks; Germanwings Flight 9525 was purposely crashed into the French Alps; the rubble of residences in Kathmandu following the April ...
, style="text-align:left;", Phoenix
, 33 , , 33 , , 33.3 , , .378 , , .254 , , .866 , , 5.7 , , 3.3 , , 1.3 , , 0.8 , , 1.8 , , 15.8
, -
, style="text-align:left;", 2016
, style="text-align:left;", Phoenix
, 34 , , 24 , , 31.3 , , .424 , , .329 , , .798 , , 5.4 , , 2.4 , , 1.2 , , 0.6 , , 1.6 , , 14.5
, -
, style="text-align:left;", 2018
File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the United ...
, style="text-align:left;", Phoenix
, 34 , , 34 , , 32.9 , , .452 , , .313 , , .867 , , 7.2 , , 3.2 , , 1.2 , , 0.4 , , 1.6 , , 17.3
, -
, style="text-align:left;", 2019
File:2019 collage v1.png, From top left, clockwise: Hong Kong protests turn to widespread riots and civil disobedience; House of Representatives votes to adopt articles of impeachment against Donald Trump; CRISPR gene editing first used to experim ...
, style="text-align:left;", Phoenix
, 34 , , 34 , , 32.9 , , .377 , , .272 , , .916 , , 7.6 , , 2.7 , , 1.3 , , 0.6 , , 1.6 , , 17.6
, -
, style="text-align:left;", 2020
2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global social and economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, worldwide lockdowns and the largest economic recession since the Great Depression in ...
, style="text-align:left;", Connecticut
Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its cap ...
, 22 , , 22 , , 33.3 , , .422 , , .252 , , .895 , , 7.8 , , 3.0 , , 1.7 , , 0.5 , , 2.4 , , 19.7
, -
, style="text-align:left;", 2021
File:2021 collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: the James Webb Space Telescope was launched in 2021; Protesters in Yangon, Myanmar following the coup d'état; A civil demonstration against the October 2021 coup in Sudan; Crowd shortly after t ...
, style="text-align:left;", Connecticut
Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its cap ...
, 32 , , 32 , , 31.9 , , .395 , , .317 , , .892 , , 6.4 , , 3.5 , , 1.3 , , 0.7 , , 2.2 , , 15.2
, -
, style="text-align:left;", 2022
File:2022 collage V1.png, Clockwise, from top left: Road junction at Yamato-Saidaiji Station several hours after the assassination of Shinzo Abe; Anti-government protest in Sri Lanka in front of the Presidential Secretariat; The global monkeyp ...
, style="text-align:left;", Connecticut
Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its cap ...
, 33 , , 33 , , 30.0 , , .439 , , .329 , , .827 , , 4.7 , , 2.8 , , 1.2 , , 0.3 , , 1.6 , , 13.5
, -
, style="text-align:left;", Career
, style="text-align:left;", 13 years, 2 teams
, 422 , , 320 , , 30.3 , , .415 , , .301 , , .859 , , 6.2 , , 2.3 , , 1.2 , , 0.7 , , 1.6 , , 14.7
Postseason
, -
, style="text-align:left;background:#afe6ba;", 2009
File:2009 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The vertical stabilizer of Air France Flight 447 is pulled out from the Atlantic Ocean; Barack Obama becomes the first African American to become President of the United States; 2009 Iran ...
†
, style="text-align:left;", Phoenix
, 11 , , 0 , , 16.9 , , .493 , , .000 , , .829 , , 4.3 , , 0.3 , , 0.4 , , 0.5 , , 0.6 , , 8.8
, -
, style="text-align:left;", 2010
File:2010 Events Collage New.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2010 Chile earthquake was one of the strongest recorded in history; The Eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland disrupts air travel in Europe; A scene from the opening ceremony of ...
, style="text-align:left;", Phoenix
, 4 , , 0 , , 22.8 , , .458 , , .750 , , .833 , , 3.3 , , 0.5 , , 0.7 , , 1.8 , , 0.7 , , 7.5
, -
, style="text-align:left;", 2011
, style="text-align:left;", Phoenix
, 5 , , 5, , 35.8 , , .348 , , .217 , , .857 , , 9.4 , , 1.2 , , 1.4 , , 1.2 , , 1.6 , , 12.6
, -
, style="text-align:left;", 2013
File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment ...
, style="text-align:left;", Phoenix
, 5 , , 5 , , 35.8 , , .333, , .133 , , .857 , , 5.2 , , 3.4 , , 1.2 , , 0.4 , , 2.2 , , 10.4
, -
, style="text-align:left;background:#afe6ba;", 2014
File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...
†
, style="text-align:left;", Phoenix
, 8 , , 8 , , 35.8 , , .360 , , .333 , , .905 , , 6.0 , , 2.0 , , 1.3 , , 0.6 , , 1.7 , , 11.3
, -
, style="text-align:left;", 2015
File:2015 Events Collage new.png, From top left, clockwise: Civil service in remembrance of November 2015 Paris attacks; Germanwings Flight 9525 was purposely crashed into the French Alps; the rubble of residences in Kathmandu following the April ...
, style="text-align:left;", Phoenix
, 4 , , 4 , , 31.6 , , .451 , , .450 , , .933 , , 6.0 , , 2.5 , , 0.2 , , 0.7 , , 2.7 , , 17.3
, -
, style="text-align:left;", 2016
, style="text-align:left;", Phoenix
, 5 , , 0 , , 24.2 , , .426 , , .000 , , .824 , , 4.2 , , 1.6 , , 1.0 , , 0.0 , , 2.8 , , 10.8
, -
, style="text-align:left;", 2018
File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the United ...
, style="text-align:left;", Phoenix
, 7 , , 7 , , style="background:#D3D3D3", 38.6° , , .535 , , .308 , , .909 , , 11.1 , , 2.4 , , 1.6 , , 0.8 , , 2.1 , , 24.0
, -
, style="text-align:left;", 2019
File:2019 collage v1.png, From top left, clockwise: Hong Kong protests turn to widespread riots and civil disobedience; House of Representatives votes to adopt articles of impeachment against Donald Trump; CRISPR gene editing first used to experim ...
, style="text-align:left;", Phoenix
, 1 , , 1 , , 33.0 , , .357 , , .667 , , .900 , , 6.0 , , 2.0 , , 1.0 , , 0.0 , , 2.0 , , 21.0
, -
, style="text-align:left;", 2020
2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global social and economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, worldwide lockdowns and the largest economic recession since the Great Depression in ...
, style="text-align:left;", Connecticut
Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its cap ...
, 7 , , 7 , , 35.0 , , .333 , , .286 , , 1.000 , , 10.4 , , 3.9 , , 1.9 , , 1.1 , , 2.6 , , 15.4
, -
, style="text-align:left;", 2021
File:2021 collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: the James Webb Space Telescope was launched in 2021; Protesters in Yangon, Myanmar following the coup d'état; A civil demonstration against the October 2021 coup in Sudan; Crowd shortly after t ...
, style="text-align:left;", Connecticut
Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its cap ...
, 4 , , 4 , , 35.0 , , .404 , , .400 , , .909 , , 7.0 , , 1.3 , , 1.0 , , 1.8 , , 2.8 , , 13.5
, -
, style="text-align:left;", 2022
File:2022 collage V1.png, Clockwise, from top left: Road junction at Yamato-Saidaiji Station several hours after the assassination of Shinzo Abe; Anti-government protest in Sri Lanka in front of the Presidential Secretariat; The global monkeyp ...
, style="text-align:left;", Connecticut
Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its cap ...
, 12 , , 12 , , 31.5 , , .341 , , .294 , , .886 , , 5.8 , , 3.6 , , 1.5 , , 0.7 , , 1.7 , , 12.2
, -
, style="text-align:left;", Career
, style="text-align:left;", 12 years, 2 teams
, 73 , , 53 , , 30.6 , , .403 , , .290 , , .893 , , 6.6 , , 2.1 , , 1.2 , , 0.8 , , 1.8 , , 13.0
International career
During the WNBA offseason, Bonner has played in the Czech Republic for BK Brno, Spain for Baloncesto Rivas and CB Avenida, and Russia for Nadezhda Orenburg.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bonner, Dewanna
1987 births
Living people
Basketball players from Alabama
Connecticut Sun players
American women's basketball players
Macedonian women's basketball players
American emigrants to North Macedonia
Naturalized citizens of North Macedonia
All-American college women's basketball players
American expatriate basketball people in China
American expatriate basketball people in the Czech Republic
American expatriate basketball people in Russia
American expatriate basketball people in Spain
Auburn Tigers women's basketball players
LGBT basketball players
LGBT people from Alabama
American LGBT sportspeople
Macedonian expatriate basketball people in Russia
Macedonian expatriate basketball people in Turkey
McDonald's High School All-Americans
Parade High School All-Americans (girls' basketball)
People from Fairfield, Alabama
Phoenix Mercury draft picks
Phoenix Mercury players
Shandong Six Stars players
Shooting guards
Small forwards
Women's National Basketball Association All-Stars
21st-century LGBT people