DeWanna Bonner (born August 21, 1987) is an American-Macedonian professional basketball player for the Connecticut Sun of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA).[1] Bonner played college basketball for Auburn University.[2] After a successful college career at Auburn, she was drafted by the Phoenix Mercury with the fifth overall pick of the 2009 WNBA draft, and was traded to the Sun in 2020.[3]
Bonner in 2019 | |
No. 24 – Connecticut Sun | |
---|---|
Position | Shooting guard / small forward |
League | WNBA |
Personal information | |
Born | August 21, 1987 |
Nationality | American / Macedonian |
Listed height | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) |
Listed weight | 143 lb (65 kg) |
Career information | |
High school | Fairfield (Fairfield, Alabama) |
College | Auburn (2005–2009) |
WNBA draft | 2009: 1st round, 5th overall pick |
Selected by the Phoenix Mercury | |
Playing career | 2009–present |
Career history | |
2009–2019 | Phoenix Mercury |
2009–2010 | Basketbalový Klub Brno |
2010–2011 | Baloncesto Rivas |
2011–2012 | Perfumerías Avenida |
2012–2016 | Nadezhda Orenburg |
2017–2018 | USK Praha |
2018–2019 | Shandong Six Stars |
2019–2020 | Dynamo Kursk |
2020–present | Connecticut Sun |
2021 | Elitzur Ramla |
2021 | KSC Szekszárd |
2021–present | Çukurova Basketbol |
Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Stats at WNBA.com | |
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
Early life
editBorn 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 at Auburn University.
High school
editBonner attended high school at Fairfield High School in Fairfield, Alabama. She was named McDonald's[4] and WBCA All-American and participated in their All-America games.[5] 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 as one of the top 25 recruits in the nation during summer of 2005.
College career
editBonner went to Auburn University, where she earned a degree in psychology.[6] 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 and the FIBA Under-21 World Championship for Women one year later.[6]
Bonner went on to put together one of the most impressive careers ever at Auburn. The 2009 SEC Player of the Year[7] 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.[4]
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.[8]
Professional career
editWNBA
editBonner was selected 5th overall in the 2009 WNBA draft by the Phoenix Mercury. In her first regular season game with the Mercury, Bonner played 26 minutes and scored 16 points.[9] 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.[10] 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 in the semi-finals.
On February 11, 2020, Bonner was traded to the Connecticut Sun for three first round draft picks.[3]
International
editDuring 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.[11][12]
Career statistics
editGP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game | RPG | Rebounds per game |
APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game | BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game |
TO | Turnovers per game | FG% | Field-goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field-goal percentage | FT% | Free-throw percentage |
Bold | Career best | ° | League leader |
† | Denotes seasons in which Bonner won a WNBA championship |
WNBA
editRegular season
editStats current as of game on July 16, 2024
Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | TO | PPG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2009† | Phoenix | 34 | 0 | 21.3 | .457 | .154 | .812 | 5.8 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 11.2 |
2010 | Phoenix | 32 | 4 | 25.4 | .465 | .358 | .840 | 6.1 | 1.3 | 0.6 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 12.0 |
2011 | Phoenix | 34 | 5 | 25.2 | .430 | .343 | .909 | 7.0 | 0.8 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 10.7 |
2012 | Phoenix | 32 | 32 | 35.0 | .364 | .283 | .852 | 7.2 | 2.2 | 1.7 | 0.8 | 2.3 | 20.6 |
2013 | Phoenix | 34 | 33 | 32.9 | .410 | .325 | .901 | 5.8 | 2.4 | 1.1 | 0.3 | 1.6 | 14.5 |
2014† | Phoenix | 34 | 34 | 29.2 | .459 | .279 | .780 | 4.1 | 2.3 | 1.4 | 0.4 | 1.3 | 10.4 |
2015 | Phoenix | 33 | 33 | 33.3 | .378 | .254 | .866 | 5.7 | 3.3 | 1.3 | 0.8 | 1.8 | 15.8 |
2016 | Phoenix | 34 | 24 | 31.3 | .424 | .329 | .798 | 5.4 | 2.4 | 1.2 | 0.6 | 1.6 | 14.5 |
2017 | Did not play (pregnancy/maternity leave) | ||||||||||||
2018 | Phoenix | 34' | 34 | 32.9 | .452 | .313 | .867 | 7.2 | 3.2 | 1.2 | 0.4 | 1.6 | 17.3 |
2019 | Phoenix | 34 | 34 | 32.9 | .377 | .272 | .916 | 7.6 | 2.7 | 1.3 | 0.6 | 1.6 | 17.6 |
2020 | Connecticut | 22 | 22 | 33.3 | .422 | .252 | .895 | 7.8 | 3.0 | 1.7 | 0.5 | 2.4 | 19.7 |
2021 | Connecticut | 32 | 32 | 31.9 | .395 | .317 | .892 | 6.4 | 3.5 | 1.3 | 0.7 | 2.2 | 15.2 |
2022 | Connecticut | 33 | 33 | 30.0 | .439 | .329 | .827 | 4.7 | 2.8 | 1.2 | 0.3 | 1.6 | 13.5 |
2023 | Connecticut | 40 | 40 | 30.1 | .425 | .329 | .862 | 5.6 | 2.2 | 1.1 | 0.6 | 1.5 | 17.4 |
2024 | Connecticut | 24 | 24 | 32.9 | .431 | .312 | .822 | 6.3 | 1.9 | 1.3 | 0.6 | 1.5 | 16.7 |
Career | 15 years, 2 teams | 486 | 384 | 30.4 | .417 | .305 | .858 | 6.1 | 2.3 | 1.2 | 0.7 | 1.6 | 15.0 |
Playoffs
editYear | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | TO | PPG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2009† | Phoenix | 11 | 0 | 16.9 | .493 | .000 | .829 | 4.3 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 8.8 |
2010 | Phoenix | 4 | 0 | 22.8 | .458 | .750 | .833 | 3.3 | 0.5 | 0.7 | 1.8 | 0.7 | 7.5 |
2011 | Phoenix | 5 | 5 | 35.8 | .348 | .217 | .857 | 9.4 | 1.2 | 1.4 | 1.2 | 1.6 | 12.6 |
2013 | Phoenix | 5 | 5 | 35.8 | .333 | .133 | .857 | 5.2 | 3.4 | 1.2 | 0.4 | 2.2 | 10.4 |
2014† | Phoenix | 8 | 8 | 35.8 | .360 | .333 | .905 | 6.0 | 2.0 | 1.3 | 0.6 | 1.7 | 11.3 |
2015 | Phoenix | 4 | 4 | 31.6 | .451 | .450 | .933 | 6.0 | 2.5 | 0.2 | 0.7 | 2.7 | 17.3 |
2016 | Phoenix | 5 | 0 | 24.2 | .426 | .000 | .824 | 4.2 | 1.6 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 2.8 | 10.8 |
2017 | Did not play (pregnancy/maternity leave) | ||||||||||||
2018 | Phoenix | 7 | 7 | 38.6° | .535 | .308 | .909 | 11.1 | 2.4 | 1.6 | 0.8 | 2.1 | 24.0 |
2019 | Phoenix | 1 | 1 | 33.0 | .357 | .667 | .900 | 6.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 21.0 |
2020 | Connecticut | 7 | 7 | 35.0 | .333 | .286 | 1.000° | 10.4 | 3.9 | 1.9 | 1.1 | 2.6 | 15.4 |
2021 | Connecticut | 4 | 4 | 35.0 | .404 | .400 | .909 | 7.0 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 1.8 | 2.8 | 13.5 |
2022 | Connecticut | 12 | 12 | 31.5 | .341 | .294 | .886 | 5.8 | 3.6 | 1.5 | 0.7 | 1.7 | 12.2 |
2023 | Connecticut | 7 | 7 | 36.9 | .385 | .365 | .774 | 8.3 | 3.4 | 1.0 | 1.6 | 1.6 | 18.1 |
Career | 12 years, 2 teams | 80 | 60 | 31.2 | .401 | .302 | .879 | 6.7 | 2.3 | 1.2 | 0.9 | 1.8 | 13.5 |
College
editYear | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | TO | PPG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2005–06 | Auburn | 29 | — | 31.4 | .422 | .303 | .691 | 6.5 | 1.9 | 1.4 | 0.6 | 2.6 | 13.5 |
2006–07 | Auburn | 32 | — | 29.7 | .459 | .286 | .779 | 8.1 | 1.7 | 1.6 | 0.9 | 2.6 | 15.1 |
2007–08 | Auburn | 31 | — | 34.3 | .447 | .277 | .812 | 10.0 | 2.1 | 1.9 | 1.2 | 2.8 | 18.4 |
2008–09 | Auburn | 34 | — | 33.0 | .482 | .339 | .845 | 8.5 | 1.5 | 1.7 | 1.6 | 2.1 | 21.1 |
Career | 126 | — | 32.1 | .456 | .303 | .795 | 8.3 | 1.8 | 1.7 | 1.1 | 2.5 | 17.2 |
Personal life
editIn November 2014 Bonner married fellow WNBA player (and former Mercury teammate), Candice Dupree. In April 2017,[14] it was confirmed Bonner was expecting the couple's first child and would miss the 2017 WNBA season. Bonner gave birth to twin daughters in July 2017.[15] Bonner and Dupree have since split up. Bonner is now engaged to Sun teammate Alyssa Thomas as of July 2023.
In March 2018, Bonner received a Macedonian passport and became eligible to play for the Macedonian basketball team.[16]
References
edit- ^ "DeWanna Bonner - WNBA.com - Official Site of the WNBA". WNBA.com - Official Site of the WNBA. Retrieved September 4, 2017.
- ^ "DeWanna Bonner - Women's Basketball". Auburn University Athletics. Retrieved November 16, 2021.
- ^ a b "Sun trade 3 1st-round picks to sign star Bonner". ESPN.com. February 11, 2020. Retrieved November 16, 2021.
- ^ a b "Auburn honors DeWanna Bonner: 'This is my home'". Auburn University Athletics. March 4, 2024. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
- ^ Auburn Player Profile High School Highlights
- ^ a b "DeWanna Bonner". Archived from the original on May 27, 2015. Retrieved September 10, 2017.
- ^ "Auburn honors DeWanna Bonner: 'This is my home'". Auburn University Athletics. March 4, 2024. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
- ^ "DeWanna Bonner Named ASWA Alabama Amateur Athlete Of The Year". auburntigers.com. June 7, 2009. Retrieved March 5, 2019.
- ^ "WNBA.com: Rookies Shine on Opening Night". www.wnba.com. Retrieved September 10, 2017.
- ^ "Bonner Goes From Having Twins To Being An All-Star In The Twin Cities". wnba.com. July 28, 2018. Retrieved March 5, 2019.
- ^ "DeWanna Bonner Basketball Player Profile, Phoenix Mercury, Auburn, News, WNBA stats, Career, Games Logs, Best, Awards - usbasket". www.eurobasket.com. Retrieved September 10, 2017.
- ^ "Dewanna Bonner | EuroLeague Women (2015) | FIBA Europe". www.fibaeurope.com. Retrieved September 10, 2017.
- ^ "NCAA Statistics". web1.ncaa.org. Retrieved August 28, 2017.
- ^ "Inside The W: Love & Basketball for Dupree, Bonner". Official Site of the WNBA. Archived from the original on June 28, 2018. Retrieved November 16, 2021.
- ^ Drawford, Dakota (September 6, 2017). "How a married WNBA couple is raising newborn twins. 'It's my turn to sacrifice.'". indystar.com. Retrieved March 5, 2019.
- ^ "Добредојде, Диуана!" [Welcome, DeWanna!]. basketball.mk (in Macedonian). March 12, 2018. Retrieved March 12, 2018.[permanent dead link]
External links
edit- Career statistics and player information from WNBA.com and Basketball-Reference.com