This isn’t your typical ‘team chemistry’ story. The Indiana Fever didn’t need time to click — they lit up like a group chat with no chill. Kelsey Mitchell’s out here claiming, ‘I got DB, I got the best vet in the world!‘ while DeWanna Bonner’s already in her feels: ‘I love C ‘ Caitlin Clark? Cool as ever: ‘It just starts with building relationships.‘ The energy? Unfiltered, unforced, and downright infectious. This isn’t chemistry you build — it’s chemistry you feel. But speaking of vets, quick quiz: Who’s DeWanna Bonner’s all-time favorite teammate?

Spoiler alert: it must be someone from Indiana right? RIGHT?

In a recent Sports Illustrated sit-down with Caitlin Clark, Kelsey Mitchell, and the Indiana Fever squad, Bonner’s loyalty switch flipped faster than a fast break. When asked who her all-time favorite teammate was, Aliyah Boston shot her shot with a guess: Alyssa Thomas—Bonner’s fiancée and partner of about 5 years. But Bonner shut that down quicker than a buzzer-beater: “No.”

Then Kelsey Mitchell dropped the mic with the answer everyone needed: “DT.” Diana Taurasi. Clark? She was left totally blindsided, joking she was “just an hour away” from figuring it out herself. 

“I love playing with Alyssa. She’s one of the hardest working competitors in the League, so it kind of makes me want to go harder,” DeWanna had said via Slam last year. The two shared the court for five years as a part of the Connecticut Sun before Thomas moved to Mercury and Bonner landed in Indiana this off-season. It’s only natural Boston thought of the duo. But why the Taurasi obsession?

Because their bond runs way deeper than stats or personal ties. Sure, Bonner and Thomas’s love story blossomed during the 2020 WNBA bubble — Instagram stalking, on-court chemistry, and a heartfelt July 2023 engagement that lit up fans with Alyssa’s simple caption: “FOREVER.” But Taurasi? She was Bonner’s mentor, role model, and basketball fairy godmother.

Taurasi took rookie Bonner under her wing, showing her what it meant to grind — early morning shots, late-night workouts, and relentless hustle. There was even that legendary bet: Bonner’s first career double-double meant Taurasi owed her a designer bag. True to her word, Taurasi took Bonner shopping the very next day, and Bonner still treasures that Louis Vuitton today.

From championship runs to life lessons, Taurasi rewrote Bonner’s entire mindset. Even now, after years apart on different teams, Bonner knows one truth above all: the GOAT will always be riding shotgun. But let us tell you, Bonner is no less respected and admired at Fever. 

Clark wants to win for Bonner as Indiana hosts a meet-and-greet

Infact, just like Taurasi did for her, at 37, Bonner is embracing the role of mentor and motivator for Indiana’s young core, especially the team’s rising star, Caitlin Clark. “The relationship is going great,” Bonner said with a wide smile on Indiana’s media day on April 27. “I love C.”

Clark, only 23, is soaking up Bonner’s wisdom like a sponge, hungry for the kind of knowledge that comes from a 14-season WNBA veteran. “This is the end of her career. She deserves it,” Clark said earnestly. “I want to win for her.” That “mama bear” energy Bonner brings, praised by coach Stephanie White, is exactly what the Fever need to push from playoff contenders to title challengers.

Despite the age gap and different stages in their careers, Bonner and Clark have formed a tight bond. Whether it’s during practice or off the court, Clark’s been leaning into Bonner’s experience and winning habits. Kelsey Mitchell echoes this sentiment, calling Bonner “the best vet in the world,” even before they hit the court together in the pre-season.

To celebrate the energy and excitement building around the Fever, Indiana is hosting a meet-and-greet at Chicken Salad Chick in Avon. Fans will get a chance to connect with Bonner and fellow veteran Natasha Howard, two champions bringing grit and leadership to the team.

With Bonner’s veteran presence and Clark’s electric talent fueling Indiana, the Fever are poised to make noise—and win games—with Bonner’s (and in a way Taurasi’s) legacy guiding the way.