After starting the season 1–8, the Indiana Fever pulled off an impressive turnaround, finishing with a 20–20 record. Not just that, they even clinched their first playoff berth since 2016. But despite the talent and momentum, their postseason run was cut short, ironically, by the Connecticut Sun. But what makes it even more full-circle? The very coach and star who led that Sun team, Stephanie White and DeWanna Bonner, are now on the other side of the table. Both had a front-row seat to the Fever’s resurgence. And for Bonner, that playoff battle stuck with her. It even helped her make a major decision. “I want to win another championship,” said Bonner, who already has two rings with the Phoenix Mercury. “I want to get back to the finals.” She saw something in Indiana. A “hungry group” that reminded her of what it takes to win. That’s why she reshaped both her mindset and her game, and chose the Fever. But even as she embraces this new chapter, not every memory of her old team has faded just yet.

Beneath all the admiration for both Fever and Caitlin Clark, Bonner still sneaks in a bit of competitive fire. And in a recent interview, it came in the form of a perfectly timed, slightly petty jab. “I always throw up a W in her face because we got the W,” Bonner shared before Fever’s preseason game, flashing a sly smile. “I do give her trouble.”

That little “W” might sound playful, and it is, but there’s a sting underneath. Because Bonner’s not just talking about any win. She’s talking about the win. The one that ended Clark’s first WNBA playoff run before it even got started.

But that’s not the only layer to their connection. Remember Game 2 at Mohegan Sun Arena? When Clark and Bonner went head-to-head in a fiery sequence, they showed how competitive both are. With the shot clock winding down, Clark launched a deep three over Bonner’s outstretched arm.

Then, Clark hit the deck right after, arguing to the refs that Bonner, then the Sun’s defensive anchor, had undercut her and didn’t give her space to land. She pleaded for a foul. Bonner, the veteran, wasn’t having it. The two came together, briefly exchanged shoves, and just like that, the moment passed, but not without leaving its mark. For those few seconds, they mirrored the fire they saw in each other.

Neither could’ve predicted that four months later, they’d be teammates. “It’s (the) playoffs, so emotions are high, tension’s high,” Bonner said Monday. “But I couldn’t be more excited to step on the court with Caitlin.” And she already has. But don’t think that fire in Bonner’s belly has dimmed.

In fact, she still brings up the playoff moment to Clark from time to time. It might seem like Bonner’s still playing the rival card. Maybe she is… but only partly!

DeWanna Bonner brings a unique lens to her bonding with Caitlin Clark!

Both Caitlin Clark and DeWanna Bonner were the Fever’s biggest free-agent signings this offseason, but for them, it’s less about hype and more about having each other’s back.

Just hours before Bonner’s introductory press conference, the two were already in the gym getting in a workout together. The court that would soon be filled with lights and chairs for media had just seen Clark and Bonner going through drills side by side. Later, Clark sat front row during the presser, flashing a sheepish smile when Bonner brought up their postseason dust-up, playfully hinting it wouldn’t be their last quarrel now that they’re on the same team.

“That’s exactly what you want. You want your teammates to be just as competitive as you are,” Clark said. “I think training camp’s gonna be really fun.”

And it was. The Fever posted a video on X showing the duo working together on different positions and shots, a sign of early chemistry. Bonner seems to agree.

“But I’m happy to be on the side of the ball with her. She’s such a dynamic player. She makes everybody on our team better,” she said after their first preseason game.

That’s the balance, Bonner may be the one tossing playful jabs, but she’s also fully embracing Clark as a teammate and playmaker. After all, she knows what it’s like to guard her. Now, thankfully, she doesn’t have to. So, what do you think? DB supports Clark, or is she a teammate rival?