As the No. 3 all-time leading scorer in WNBA history, DeWanna Bonner is undoubtedly a legend of the game. But she isn’t exactly a beloved figure in Indiana. It is a new season, and Bonner is doing well with her team in Phoenix, but the Fever fandom has not yet forgotten how she left them midway through the 2025 season. So, when she praised the Fever star point guard Caitlin Clark in a recent USA Network promotion, it raised many eyebrows.

A fan account shared the video featuring many highlights of Clark. Bonner, Kelsey Plum, and current Fever teammates Aliyah Boston, Kelsey Mitchell, and Monique Billings, meanwhile, gave their takes on what it means to play against Iowa’s generational talent.

“You have to guard her the whole court, the whole 94 feet,” Bonner said of Clark. “She changed the game of basketball.”

Interestingly, Bonner is in a relationship with the other point guard in the WNBA who contests directly with Clark for the top spot in the league for assists. And given her history with the Fever and with Clark specifically, words of praise from her were not what most people expected to see.

You see, when the Fever decided to build a championship-caliber team, Bonner was among the first names they contacted. She already had a history with Indy’s coach, Stephanie White, and had proven herself as a defensive shield with the Connecticut Sun, which was a weakness for the rather inexperienced Indiana team. However, none of that familiarity worked out.

Bonner signed a one-year deal with the Indiana Fever in 2025. However, the arrangement lasted just nine games. She was benched after her production faltered. The equation got so tense that she was put on the injury report without revealing the cause.

Later, it was revealed that she had requested a trade amid limited playing time and refused to play. She was ultimately waived, and she then signed with the Mercury. Considering all the drama that occurred in Indiana last season, with most attention given to the point guard, Bonner’s praise for the third-year player was certainly shocking. But that wasn’t the only surprising takeaway from the USA Network promo.

Kelsey Plum — the player whose all-time NCAA scoring record for women’s basketball Clark broke — also made an appearance in the ad.

“When Caitlin’s going it’s like a boulder rolling down a hill it’s tough to stop,” Plum said.

Plum wasn’t thrilled when Clark broke her collegiate scoring record in 2024 with the Iowa Hawkeyes. However, once she saw that the point guard went on to break even the men’s all-time scoring record that wasn’t touched for four decades, she accepted the tide she brought with her.

The two have certainly become good colleagues in the WNBA. So, when Plum said it, it wasn’t as big a deal as Bonner. Caitlin Clark‘s current teammates also added their own color.

Kelsey Mitchell described Clark as powerful and said she has “the world in a chokehold.” Boston pointed to her takeover ability, saying, “When she takes over games, she can shoot lights out.” And Billings summed up what drives all of it:

“She’s an ultimate competitor.”

USA Network previously brought Catlin Clark into the spotlight when they shared her highlight reel playing soccer at Dowling Catholic High School during its English Premier League coverage. The network was preparing to broadcast her game against the Los Angeles Sparks later that night.

What’s interesting is that when Bonner was with the Fever, the trio of Boston, Mitchell, and Clark played a game with Sports Illustrated, and the veteran was also part of that group. Expectedly, she had the lowest score in the game, which revolved around knowing your teammates best.

Clark had already mentioned that she wanted to win the championship for Bonner when she first signed with Indy last season. However, that’s not how anything went. And the Fever fans have not forgotten.

Fans React to DeWanna Bonner’s Remarks About Caitlin Clark

For some fans, seeing DeWanna Bonner offering praise for Caitlin Clark in the promo video triggered an immediate and understandable sense of confusion.

“I’m confused. DB is praising her? What happened?” one fan wrote.

The Fever has not matched up against the Phoenix Mercury yet, where Bonner’s stats magically improved right after she joined them last year. But after a home-and-home with the Atlanta Dream, Indy will be hosting the Mercury back-to-back in late June. If things have improved between the two, we will surely see it once they play against each other.

Others found the whole thing so unexpected that humor felt like the only appropriate response. 

“Wait, flowers for CC from KP? DB? That’s really nice of them finally recognizing her talent, and they didn’t choke up? They probably run to the bathroom and start throwing up!! Thanks girls for saying that!” one fan said with a laughing emoji, leaning fully into the absurdity of the scenario. 

As I mentioned, both Plum and Bonner have different stories and experiences with Clark. But while Plum’s is purely based on Clark taking away her NCAA record, Bonner’s was born out of the entire saga at Indy. And so, all fans could do was continue joking.

“I wonder how much DB wanted to cry that she had to be part of the promo,” another added.

It was simply one great recognizing the other. But it is hard to argue with those loyal Indy fans who experienced the betrayal firsthand. Bonner was meant to be the veteran leader who added playoff experience to the rather young team. Instead, she joined hands with the opponents.

It’s worth noting that in her third season, where she played only 13 games last season, Clark has already accumulated 1,227 points. Considering she is only improving and will do so further, she might as well leave Bonner behind in the all-time scoring list. Call it wishful thinking. But what Clark has already proven at Iowa and is doing with the Fever isn’t easy to ignore. However, not every fan was prepared to move on so easily.

“Why the hell was the quitter BONNER on there,” one fan wrote bluntly, pulling no punches about how they still view her departure. Another echoed the sentiment with barely concealed disbelief: “How did they get DeWanna to talk about Caitlin? DeWanna pissed off the Fever by abruptly leaving them.”

If anything, the greatest winner of the entire discourse is USA Network, who appear to have generated exactly the kind of fan engagement and conversation they were hoping for, simply by putting these names together in the same video and letting history speak for itself. After all, featuring Clark as the face of the WNBA isn’t disrespecting the entire league, but smart business. And USA Network has certainly got their formula correct.