Under Stephanie White’s system, DeWanna Bonner in the WNBA seemed to experience a second wind in her career. As White put it last year in an interview with NextHoops, “The last two years, she found the fountain of youth… She’s like a coach on the floor.” So makes sense why Bonner followed White when the HC moved to Indiana. Even before playing her first game for the Fever, Bonner admitted White’s contribution to her career. “She took my game to a different level at Connecticut… I just learned a lot under [White],” the veteran guard said earlier this year.

Even during the season opener, when White missed the game due to personal reasons, Bonner made her intentions clear. “I really want to win for Steph, she’s going through a tough time with her family right now,” the veteran guard said ahead of the June 7 matchup. But a month later, just ten games into the season, the iconic coach-player hasn’t been seen working together for some time now.

In the last seven seasons, the second-oldest WNBA player missed the starting line-up in just one game in 2022. But ever since joining forces with her former head coach, this former Connecticut guard has already missed the starting line-up in six games due to personal reasons. After sitting out against the New York Liberty, Bonner has now been ruled out again, this time for the Fever’s matchup against her former team, the Sun. During the Fever-Liberty broadcast on ABC, it was mentioned that she’s dealing with an unspecified issue, though no further details were provided.

It’s also worth noting that Bonner hasn’t quite looked like herself this season. The 2x WNBA champ is currently averaging career lows across the board, just 7.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. But what made her absence feel even more glaring was the way White handled questions about her player’s availability. The Fever HC, instead of addressing Bonner directly, only talked about the return of Caitlin Clark and Sophie Cunningham, signaling that, for now, the team is adjusting and moving forward in her absence.

“You know, getting Caitlin and getting Sophie back gives us confidence as well,” she said. “It gives us, you know, two perimeter threats. It gives us, you know, two high-energy players that have the ability to not just, you know, knock down shots, but to handle the ball. Two versatile players that can play a lot of positions for us. Two great defensive rebounders as well.” And to be fair, she’s absolutely right about that.

In her first game back from injury, Clark exploded for 32 points, draining seven threes, while adding nine assists and eight rebounds. It was a full-package, two-way performance that helped take down the previously undefeated Liberty. Meanwhile, Cunningham, who’s averaging 6.2 points and 3.4 rebounds in just over 22 minutes per game this season, showed why her presence matters too, putting up 5 points and 4 boards off the bench.

But while White focused on the return of her perimeter threats, what she didn’t speak on was the absence of Bonner, a six-time All-Star who started the year in the Fever’s starting five before quickly being moved to the bench. But, no, Bonner is not leaving or planning to retire, and there is no internal scuffle as well. The player is dealing with some personal problems, which explains her absence and her career lows as well.

So, keeping up with the strong bond the head coach has with Bonner, she’s helping her out on and off the court. Well, she herself puts it better: “I think she’s doing as well as she can be right now,” White said. “We’re going to continue to support her and give her the time that she needs. I don’t anticipate her being here (Saturday), and just with her right now, it’s supporting her and giving her what she needs.”

So, makes sense that White is focusing more on the players she’s got until Bonner returns to court, since she doesn’t wish to put any pressure on her. But honestly, it won’t be as easy as it may seem, given the impact Bonner brings to the Fever. For those unaware, Bonner has a record of 511 career games, which makes her third all-time in the W for the games played. Given that she’s still playing, she’ll soon be taking over Sue Bird with 580 games and Dianna Taurasi with 566 games in the next two years.

“She is someone who has been in multiple situations in her career, as far as her role. She’s been on championship-caliber teams. She understands what it takes to win…And she’s a great calming influence and reasonable voice for us in the huddles and in the locker room, her teammates respect her.” White shared last year. So now, you know the kind of presence she brings to the team.

Can Caitlin Clark and Co. grab a win without DeWanna Bonner?

When the Indiana Fever made the playoffs last season, they were labeled as one of the worst defensive teams in the W. So when Stephanie White took over, she knew exactly what needed fixing, and she wasted no time. Her first mission? Bolster the team’s defense. And she did just that by bringing in veterans like Natasha Howard and DeWanna Bonner during the offseason.

While it took a few games to find their rhythm, now, ten games in, the pieces are finally falling into place as the team has a 93.2 defensive rating. And if you still need any sort of evidence, just look at the way Fever handed the defending champs, the New York Liberty, their first loss of the season in a dominant 102–88 win. Well, that’s not just a squeak-by victory, it’s a statement. Snatching a nine-game winning streak from a team like New York, especially when your core defensive anchor, Bonner, is out and multiple players are coming off injuries? That’s no small feat.

And now, all eyes are on the Fever as they gear up to face the Connecticut Sun, a team sitting near the bottom of the standings. On paper, it looks like a winnable matchup. But it won’t be a walk in the park. Majorly as the Sun is coming off a 12-point loss to the Sky, but they still had three players, Marina Mabrey, Tina Charles, and rookie Jacy Sheldon, combine for an impressive 53 points. Also, let’s not forget, the last time these two teams met, the Fever took the L. So the question is: can they turn it around this time and grab a win for Bonner?