“Um, we’re confident. We’re confident in us, and we’ve been battling all season long” said Satou Sabally after the recent matchup against the Minnesota Lynx. The Phoenix Mercury squad showed how far one can go with confidence after the players overcame a 20-point deficit in Game 2 to win the matchup by an 89-83 score. With Game 3 headed to the PHX Arena, Satou Sabally and co will have home-court advantage on their side. If that isn’t enough, DeWanna Bonner’s recent confession might motivate her teammates to battle not just in Game 3, but in the remaining matchups in the series as well.

A few days ago, the Phoenix Mercury shooting guard/small forward was interviewed by a few media members. During the same time, she was asked about her plans for the next WNBA season. In response, Bonner said, “I don’t know yet. I kind of want to go through my off-season, and see”. After another reporter discussed her prior tenure with the Indiana Fever, Bonner joked that “We’ll see after the season if I want to continue to do it again another year, but it definitely won’t be another year after that”.

DeWanna Bonner was drafted by the Phoenix Mercury back in 2009, as the 5th overall pick. She went on to play for the team till February 2020, when she was traded to the Connecticut Sun. After playing just 9 games for the Indiana Fever, Bonner returned to the Mercury in July 2025. The current WNBA season is her 16th, meaning that it isn’t a surprise that she has contemplated retirement. At the end, what better team is there to retire from than the one you started your career in the big leagues with?

The 38-year-old was part of 2 of the 3 rosters that won the championship for the Phoenix Mercury. She was also named the WNBA Sixth Woman of the Year for 3 consecutive years (2009–2011), back when she started playing for the team. Additionally, three of Bonner’s six All-Star nods came while she was in Phoenix. In a way, she is a legend amongst the other stars to have made a name for themselves through the franchise. Therefore, the fact that this legend might not end up playing next season would only motivate her teammates to give their all. If not for their sake, then just so that when DeWanna Bonner retires, she retires as a 3-time WNBA champion, with all originating from the same team.

From what she told us, DeWanna Bonner’s future remains uncertain. However, as long as the Phoenix Mercury have her, they will make the most efficient use of her presence. This is why, amongst other things, the veteran has now become a mentor to her younger teammates.

DeWanna Bonner Reveals Helping Rookies During Playoffs

DeWanna Bonner did not have a good start to the 2025 season. She became the WNBA’s third-leading scorer at the beginning as she scored 7 points during the Indiana Fever’s sold-out season opener. However, after that, things went sideways between her and Stephanie White’s roster. After all, the veteran went from an early-season starter to being benched in favor of guard Lexie Hull. Looking for a different role took her back to the Phoenix Mercury.

During the same session with the media members, DeWanna Bonner revealed that she had been helping the rookies navigate the ups and downs of the playoffs. Recalling the experience, she stated, “I feel like I’ve been talking a lot and help them navigate the ups and downs. You can’t get too high, you can’t get too low. Trying to get them to understand that. One of the rookies came over to me before this game (game one against the Minnesota Lynx) asking, ‘How do you change the page from this series to that series if you haven’t played that well?’ I said, like, this is a whole new series. In playoffs, it doesn’t matter if you get 20 or 1, as long as you win and keep advancing. So, just trying to get them to understand that.”

Bonner hasn’t been very impressive during the playoffs. Over the course of 5 games, she has averaged 6.8 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 1.2 assists. However, by acting as a mentor, she is doing her part to educate the future of the Phoenix Mercury. With 1/3rd of the roster consisting of rookies, she is certainly making an impact.

The Phoenix Mercury are now evenly tied with the Minnesota Lynx in the Semi-Finals. Whether DeWanna Bonner’s words end up motivating any of her teammates to give their all in the coming matchups is something that remains to be seen.