ATLANTA — DeWanna Bonner may have a new team, but the goal remains the same: Complement a roster to go on a deep postseason run.
The former Phoenix Mercury forward made her Atlanta Dream debut Sunday, scoring seven points, grabbing four rebounds and adding two assists and a steal in 16 minutes during the club’s 89-81 win over the Minnesota Lynx. The debut was less about how many points she scored and more about how she would fit into a group with her experience and championship pedigree.
Aug 30, 2026; College Park, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Dream forward Dewanna Bonner (24) shoots the ball against the Minnesota Lynx during the first half at Gateway Center Arena at College Park. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
Bonner’s departure from Phoenix marked the end of her second chapter with the Mercury, agreeing to a buyout of her contract. Phoenix’s season had fallen out of the postseason picture, while Bonner is closing in on her 17th WNBA season and faced an uncertain number of championship opportunities ahead.
Atlanta had clinched a playoff berth before Sunday’s game and enter the final stretch of the regular season with a 26-14 record. Her decision, she said, wasn’t very complicated, with Atlanta’s style of play being a major factor.
DeWanna Bonner shares her thoughts behind joining Atlanta ahead of her debut this afternoon:
Question by @CrushSportsTalk pic.twitter.com/QxPmJWtknU
— Nia Symone (@NiaOnAir) August 30, 2026
“First of all, how hard they play. They play really hard night in and night out,” Bonner said. ‘They play fast-paced. They shoot threes. I love to shoot threes.”
The location was just as important.
Aug 5, 2026; College Park, Georgia, USA; Phoenix Mercury forward DeWanna Bonner (24) shoots against the Atlanta Dream in the second quarter at Gateway Center Arena at College Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
Bonner said Atlanta is about 90 minutes from her hometown and roughly two hours from Auburn, where she played college basketball. She also said she is only a couple of hours from her children and close enough for her mother to drive to games.
“So it’s just like great basketball, great location for me at the end of my career,” Bonner said. “My mom can drive down to see me play. So yeah, just everything kind of, you know, all aligned. It’s just crazy. It’s surreal that I’m here right now.”
Aug 5, 2026; College Park, Georgia, USA; Phoenix Mercury forward DeWanna Bonner (24) blocks the shot of Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese (5) in the second quarter at Gateway Center Arena at College Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
The forward’s first game in Atlanta showed that she doesn’t need a big scoring night to make an impact.
Her ability to settle into Atlanta’s rotation, complement its stars and bring championship experience could be far more important once the games start to matter most.
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Wendy Lopez is a reporter for Burn City Sports. You can follow her on her X account, @wlopezde
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