DeWanna Bonner asserted that she has no plans of retiring on the heels of the Connecticut Sun’s gut-wrenching exit from the playoffs.
On Tuesday, the Minnesota Lynx brought an unceremonious end to the Sun’s season, defeating Connecticut 88-77 in Game 5 of the WNBA semifinals. Following the loss, Bonner didn’t mince words when assessing her team’s performance in the win-or-go-home contest.
“I can't even tell you what happened,” she said, per ESPN’s Myron Medcalf. "I think they just kind of punched us in the face and we got shell-shocked. We couldn't fight back.”
At 37 years old, Bonner actively finds herself in the twilight of her decorated career. She proved she still has plenty left in the tank this season, however, averaging 15 points, six rebounds, and two assists in 40 games played - 39 of which were starts.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Bonner shot down rumors that she will be stepping away from basketball for good this offseason. According to Hartford Courant’s Emily Adams, the Sun veteran fully intends to play in the WNBA next year - making her just the eighth player in the league's history to play 16 or more seasons.
Sue Bird (19 seasons), Candice Dupree (16), Becky Hammon (16), DeLisha Milton-Jones (17), Candace Parker (16), Diana Taurasi (20), and Tina Thompson (17) are the only other WNBA stars that have managed to accomplish the feat.
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It appears as though Bonner’s teammates are more than thrilled that she’ll be returning for another year. Discussing her impact, guard DiJonai Carrington said: "I've always leaned on her and soaked in everything she's said to me … she's just super wise … she's a winner."
Fellow guard Marina Mabrey expressed a similar sentiment, stating, "DB has been a supporter of mine for years," before saying of her leadership style: "She does it with grace … but also to the point."
As for what Bonner plans to do in the meantime, the star forward revealed she will not be playing basketball overseas this offseason, instead opting to spend quality time with her family, Hearst’s Maggie Vanoni reported. Last year marked the first time that she’d not left the States to play while the WNBA season was on pause.
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Over the course of seven playoff games against the Indiana Fever and Lynx, Bonner further etched her name in the WNBA history books. She actively ranks first all-time in postseason defensive rebounds, first all-time in WNBA playoff games played, second all-time in total playoff points, third all-time in total playoff rebounds, and third all-time in playoff steals.
Next season, Bonner will additionally have the opportunity to make even more history. With 7,482 career points already under her belt, she would need to score just six more to surpass Tina Thompson (7,488) for third place on the all-time points leaderboard and 214 to claim second from Tina Charles (7,696).
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