In the middle of a busy offseason, dewanna bonner has found herself in a different kind of spotlight. She stepped away from basketball for a period, moved into modeling, and began drawing attention again as the Phoenix Mercury prepared for the 2026 season.
What is drawing attention around Dewanna Bonner right now?
The latest attention came from a recent shoot she shared on social media on Tuesday, April 21 ET. The images and videos quickly drew praise from fans and fellow players alike, including Angel Reese and Mikayla Timpson, who both reacted with heart-eyes emojis. Bonner answered with heart emojis of her own, a small exchange that reflected how much warmth surrounds her right now.
That response matters because Bonner’s recent seasons have not only been about basketball. She said she took time away from the game after a difficult 2025 season, and that pause became part of a mental reset. Modeling became one of the places where she could step back, breathe, and rebuild.
The public reaction also showed how closely people are following her next chapter. Some praised her appearance, while others seemed ready to see her move deeper into modeling. For Bonner, though, the interest appears to be part of a larger recovery, not a replacement for the sport that defined her career.
How does dewanna bonner fit into the Mercury’s 2026 picture?
The Phoenix Mercury have brought Bonner back for the 2026 season as part of a roster shaped around continuity and experience. The team also brought back Alyssa Thomas, Kahleah Copper, and Sami Whitcomb, while moving forward after the departure of Satou Sabally. Training camp began on Sunday at Mountain America Performance Center, with four practices before the first preseason game on April 25 ET.
Bonner’s return gives Phoenix a veteran presence with a long history in the organization. She first joined the Mercury in 2009 and stayed through 2019, winning two championships with the franchise in 2009 and 2014. Now she is back for what the team has described as her 17th WNBA season.
Her 2025 run with Phoenix was strong. She became a key reserve, helped drive the team’s run to the WNBA Finals, and finished the season leading all WNBA reserves in scoring and steals. In the playoffs, she remained productive, and her Game 3 performance in the Finals stood out with 25 points and 10 rebounds in a narrow loss to the Las Vegas Aces.
What has Bonner said about the personal side of the season?
Bonner has spoken openly about how difficult the last year was, especially the backlash and cyberbullying connected to her time with the Indiana Fever. She described that period as tough and said she was grateful for her teammates, family, and children. After leaving Indiana, she said the Mercury and the atmosphere around the team helped bring joy back into her life.
She has also described Phoenix as a place that feels like home. That sense of comfort has been tied not only to basketball but to her family life and her relationship with Alyssa Thomas. Bonner has said the two parts of her life can be kept separate, and that the personal side does not have to disrupt the professional one.
Her words suggest a player who is trying to define the next phase on her own terms. That includes basketball, modeling, and the simple fact of feeling steady again after a season that tested her mentally.
What could this season mean for her future?
Bonner has indicated that the 2026 season could be her last, saying she does not plan to keep playing past 40. That makes this year carry added weight, even as she says she has nothing to prove and is focused on doing the things that have kept her in the league for so long.
For the Mercury, her presence is about more than sentiment. It is about leadership, stability, and a player who still believes she can hold her own. For Bonner, it may be about balance: one more season in a familiar place, a career that still has meaning, and a modeling path that helped her recover when basketball became heavy.
As the Mercury begin their new campaign, the image that lingers is not only of a veteran preparing for another run. It is also of a player who chose to step away, return in her own time, and find a different kind of confidence. In Phoenix, dewanna bonner is once again back where many see her best self, even if this time the ending feels open.
