Caitlin Clark, Indiana Fever embrace ‘mama bear’ DeWanna Bonner: ‘I want to win for her’

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INDIANAPOLIS – DeWanna Bonner and Caitlin Clark were in each other’s way and neither wanted to budge. So, to create some space, Clark pushed Bonner’s arm and Bonner responded by grabbing Clark’s wrist and refusing to let go. The Indiana Fever teammates acted as if they were annoyed when they tangled at Sunday’s training camp practice. Seven months ago, when they came face-to-face as opponents during a heated playoff matchup between the Fever and Connecticut Sun, they really would’ve been upset.

But this time around, after Bonner inked a one-year deal in February to become Clark’s teammate, both laughed until Bonner finally conceded. Clark, who wore a mischievous smile, flayed her arm once more for the dramatics before stepping on the court and finishing a defensive drill.

“The relationship is going great,” Bonner said through a wide smile. “I love C.”

That lighthearted moment was just a glimpse of the bond Clark and Bonner are building, despite their contrasting career timelines. Clark, 23, is the future of the Fever. Bonner, 37, is fending off Father Time. Together, they hope to push Indiana into title contention this season as Bonner fully embraces her “mama bear” role, according to coach Stephanie White.

“Just the way she talks and she leads, for me as a second-year point guard, I want to win for her,” Clark said Monday. “This is the end of her career. She deserves it.”

Clark added that she’s started cozying up to Bonner, whether it’s before, during or after practice, to pick her brain about winning habits. Teammate Kelsey Mitchell has done the same, calling Bonner “the best vet in the world” even though they’ve yet to play a game together.

“I think we got a good group of kids. I say kids because I’m older, but a great group of ladies,” Bonner said, grinning. “They want to get to the next level, so you don’t really have to do too much.”

“Just trying to give all the knowledge I can, but saving my breath because they’re fast. They run a lot.” 😂

DeWanna Bonner talks about her first impressions of the team after the first day of camp. pic.twitter.com/PupxVXKMSj

— Indiana Fever (@IndianaFever) April 27, 2025

Bonner may have downplayed her leadership role, but as the most accomplished player on the Fever’s roster, her Hall of Fame resume speaks loudly. Through 14 WNBA seasons, she is a two-time league champion (with the Phoenix Mercury in 2009 and 2014), six-time All-Star, three-time Sixth Woman of the Year and two-time All-WNBA team honoree — with no signs of slowing down.

Last season, Bonner averaged 15 points, six rebounds, two assists and 1.2 steals in 36 regular-season games for the Sun. She went to another level in the postseason, posting 16 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.9 steals in seven playoff games, two of which were back-to-back first-round wins over the Fever that ended Indiana’s season.

White has coached Bonner for the last two years in Connecticut, including 14 playoff games, before they left and joined Indiana this offseason. She believes Bonner’s years of wisdom will have an invaluable effect on the Fever’s resurgence.

“She’s experienced a lot of different things, whether it’s been teammates — playing with some of the best in the world — franchises, coaches,” White said. “Having her knowledge and having her mama bear personality, it’s so important because she understands how to hold you accountable, but she understands how to love on you, too.”

As training camp approached this week, Bonner said her phone started blowing up with text messages from eager teammates. Although she’s one of 10 new players on the Fever’s 15-woman training camp roster, she’s also the only player who’s previously played under White. Bonner’s new peers wanted a preview of what to expect from White, and the veteran was happy to fill them in as White begins her second stint as the Fever’s head coach.

Bonner’s presence offers championship experience as the Fever aim to build a title contender. (Courtesy of Indiana Fever)

“It’s definitely different because you go from playing with an older group in Connecticut to a younger one (in Indiana),” Bonner said. “But the most impressive thing is them wanting to be better. They want to be a great team. They want to be a great organization. They want that leadership, so it’s just all eyes looking at me like, ‘OK, D.B., what do you want to do next?’ … I’m just trying to give them all of the knowledge I can while also saving my breath because they’re fast.”

The Fever will inevitably experience growing pains with so many new faces, but Bonner said the Fever have a chance to be special, especially with Clark at the helm. The 2024 Rookie of the Year is coming off a historic campaign in which she set the WNBA’s single-game and single-season assists record. She nailed the most 3-pointers by a rookie in a single season en route to being named to the All-WNBA first team.

Bonner said she plans to make life easier on Clark, who led the Fever to the playoffs last season for the first time since 2016. So far, Clark claims Bonner already has.

“D.B’s been tremendous, and, obviously, not only as a leader. She’s a tremendous basketball player, too,” Clark said. “She’s won championships. She knows what it is. So when she speaks, everybody listens. I think that’s a piece of the thing we were missing last year.”

(Top photo of DeWanna Bonner and Caitlin Clark: James Boyd / The Athletic)

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