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Indiana Fever -Star Sophie Cunningham approached the departure of former teammate Dewanna Bonner from the team in a controversial collapse this season.
Bonner stepped away from the team just nine games into the season and quoted “personal reasons” while the team tried to trade her. Indiana then released Bonner on June 29, and she returned to Phoenix Mercury, where she started her career in 2009.
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Indiana Fever -tip Dewanna Bonner (25) warms up on Tuesday, May 20, 2025 during a game between Indiana Fever and Atlanta Dream at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. (IMagn)
Cunningham, who previously played with Bonner for Mercury in 2009, praised Bonner as a player, but also suggested that Bonner show a lack of “professionalism” in his departure.
“I’m still rooted for her. I want her to end her career and be happy, but I also think like, it’s ok to be a professional about it. Send a text to your teammates, send a text like ‘Hello, love you’, or you don’t even have to say, ‘love you.’ Say, ‘Sorry this didn’t work, good luck …’ There’s a way of dealing with it, I think, ‘Cunningha said on an episode of her podcast on Tuesday.
Bonner returned to Indianapolis and was booed by the fans. Cunningham said Bonner should have expected boos from fever fever based on how her departure played out.
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Indiana Fever -vagt Sophie Cunningham (8) runs back up the field during the match against Dallas Wings in the American Airlines Center on June 27, 2025 in Dallas, Texas. (Jerome Miron/Imag- Pictures)
“I was a little surprised that she still signed here in Indiana, so we take her in the heartbeat. She’s a Hall of Famer. She’s a Helluva basketball player can score anywhere on the field,” Cunningham said.
“She came to Indiana and she just wasn’t really happy and I want people to be happy, so that’s why I’m a bit like neutral on this one that everyone is surprised. She’s toward the end of her career as she deserves her flowers, she deserves to be happy. But I also think if you want to travel, you should expect to be booed.”
Boos didn’t really sit with Mercury star Kahleah Copper. The four-time All-Star and Wnba champion thought Bonner handled boos well, but she didn’t understand why joers happened in the first place.
Dewanna Bonner Sophie Cunningham and Lexie Hull from Indiana Fever Smile during the game against Brazil Women’s National Basketball Team under WNBA Preseason Game on May 4, 2025 in Carver-Hawkeye Arena I Iowa City, Iowa. (Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images)
“I just don’t understand it. As if she’s a legend. All the things she’s done for the league, and just when the respectless respect. I just can’t get down with it. They booed her. She didn’t say a word to the crowd. People talked some garbage to her but we had her back,” Copper said, via it Indy Star.
“It’s just very tasteless what their fanbase does when it comes to DB. She’s just the sweet soul. The situation didn’t work for her. It just wasn’t what she wanted or what, but we don’t need all that. It’s just unnecessary.”
