Drafted fifth overall out of Auburn in 2009 by the Phoenix Mercury, DeWanna Bonner came off the bench earning three straight WNBA Sixth Woman of the Year awards.
Now in her fourth season, her first as a starter, Bonner is earning even more accolades and was awarded the Western Conference Player of the Week Award.
Bonner started the week leading the Mercury to its first win in 10 games with 24 points, 11 rebounds, two assists, one steal and a block in a 75-68 win over the Seattle Storm.
Bonner followed that game with a 22-point, nine-rebound effort two days later in a win against the San Antonio Silver Stars.
Bonner's play was not a one-week wonder, however, and the former Tiger has experienced a mercurial rise to stardom in the starting role.
This season Bonner is second in the league with 20.8 points per game and ranks seventh in rebounds, steals and blocks.
The season has been less stellar for the team as a whole as the injury-riddled Mercury limped to a 7-21 record.
For head coach Corey Gaines, Bonner is a reason for optimism heading forward.
"DB is definitely the bright spot here," Gaines said. "She's valuable because you can move her around to so many different spots."
Bonner, officially listed as a guard and a forward, has shown her versatility at a variety of positions and racking up a variety of stats. Gaines said that alone can't describe Bonner's impact, though.
"You're not even getting defensive part of that," Gaines said. "You can have a five and she can guard a five. Then she can switch off to a one. It's something that we thought that about her when I first saw her play at Auburn. I thought that that's what she'd be able to do and she's just put it all together."
While Gaines scouted Bonner at Auburn during her sophomore year, Gaines said he had a tip from an unlikely source: her father.
"I kind of fell upon her by accident," Gaines said. "I was coaching the (WNBA development league) in Bakersfield, and her father was also there, and he mentioned, 'hey, I've got a daughter' and being a coach you always hear that... but she was the real deal."
"We had a lot of injuries so it gave me the chance to step up, and I just played basketball," Bonner said. "I just stayed aggressive, tried to get the open shots."
Teammate, two-time WNBA champion and threetime Olympic gold medalist Diana Taurasi said that despite the team's record, Bonner's emergence as a leader is a primary reason the team has stayed competitive.
"DeWanna has had a break out season and has shown the ability to be a go-to player," Taurasi said. "Not only with her play but her leadership. This is has been a tough season but this team has come out and played hard every night and she's been a catalyst for that."
Bonner has improved each year since 2009 and now ranks among the elite.
As she sits atop the WNBA rankings and continues to add to her skill set, Gaines said Bonner is only just beginning to grasp her potential.
"She's just realizing what she can really do now," Gaines said. "She added the threepointer last year, and she's always been kind of a great defensive player and can guard any position...She's starting to be a problem for opposing teams."
"I thank my teammates and all my coaches," Bonner said. "It's definitely a great accomplishment."
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