PHOENIX – On the heels of standout performances by Alyssa Thomas and Sami Whitcomb, the Phoenix Mercury announced Tuesday the return of two-time WNBA champion forward DeWanna Bonner.
“We couldn’t be more excited to have DeWanna back in a Mercury uniform,” Mercury general manager Nick U’Ren said. “She is a true winner, leader and one of the most talented and versatile players in our game. Her high basketball IQ, shooting range, athleticism and ability to play and defend multiple positions is going to be a great addition to what are we building here in Phoenix.”
Bonner spent the first 10 seasons of her career with the Mercury, helping the team to two WNBA championships. She joins a versatile team that secured standout efforts Monday from Thomas and Whitcomb in the Mercury’s 102-72 win over Dallas at PHX Arena
Thomas, who recently received her sixth All-Star nod, extended her WNBA career record with her 16th career triple-double – and her first as a member of the Mercury. Whitcomb made seven 3-pointers in a game for the second time.
This season wasn’t always smooth sailing for Whitcomb. After starting the year slowly, she has turned things around and found her footing in a Mercury uniform.
Thomas and Whitcomb were all smiles en route to the win over Dallas, which ended a two-game skid. Thomas finished with 15 points, 10 rebounds and 15 assists. Whitcomb had a career-high night, scoring 36 points.
“It’s always nice to get a triple-double,” Thomas said. “To get my first one in a Mercury uniform and to have the crowd behind you and cheering you on like that, it’s overwhelming.”
At one point, the Mercury came up with a steal and fastbreak opportunity, and the fans in the X-Factor rose in anticipation.
Whitcomb hustled down the floor to get to one of her sweet spots, and as the ball found her on the wing, she hit her fourth 3 of the first quarter.
With the crowd still on its feet, Thomas joined in on the fun a few possessions later, making a dish to Kiana Williams for a bucket and following it up with a steal on the other end.
She became the first player this season to dish out 15 assists three times and tied the WNBA record for most 15-assist games in a single season.
“Her all-around game is pretty impressive,” Mercury coach Nate Tibbetts said. “When she rebounds it, it changes the game because now she’s pushing it in transition.”
The Mercury have been on fire from deep this season, leading the league in 3-pointers per game. Whitcomb has been vital to that success, leading the team with 43 3-pointers.
Whitcomb’s 3-point shooting was her calling card when the Mercury brought her in during the offseason.But after a rocky start to the season, Whitcomb found herself struggling to hit the 3.
Whitcomb averaged 7.4 points on 24% shooting from 3-point range during the first 11 games. But through her work and her teammates’ trust in her, she kept on shooting until she finally broke out in the Mercury’s 76-70 win over Las Vegas on June 15.
Since then, Whitcomb has nailed four or more 3-pointers in six of her last seven games.
During that span, Whitcomb is averaging 17 points on a scorching hot 49% from beyond the arc.
“That’s the thing about it. Shots fall, then they don’t fall. Everything we’ve been focusing on has been are they good shots,” Whitcomb said. “We talked about the math mathing, and it finally has now.”
After knocking down five 3-pointers vs the Liberty on June 27, Whitcomb said that her hard work is what keeps her grounded through rough stretches. Tibbetts said her strong work ethic is no secret.
“She’s self-made. Her work ethic is second to none,” Tibbetts said. “Yesterday, she got two workouts in before the start of practice.
“She’s been everything we hoped for and more: her professionalism and her approach,” Tibbetts added. “I’m just really glad I’ve gotten the opportunity to coach someone like her. She’s special.”
Monday’s win was the second game of a back-to-back against Dallas. The Mercury previously fell to the Wings in Dallas, but rectified that loss with Monday’s blowout.
The Mercury’s huge win came without All-Star Satou Sabally and Kahleah Copper, who were both out with injury.
“(Thomas) set the tone. We did not have a very good performance in Dallas,” Tibbetts said. “They played a good game, and I didn’t think we were up to the challenge that night. So, I’m really proud of our crew for responding the way they did.”
Thomas did it all for the Mercury in the win, even taking the opportunity to guard 2025 No. 1 overall pick Paige Bueckers.
“I just took it upon myself to guard her,” Thomas said. “Defense has been what I’ve been known for. I’m always up for a challenge.”
Thomas has been vocal about the Mercury’s success being intertwined with their defensive prowess.
“We hang our hat on defense. AT is a really good leader when it comes to that and holding us accountable,” Mercury center Kalani Brown said. “It’s all about trust. As long as my teammates got my back, I can be as high as I need to be and (have) time to get back.”
At the start of the season, Tibbetts and his staff emphasized the importance of adding shooters around Thomas. With another 15-assist game and a triple-double, Thomas and Whitcomb have found a rhythm as a high-ball screen and dribble handoff duo.
“I’ve been trying to play with Sami for a long time,” Thomas said. “Sami just has such a high IQ and just really understands my thought process. We’ve played a lot of two on two, just getting in sync. And we came up with that play where I just back down from the free-throw line, and she’s coming around. So just being on that same wavelength has been a lot of fun.”
Whitcomb’s 36 points were 11 points shy of Diana Taurasi franchise record. When asked if she was gunning for the record, she laughed it off.
“I appreciate the question, but no. I didn’t factor that in,” Whitcomb said. “I wasn’t thinking about anything other than trying to win and continuing to shoot wide-open looks.”
The Mercury’s front office aimed to add a collection of shooters around Thomas this offseason, which led to a flourishing of her playmaking. Thomas has been stellar in her first season with the Mercury. In her 14 games, the Mercury have tallied a 11-3 record. Thomas has already had eight double-doubles.
She has recorded double-digit assist numbers seven times this season and has knocked on the door of breaking the Mercury’s single-game assist record several times.
Despite a great start to the season, Thomas was not named an All-Star starter.
“I’ve been around some great players and all of them are motivated by different things,” Tibbetts said. “She’s maybe been overlooked and taken advantage of for how great she is. It’s very disappointing that she wasn’t named one of the ten starters in our league.”
Thomas has orchestrated a top-five offense and a top-five defense. With Thomas in the lineup, the Mercury average 87.7 points and have an offensive rating of 110.7. Those numbers would lead the league.
The Mercury will have a challenge on their hands come Wednesday, as they will play first-place Minnesota at home. The Lynx enter Wednesday’s game at 17-2 and have two wins over the Mercury already.
With no injury update to Sabally and Copper, Thomas and Whitcomb must continue to shoulder the load.
“Nothing changes whether they’re playing or not,” Thomas said. “For us, it’s going out there and competing and allowing them to focus on their rehab.”
This will be Minnesota’s second visit to PHX Arena to face off against the Mercury in front of the X-Factor faithful. Whitcomb knows how difficult it can be to play in front of the X-Factor.
“We really rely on them [and] their energy and support. It’s hard to play here when they’re like that,” Whitcomb said. “It’s really exciting when they can get involved, and it’s nice when you’re the shotmaker that’s getting them involved.”
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After Alyssa Thomas, Sami Whitcomb come up big for Mercury, team announces return of DeWanna Bonner
Dorian Waller, Cronkite News
July 8, 2025
PHOENIX – On the heels of standout performances by Alyssa Thomas and Sami Whitcomb, the Phoenix Mercury announced Tuesday the return of two-time WNBA champion forward DeWanna Bonner.
“We couldn’t be more excited to have DeWanna back in a Mercury uniform,” Mercury general manager Nick U’Ren said. “She is a true winner, leader and one of the most talented and versatile players in our game. Her high basketball IQ, shooting range, athleticism and ability to play and defend multiple positions is going to be a great addition to what are we building here in Phoenix.”
Bonner spent the first 10 seasons of her career with the Mercury, helping the team to two WNBA championships. She joins a versatile team that secured standout efforts Monday from Thomas and Whitcomb in the Mercury’s 102-72 win over Dallas at PHX Arena
Thomas, who recently received her sixth All-Star nod, extended her WNBA career record with her 16th career triple-double – and her first as a member of the Mercury. Whitcomb made seven 3-pointers in a game for the second time.
This season wasn’t always smooth sailing for Whitcomb. After starting the year slowly, she has turned things around and found her footing in a Mercury uniform.
Thomas and Whitcomb were all smiles en route to the win over Dallas, which ended a two-game skid. Thomas finished with 15 points, 10 rebounds and 15 assists. Whitcomb had a career-high night, scoring 36 points.
“It’s always nice to get a triple-double,” Thomas said. “To get my first one in a Mercury uniform and to have the crowd behind you and cheering you on like that, it’s overwhelming.”
At one point, the Mercury came up with a steal and fastbreak opportunity, and the fans in the X-Factor rose in anticipation.
Whitcomb hustled down the floor to get to one of her sweet spots, and as the ball found her on the wing, she hit her fourth 3 of the first quarter.
With the crowd still on its feet, Thomas joined in on the fun a few possessions later, making a dish to Kiana Williams for a bucket and following it up with a steal on the other end.
She became the first player this season to dish out 15 assists three times and tied the WNBA record for most 15-assist games in a single season.
“Her all-around game is pretty impressive,” Mercury coach Nate Tibbetts said. “When she rebounds it, it changes the game because now she’s pushing it in transition.”
The Mercury have been on fire from deep this season, leading the league in 3-pointers per game. Whitcomb has been vital to that success, leading the team with 43 3-pointers.
Whitcomb’s 3-point shooting was her calling card when the Mercury brought her in during the offseason.But after a rocky start to the season, Whitcomb found herself struggling to hit the 3.
Whitcomb averaged 7.4 points on 24% shooting from 3-point range during the first 11 games. But through her work and her teammates’ trust in her, she kept on shooting until she finally broke out in the Mercury’s 76-70 win over Las Vegas on June 15.
Since then, Whitcomb has nailed four or more 3-pointers in six of her last seven games.
During that span, Whitcomb is averaging 17 points on a scorching hot 49% from beyond the arc.
“That’s the thing about it. Shots fall, then they don’t fall. Everything we’ve been focusing on has been are they good shots,” Whitcomb said. “We talked about the math mathing, and it finally has now.”
After knocking down five 3-pointers vs the Liberty on June 27, Whitcomb said that her hard work is what keeps her grounded through rough stretches. Tibbetts said her strong work ethic is no secret.
“She’s self-made. Her work ethic is second to none,” Tibbetts said. “Yesterday, she got two workouts in before the start of practice.
“She’s been everything we hoped for and more: her professionalism and her approach,” Tibbetts added. “I’m just really glad I’ve gotten the opportunity to coach someone like her. She’s special.”
Monday’s win was the second game of a back-to-back against Dallas. The Mercury previously fell to the Wings in Dallas, but rectified that loss with Monday’s blowout.
The Mercury’s huge win came without All-Star Satou Sabally and Kahleah Copper, who were both out with injury.
“(Thomas) set the tone. We did not have a very good performance in Dallas,” Tibbetts said. “They played a good game, and I didn’t think we were up to the challenge that night. So, I’m really proud of our crew for responding the way they did.”
Thomas did it all for the Mercury in the win, even taking the opportunity to guard 2025 No. 1 overall pick Paige Bueckers.
“I just took it upon myself to guard her,” Thomas said. “Defense has been what I’ve been known for. I’m always up for a challenge.”
Thomas has been vocal about the Mercury’s success being intertwined with their defensive prowess.
“We hang our hat on defense. AT is a really good leader when it comes to that and holding us accountable,” Mercury center Kalani Brown said. “It’s all about trust. As long as my teammates got my back, I can be as high as I need to be and (have) time to get back.”
At the start of the season, Tibbetts and his staff emphasized the importance of adding shooters around Thomas. With another 15-assist game and a triple-double, Thomas and Whitcomb have found a rhythm as a high-ball screen and dribble handoff duo.
“I’ve been trying to play with Sami for a long time,” Thomas said. “Sami just has such a high IQ and just really understands my thought process. We’ve played a lot of two on two, just getting in sync. And we came up with that play where I just back down from the free-throw line, and she’s coming around. So just being on that same wavelength has been a lot of fun.”
Whitcomb’s 36 points were 11 points shy of Diana Taurasi franchise record. When asked if she was gunning for the record, she laughed it off.
“I appreciate the question, but no. I didn’t factor that in,” Whitcomb said. “I wasn’t thinking about anything other than trying to win and continuing to shoot wide-open looks.”
The Mercury’s front office aimed to add a collection of shooters around Thomas this offseason, which led to a flourishing of her playmaking. Thomas has been stellar in her first season with the Mercury. In her 14 games, the Mercury have tallied a 11-3 record. Thomas has already had eight double-doubles.
She has recorded double-digit assist numbers seven times this season and has knocked on the door of breaking the Mercury’s single-game assist record several times.
Despite a great start to the season, Thomas was not named an All-Star starter.
“I’ve been around some great players and all of them are motivated by different things,” Tibbetts said. “She’s maybe been overlooked and taken advantage of for how great she is. It’s very disappointing that she wasn’t named one of the ten starters in our league.”
Thomas has orchestrated a top-five offense and a top-five defense. With Thomas in the lineup, the Mercury average 87.7 points and have an offensive rating of 110.7. Those numbers would lead the league.
The Mercury will have a challenge on their hands come Wednesday, as they will play first-place Minnesota at home. The Lynx enter Wednesday’s game at 17-2 and have two wins over the Mercury already.
With no injury update to Sabally and Copper, Thomas and Whitcomb must continue to shoulder the load.
“Nothing changes whether they’re playing or not,” Thomas said. “For us, it’s going out there and competing and allowing them to focus on their rehab.”
This will be Minnesota’s second visit to PHX Arena to face off against the Mercury in front of the X-Factor faithful. Whitcomb knows how difficult it can be to play in front of the X-Factor.
“We really rely on them [and] their energy and support. It’s hard to play here when they’re like that,” Whitcomb said. “It’s really exciting when they can get involved, and it’s nice when you’re the shotmaker that’s getting them involved.”
This article first appeared on Cronkite News and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
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