The Atlanta Dream swept the Washington Mystics in two games to open the WNBA playoffs. They sealed the series with an emphatic 93-75 win on Wednesday.
DeWanna Bonner scored 7 points off the bench, but her biggest contribution may have been off the court, as one calm gesture had the internet buzzing.
DeWanna Bonner’s Gesture To Dream Teammates Angel Reese, Allisha Gray Goes Viral
After the series-clinching win, Angel Reese and Allisha Gray started waving goodbye toward the opposing side as the celebration got going. Bonner quickly stepped in and pushed their hands down to keep things respectful.
As the moment went viral, reactions from the basketball world soon came flooding in.
Bonner joined the WNBA in 2009, when the Phoenix Mercury selected her No. 5 overall. She has since appeared in 17 seasons, with stops including the Connecticut Sun and the Indiana Fever.
That many years in the league teaches a player how to handle moments like this properly, and after the gesture, fans said exactly that.
“DB really the mom lmao,” one fan said, whereas another wrote, “Thank God we gotta veteran in DeWanna.”
Reese had a strong night to be excited about. In Game 2 against the Mystics, she put up 15 points and 7 rebounds.
When Gray began waving to the opposing fans, Reese hesitated at first but joined in. Then Bonner put her hands down, and Reese was caught with a slightly guilty smile. Fans were quick to notice that.
“Angel looking guilty after,” one fan wrote, whereas another one said, “Angel needed this team so bad. Exactly the vet leadership I expected this team to show toward her.”
One user connected the moment to Bonner’s leadership with Mercury star Satou Sabally last season, pointing out that Bonner has long been a steady, responsible presence for her teams.
“Ms. DeWanna said, ‘No, ma’am,’ reminds me of her with Satou last season,” the userwrote.
With the Mystics now behind them, the Dream’s attention turns to a much bigger challenge. Atlanta will face the New York Liberty in the semifinals, with the best-of-five series beginning Sunday at State Farm Arena.
New York enters the matchup after pulling off a historic first-round upset over the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx. For Reese, Gray, Bonner and the rest of the Dream, the stakes will only get higher from here.
Atlanta will have home-court advantage in the series, hosting Games 1 and 2 and a potential Game 5.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.