{"id":596836,"date":"2026-04-21T03:54:10","date_gmt":"2026-04-21T03:54:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/596836\/"},"modified":"2026-04-21T03:54:10","modified_gmt":"2026-04-21T03:54:10","slug":"dewanna-bonner-embraces-rookies-as-phoenix-mercurys-training-camp-is-underway","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/596836\/","title":{"rendered":"DeWanna Bonner embraces rookies as Phoenix Mercury\u2019s training camp is underway"},"content":{"rendered":"

PHOENIX \u2014 The Phoenix Mercury opened training camp early this week with a noticeably different look, as newcomers and rookies compete for limited roster spots ahead of the season.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The Mercury hosts training camp for the 2026 season at Mountain America Performance Center on April 19, 2026, in Phoenix. \u00a9 Megan Mendoza\/The Republic \/ USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images<\/p>\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n

The fresh faces have created a high-energy, competitive atmosphere where veterans and hopefuls alike are adjusting to new systems and expectations. With the evolving roster and increased emphasis on player development, camp has become an important proving ground for those seeking to carve out their own roles.<\/p>\n

Veteran forward DeWanna Bonner, entering her 17th year in the WNBA, acknowledged the challenge of keeping up with so many new teammates but praised their approach.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, man, there\u2019s so many,\u201d Bonner said on Monday. \u201cI\u2019m like, \u2018Oh, my God,\u2019 trying to learn everybody\u2019s name. But they\u2019ve been great. They\u2019ve been about their business. They\u2019ve been real professional. It\u2019s always great to have new energy in the building.\u201d<\/p>\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n

For younger players and rookies, the stakes are clear. Opportunities in the league aren\u2019t easy to come by, and training camp often serves as the only time to make a lasting impression. Bonner, who was once in their shoes, said she makes it a point to support the newcomers as they adjust.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The Mercury hosts training camp for the 2026 season at Mountain America Performance Center on April 19, 2026, in Phoenix. \u00a9 Megan Mendoza\/The Republic \/ USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images<\/p>\n

\u201cI always check on them and make sure they\u2019re having a good time,\u201d she said. \u201cAlways well taken care of. I just remember being a rookie myself. It\u2019s scary.\u201d<\/p>\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n

As camp progresses, roster decisions will begin to take shape. The combination of urgency and optimism has set the tone for camp, offering a glimpse of what the 2026 Mercury could look like as the season starts next month.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Head coach Nate Tibbetts leads practice at Mercury training camp for the 2026 season at Mountain America Performance Center on April 19, 2026, in Phoenix. \u00a9 Megan Mendoza\/The Republic \/ USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images<\/p>\n

With veterans like Bonner looking to set the example and tone for younger players, it creates a dynamic where players at different stages can remain competitive while also leaning on each other.<\/p>\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n

*Get the BEST Phoenix sports insider information, and exclusive content. SIGN UP HERE to unlock our premium content!*Wendy Lopez is a reporter for Burn City Sports. You can follow her on her X account, @wlopezde<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"PHOENIX \u2014 The Phoenix Mercury opened training camp early this week with a noticeably different look, as newcomers…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":596837,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[73],"tags":[11649,1077,260052,18740,5551,99,72774,14594,434],"class_list":{"0":"post-596836","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-wnba","8":"tag-dewanna-bonner","9":"tag-minnesota-lynx","10":"tag-mountain-america-performance-center","11":"tag-phoenix","12":"tag-phoenix-mercury","13":"tag-sports","14":"tag-the-mercury","15":"tag-training-camp","16":"tag-wnba"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/596836","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=596836"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/596836\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/596837"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=596836"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=596836"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=596836"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}