July 3, 2025 • 39 mins
On this episode of Levels to This, Sheryl Swoopes and Terrika Foster-Brasby break down DeWanna Bonner’s recent departure from the Indiana Fever. They explore what may have led to the decision, what it says about player agency in today’s WNBA, and where Bonner might land next. The conversation highlights the importance of personal happiness, professional growth, and the tough choices athletes often have to make in the public eye. Swoopes and Foster-Brasby keep it real about the pressures of making bold moves, and why sometimes the right choice isn’t always the popular one.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Levels to This is an iHeart women's sports production in
partnership with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. You can find
us on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you
get your podcasts.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Hey, everybody, what's going on? It's your girl, Trerika Foster Brassby.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
What's up y'all? You know what time it is? It's
shit girl, Cheryl Swoke.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Yes, indeed, And this is the levels to this podcast.
This is the show where we share that there is
levels to the shit that women go through. And we
have got a fun show lined up for you today.
I'm gonna have a really good conversation about a subject
that I think some of us can relate to. But
(00:43):
it's definitely popping it off in the WNBA space. And
before we get there, we need to have our surface
level catch up because listen here, honey, me, me and Schiryl.
We acted a fool.
Speaker 1 (00:55):
Yeah, so y'all know I won't be in the streets
like that should be in the street.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
I was. I was in the street for a little
bit for a little bit.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
But anytime, anytime I am with this one, y'all, I
try hard.
Speaker 3 (01:10):
I'm like, come on now, but you know I may
tell you, and then I'll let you fill the people in.
But let me just tell you you.
Speaker 1 (01:17):
You were smooth with it this time though, because my
thing is this, if I'm at an event and I
go to my room, I.
Speaker 3 (01:26):
Ain't coming back out.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
I already noticed.
Speaker 3 (01:28):
No, that's what I said. Y'all. Y'all, y'all got me good.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
You, my brother, Brandon, Christina, y'all got me good.
Speaker 2 (01:35):
We had a plan. We can't conct it a plan.
So this weekend we were at Fanatics Best in New
York and it was a great time. Surel was there
Friday and Saturday doing her things, taking pictures with Tom Brady.
That's why i'mlad I wouldn't hear, because I'd have been like, oh,
hell no, I have to walk away from that one, like,
(01:58):
oh no, not me, not I. So it was great
and then on Saturday we had our show. We were
on the Dick Sporting Good stage. Cynthia Copper joined us.
Oh my god. We had a nice crowd.
Speaker 3 (02:13):
Yeah, we're engaged.
Speaker 2 (02:14):
It was just a really great and fun show. And
so Brandon and I, which is Cheryl's younger brother. If
you guys aren't aren't aware, but Brandon I already knew
what it was. We were like, listen the moment that
Cheryl get ready to take her ass back in that room,
she not coming back out. So we got to make
sure that we keep her out. So we took her
to forty forty when we got some wings, and we
(02:38):
just kept the food coming because we know food makes
people happy, you.
Speaker 3 (02:42):
Know what I'm saying.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
So we got wings and more wings and more wings.
It is more all.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
I'm surprised. I'm not clucking right now.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
And by the time the last set of wings came
out to DJ to switch the music up, Uyl ain't
going nowhere. At this point, we like, bat we in here,
We in this thing right, Oh my gosh. But the
wings can only last so long. So I had life
bet I couldn't do that. The wings could only last
so much. So then we decided, hey, let's go out
(03:10):
to this one spot that we usually go to when
we were in New York have a good time. So
we went to Pergolas. Keep in mind, this is all
a ploy to keep Chryl outside. Yeah, y'all, they got me,
They got me good. It worked, It worked, It was great.
We had a great time just cutting up with friends
or whatever. So yeah, I'm glad that we I'm glad
that we did it. I'm glad. It was my first
(03:31):
time ever being a Fanatics best so I enjoyed it.
Speaker 3 (03:34):
Yeah, let me just tell you.
Speaker 1 (03:36):
I at one point I was like, okay, cause I know,
you know, Brandon be trying to move and be y'all
slick with it. So I was like, did he go
to the DJ and ask the DJ to change up
the music in place of old school because he knew
you give me some good old school And I'm in
that thing, like, oh man, we know, good music, good company,
(03:56):
We're good.
Speaker 3 (03:57):
But I will tell you because I don't do that
very often.
Speaker 1 (04:00):
I really enjoyed myself, and I won't do it again
until probably at my brunch at All Star.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
Hey, yeah, we got another month before we get to
see Chirl outside of the room.
Speaker 1 (04:12):
But I will say to your point, though, it was
my first time at fanatics Fest, and I really enjoyed myself.
I told me and Brandon we're talking, and I said, like,
I've been to a lot of places in my life, Tea,
but I don't know if I've ever been in like
just one location where a couple of things First of all,
(04:33):
anybody who's anybody was there, right, everybody, athletes to entertainers
to singer, just whoever, actresses, actors, everybody was there. So
you don't even have to be a memorabilia collector.
Speaker 3 (04:49):
If you're just a.
Speaker 1 (04:51):
Sports fan you love just seeing amazing people.
Speaker 3 (04:56):
That was a place to be. The second thing.
Speaker 1 (04:58):
The second thing was I I also don't know if
I've ever been in one location where there were so
many black SUVs and.
Speaker 2 (05:06):
Golf yes, yes, yes, oh my god, I want nobody walking.
Wasn't nobody walking, no, ma'am, but it was.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
It was really cool, like adope, adope, event amazing people.
And I thought our show on Saturday with Coop was
really really, really good, a great conversation, and I really
enjoyed hanging and kicking it.
Speaker 2 (05:32):
I know, I know, I'm very excited for our fans
to hear that show with Coop, but more importantly, I
agree with you that it was really cool. I'm actually funny.
I'm at the bar, I'm getting ready to grab a beverage,
and I see someone I know and I want to
walk towards them to tell them hello. And as I
am on my way towards them, I just felt like
(05:53):
this big push of like, nah, you got to hold on.
So I'm like, going on, do you know who I am? Okay,
do you.
Speaker 1 (06:04):
Do?
Speaker 3 (06:04):
You know which?
Speaker 2 (06:08):
Girl? They didn't care because Lebron James was walking in
and so then I was like Lebron, Lebron je I
said me, let me, let me, let me wait right
here until he walked back, because I get it because
I'm not trying to be a victim. I'm not trying
to victim. I'm just trying to go say hello, you know,
I don't want your security to come tackle me from
you know, doing whatever. So when we talk about everybody,
(06:31):
who's anybody was in there, literally everybody. So it was
a good time. It was definitely a good time. But
sometimes we go to an event and we see some
folks and we like, yeah, you know what I'm saying,
this is a good time. I love being here. But
then you get that one person who'll be like, I
don't want to be here no more. And that's exactly
what we've been to talk about today because our own girl,
do Wanna Bonner is like, I don't want to be
(06:52):
here no more.
Speaker 3 (06:53):
I'm out deuces.
Speaker 1 (06:55):
I have to say this before we take it to
the next level. Besides the fact that I'm excited to
talk about this conversation with you today and we're recording
this on June twenty fifth, you know the other reason
why I'm excited. It's my kiddo's birthday. Oh my goodness,
(07:15):
is it Jordan's birthday.
Speaker 3 (07:18):
He's twenty eight years old today. Can you believe that?
Speaker 2 (07:23):
Goodness? Jordan's happy birthday?
Speaker 3 (07:25):
Yay you are?
Speaker 1 (07:27):
You are a grown, fully, fully grown ass man. Fully, yes,
he is him? Is that he's still my baby.
Speaker 2 (07:35):
He's your baby, and he's also a daddy, and we're
so happy to see that. He just keeps growing up
on it. But you know what's crazy, It don't matter
how old you get, you always gonna be somebody. Somebody's
always gonna remember you and treat you like you was
that little child, and that typically always your mother, always forever, always,
forever forever. I love that. Happy birthday, Jordan, happy birthday.
(07:59):
But I love that. Well. With that being said, let's
go ahead and take this thing to the next level.
So last week, news came out that the Indiana fever
waved guard and forward Dowana Bonner now dB, was one
(08:19):
of their key free agent acquisitions over this off season.
But at the beginning of this season we kind of
saw her play a little bit and then all of
a sudden, we didn't. And then it became, oh, there
are personal reasons that dB is missing. So she missed
five games based off the premise of this is personal reasons.
(08:43):
But then news started to circulate. Rumors started to cuculate
because nothing was actually confirmed at the time, but rumors
were circulating that Dowana actually was just not playing because
there was an issue, as it is called, she was
not happy with her role. Again, at the time, this
was rumors, so we were like, oh, okay, well something
(09:06):
something might be going on in Indiana. We don't know,
We don't know, right, But then eventually Front Office Sports
reported that there was a breakup on the horizon between
Dewana Bonner and the Indiana Fever, and sure enough, within
twenty four hours, news came out that she was waived,
(09:28):
and so Dewana Bonner posted a release in which she stated,
and I quote, I want to sincerely thank the Indiana
Fever for the opportunity to be a part of the
Fever franchise. Despite our shared goals and excitement heading into
the season. I felt the fit did not work out,
and I appreciate the organization's willingness to grant my request
(09:48):
to move on, particularly at this point in my career.
I wish the Fever great success is they continue to
build around this dynamic group of young players. Now we
don't have to worry or speculate anymore because it is
now confirmed from Dewanna herself that the fit was not
what she anticipated it to be. But with that being said, Cheryl,
(10:11):
there's a lot to unpack here, right, There's a lot
to unpack here. There's the essence of dB going to
Indiana in this offseason. There's the essence of her not
feeling like she fit into the scheme or the roster,
or the fit of her being there didn't work. And
then there is the essence of where she wants to go,
(10:33):
if any place. Dewana Bonner is towards the end of
her career. She's often said that she contemplated retirement. She
has stated that her preferred destinations are Atlanta and Phoenix.
So there's a lot to unpack here, a whole lot. Yeah,
So let's start with you just kind of sharing what
was your initial reaction when you saw that dB was
(10:55):
about to be out of Indiana.
Speaker 1 (10:57):
You want to start there or you want to start
back in free agency?
Speaker 2 (11:00):
Actually, actually, yes, let's go back to free agency because
I think it's safe to say that both of us
were incredibly shocked when we heard the announcement that she
was even signing with Indiana.
Speaker 1 (11:14):
Oh, I think a whole lot of people were shocked,
not just the two of us. Yeah, So I will
say this I for one, because I don't like speaking
for everyone else. When I heard the news, I was
very shocked that she chose Indiana. And then once I
heard that At was going to Phoenix in mind, I
(11:37):
don't know which one was first, either At or I
don't know who broke the news.
Speaker 3 (11:41):
First or who went were first.
Speaker 1 (11:43):
My point being I thought that the two of them
would go together wherever they ended up.
Speaker 3 (11:49):
Going, but that didn't happen.
Speaker 1 (11:52):
So I then figure the reason why Dowana chose Indiana
was because she wanted to go to Indiana and not
only play for Steph, but help Steph. Right, she's a
great vet Indiana. Last season they had good young pieces
(12:13):
and they're still young.
Speaker 2 (12:15):
Right.
Speaker 1 (12:16):
You had last year with Kelsey Mitchell and Eliah Boston
and Caitlyn A. Obviously, as a rookie, I felt like
they were missing some veteran pieces right to help even
though they made the playoffs, some veteran pieces, maybe they
do better in the first round.
Speaker 3 (12:34):
But then I was.
Speaker 4 (12:35):
Like, just based off of all of the vitriol and
all the things that happened last season, right from from
the fans and coming for at and coming for Dowana,
and I was just like.
Speaker 1 (12:48):
Hmm, it was an interesting choice for me that she
was choosing Indiana.
Speaker 3 (12:54):
Nevertheless, that's what she chose to do. And I thought.
Speaker 1 (12:58):
Initially right watching the preseason games, and granted it's preseason,
but because the season is so short, most teams in
preseason they're playing to.
Speaker 3 (13:08):
Figure out what their team is going to look like.
Speaker 1 (13:11):
So I actually thought Dewana played pretty well in the
preseason games. Granted Caitlin didn't play in the preseason game,
so you're still trying to figure out your team. I
think Dewanna Bonner came to the conclusion of this is
just not the right fit for me when her role changed,
(13:33):
because do Wanto's very open about it, right, it was
one of those things where you promised me X and
when I got here, you gave me Y and Z
and that's not what I signed up for. Now, last
thing I'm going to say, and then I'll let you go.
A lot of people but a lot of people may
look at this and say, well, yeah, but it should
be about the team, right, she should want to be
(13:55):
a team player. I've only known Dewana Bonner to be
a team player always and when when you're when you're
a player, especially a player of DB's caliber. And let's
let's just not get it twisted because I saw a
lot of disrespect online when when she announced I'm out.
Speaker 3 (14:15):
Basically, do Wanna Bonner is her like?
Speaker 1 (14:19):
She has the accolades to prove it, she has the
numbers to prove it, she has the records to prove it.
So let's not let's not get carried away with the disrespect.
Speaker 3 (14:28):
And it's hard.
Speaker 1 (14:30):
It's hard to go to a player of her caliber
right and say, I don't know what the conversation was,
but basically say, oh, by the way, you're gonna come
off the bench now after she had been starting some games.
Speaker 3 (14:44):
I don't know the conversation. I don't know what led
to that. I don't know what.
Speaker 1 (14:48):
Happened, but at the end of the day, the decision
that she made is the decision that she feels is
best for her. And all I can do is clap
for her and say, listen, do what's best for you,
Do what's best for your kids, do what's best.
Speaker 3 (15:04):
For your family.
Speaker 1 (15:05):
And if that is to separate and you go do
something different than sis, got to do what's best for her.
Speaker 3 (15:12):
I'm not mad at her. I hate the look of it, right,
and I think a lot of that is because we
really don't know what happened, like what led to it.
Speaker 1 (15:22):
A lot of people can speculate this, can speculate that, but.
Speaker 3 (15:26):
It was very clear she was not happy with her role.
Speaker 2 (15:30):
Yeah, yep, I think you summed that up very good,
like to me to be honest, because it's been interesting,
like you talk about what you expect. You know, you
played alongside Stephanie White as your coach when you guys
were in Connecticut. You were a semi finals team for
(15:53):
two of those years. So it is understandable why with
all of the questions why she would choose to go
to Indiana, it was justifiable because of the relationship that
she appeared to have with Stephanie White. And that's not
to say that she doesn't still have a relationship with
Stephanie White. We don't know, but it made sense, right,
(16:15):
we understood that party. But my mom used to say
this all the time, like, don't get caught somebody with
somebody selling you woof tickets, because you know what that means.
Everything look good, it sounds good, it feel good, it's
the right, it's what exactly it is that you want
to hear. Yeah, but you might miss the signs that
are a dead giveaway that shit might not be exactly
(16:38):
as it's portrayed to be, right, And so I think
it's interesting, and I would argue, again, this is just
my theory that maybe there were some conversations that were
half pre season that just were not able to be
honored once the season begin, based off personnel, based off
whatever the schematics are. And and I think that's interesting
(17:01):
when you think about the fact that the Wana only
started in three of the nine games that she appeared in.
This is not just any player, right, Like as Dawanna
Bonner Is was a bona fide starter from twenty twelve
to twenty twenty four, she's a two time WNBA champion,
She's a six time All Star. She's number three on
(17:22):
the all time NBA WNBA scool I'm sorry WNBA's scoring list.
I mean, she's been six Women of the Year. This
is the Wanna Bonner, not no scrub like, she's not
not by any means. She's absolutely a future Hall of Famer,
And if she is going to come off the bench,
it most likely will be because she has decided that
(17:44):
she wants to come off the bench, similar to what
she did in Connecticut last year when they're revilling for
a championship, there were some lneups that worked better against
certain opponents, and she volunteered to say, hey, I'll come
off the bench if this is what helps get us
to the Promised Land, this is what helps to get
us a win. I think that's very different when your
star decides to volunteer to do as test for the team,
(18:08):
versus when it's just kind of you feel like you're
being forced or your role is being relegated to just
being in this when that's not what you thought you
came here for. So I totally understand all of that.
So with all of that being said, I at least
acknowledged the fact that she has realized that it's not
gonna work, and she's doing it now in June versus
(18:30):
doing it now in like beginning of August, because I
believe the trade deadline is August first. And granted, you know,
I think you and I both agreed that we felt
that there were other places that would have been a
better fit for her from the beginning, but not much much.
Rather you figure that out now while you're like, what
sixteen or seventeen games in, because she still has two
hundred thousand dollars up to her contract, and that contract
(18:52):
is unprotected, and since they waived her, that means they
obviously didn't feel like any trade that was out there
was valuable enough to cover that. So at the end
of the day, you know, she's got forty eight hours,
or she had forty eight hours to clear waivers before
another team could sign her. But that's another thing that
we're gonna have to look at now because Indiana, on
the surface, they've picked up Aery McDonald, which I think
(19:15):
is a much better fit than Dewanna Bonner personally, they
are going to be losing Demi's dantees because she is
going to go and play overseas for EuroBasket. So it's
not like this team is still not going to be
without questions. They're still going to have some questions, but
at least at this point. The question that remains now
(19:35):
is where does dB go from here? Yeah, so I
want to rewind a little bit because, for whatever.
Speaker 1 (19:44):
Reason, right, do Wanna felt like Indiana was the best
fit for her during free agency? Whatever they sold her,
whatever they promised her, whatever they told her, whatever, there
was something she liked.
Speaker 3 (19:57):
Here's here's my question.
Speaker 1 (20:00):
Do Wanna Bonner with Connecticut has always been I'm going
to say the first or second option right, offensively, the
first or second option. Now, again, it's just my opinion,
and I'm asking a question for a discussion. To go
from being the first or second option to potentially.
Speaker 3 (20:21):
Being the fourth.
Speaker 1 (20:22):
Option on Indiana, my question is did she think about
that or in her mind was it I am do
Wanna Bonner. I can shoot the ball, I can score
the ball. I'm still going to be that first or
second option.
Speaker 3 (20:40):
Now.
Speaker 1 (20:40):
I don't know the conversation she had with Steph, with Amber,
with whomever she talked to, but when I look at Indiana, right,
you have Caitlin Eliah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell. As you're one, two,
three options, doesn't have to be in that order, whatever
word do you want to put it in, but that's
your one, two and three option.
Speaker 3 (21:02):
So my question is, at some.
Speaker 1 (21:05):
Point in the off season when you had that conversation,
did you think about, if I'm not going to be
that first or second option, this isn't going to be
where I want to be, do.
Speaker 3 (21:14):
You know what I mean?
Speaker 2 (21:15):
Because it's hard.
Speaker 3 (21:16):
It's hard for a player tea to go from being that.
Speaker 1 (21:20):
Girl to not being that girl, and especially when you
can still play right, like you can still get buckets
and now, So the reason why I say that is
because when she says she's not happy with her role,
is that role meaning she's just not happy coming off
(21:42):
the bench, or does it mean she's not happy coming
off the bench, she's not happy not being the first
or second option, she's not happy getting more shots, Like,
there's a lot of things in that that she could
be unhappy with and saying all of that, I want
to go to your point, that's also why I felt like,
(22:04):
and you felt like, there were definitely some other teams
that I felt she would have been a better fit
for yup.
Speaker 2 (22:14):
And when we come back on the other side of
the break, let's talk about some of those teams that
we felt she probably would have been better for. We'll
be right back after this. I am with you when
I talked when we talk about teams that I feel
like she would have a better fit for, because I mean,
(22:36):
like you said, I do think that dB dB was
coming off of an all star season in twenty twenty four.
I mean I would have anticipated that she would have
been I know she wasn't going to be the number
one option, and I knew she wasn't going to be
the number two option. In Indy. She could have been
the number three, depending on what set they were running.
The third option could have either been her or Leah Boston,
(23:00):
again depending on the team, depending on whatever they're running,
but she could have been the third, but most likely
she was going to be the fourth. Right And then
you look at the lineups that they've used, which was
primarily with Lexi Hall at the three versus it just
gets really complicated, right because there's no shade to Lexi
because Lexi is doing a good job. She's playing the
way that she can play. But I could also understand
(23:22):
that if you are the wanna, you're like, I didn't come.
Speaker 3 (23:27):
I didn't come here for this.
Speaker 2 (23:28):
So it's a very complicated situation when you think about it.
And again, I can't stress enough that the reason that
she was so highly touted as being such a great
pickup is because of her expertise and because of what
they felt that she could bring offensively to help them
put them in contention for a title alongside the players
(23:48):
that they currently have. Now I get how, I get
how all of this is, like what whatever, But she
has made it clear, according to her agent, that she
wants to play for either Atlanta or Phoenix. Now I
don't know why she wants to be in Atlanta. Maybe
because it's closer to Alabama, which is where she's from,
which is where she went to school at Auburn. So
(24:10):
I don't know. Maybe maybe it's a family relation that
she wants to be in Atlanta. It can be assumed
that she wants to be in Phoenix because it's where
her fiance plays, Alisa Thomas, is in Phoenix. It also
could be because she started her career in Phoenix. She
was drafted in Phoenix, and as we both mentioned, she's
getting towards the end of that career and maybe she
wants to finish her career where she started. So there
(24:31):
are a couple of reasons why she may want to
be in Phoenix. But like you, my question would be, Sis,
why you ain't go to Phoenix to start? Like, ah,
you just didn't go to Phoenix to start. So, because
that's what the mexupo. And now we're looking at cap
space right because when she clears waivers, she becomes an
(24:54):
unrestricted free agent, so she can sign with any team
she wants to. But the Mercury have about eighty eight
thousand dollars in cap space, so they could sign by
her for the veteran minimum if she wanted to take
that amount, But that would also mean that they would
need to cut somebody on their team because they already
have the max of twelve people on their roster. And
(25:15):
they have a chemistry that they have built, and they
have a chemistry that they that has placed them to
be the number three team in the league right now.
So not only are we looking at financially does this
make sense for Phoenix, but also are we willing to
risk disrupting the chemistry that we've currently built to accommodate.
Speaker 3 (25:36):
Maybe they are.
Speaker 2 (25:37):
Maybe they feel like it's somebody that they would potentially
weigh for her. Maybe, and that's their business if so.
But these are the questions that we now have.
Speaker 1 (25:45):
So listen, if I'm a GM of any of the
top eight teams right now, right I won't say eight,
maybe of any of the top five teams right now.
Speaker 3 (25:56):
And granted she has said either Atlanta or Phoenix.
Speaker 1 (25:58):
But if I'm putting my GM had on right now
and I'm a GM of one of the top five teams,
as much as I love, I wanna and appreciate what
she's done and she can still who, I don't know
if I'm willing to do that. So let's just take
Phoenix because that is the one team she mentioned she
(26:21):
would like to go to. I don't know if anybody
when the season started expected Phoenix to be sitting in
that third spot right now, And granted with at with
Satu playing the way she is, and Ka hasn't even
been kay yet because she's just coming back.
Speaker 3 (26:41):
Yeah, but T you said the word the chemistry.
Speaker 1 (26:45):
Listen, they have rookies that are playing minutes, that are contributing.
It's not just the Big three with at Satu and
Ki that has gotten them where they are.
Speaker 3 (26:57):
It's the others, right, the role play.
Speaker 1 (27:01):
So are you as a GM, are you willing to say,
all right, which one of these players am I going
to cut to bring in Dowana Bonner.
Speaker 3 (27:11):
At the vet minimum?
Speaker 2 (27:14):
Right?
Speaker 3 (27:14):
Who? And we don't know if do Wanna want would
play for that or not.
Speaker 2 (27:18):
That's what I'm saying.
Speaker 1 (27:19):
Yeah, that's just a That's a tough position for a
team to be in, right, Because we said it before,
Do Wanna ain't no scrub?
Speaker 2 (27:28):
Right?
Speaker 3 (27:28):
Can Dewana Bonner help you win a championship?
Speaker 2 (27:30):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (27:30):
She can?
Speaker 1 (27:32):
But are you also willing to take that chance when
you already see what you have as far as chemistry goes?
Speaker 2 (27:40):
Yeah? Yeah, I don't know.
Speaker 3 (27:42):
It's just a tough position to be in.
Speaker 2 (27:45):
I would love for dB to reconsider where she wants
to go. Me too, because I'm seeing reports that are
saying that teams have been advised not to even pick
her up off waivers because of where she wants to go.
But I would love for her to just reconsider a
few places, and the one that comes to mind, even
(28:06):
though I know they ain't got no money for her either.
But the one that comes to mind is lost one
hundred percent, like I should. Oh, she's just in my head.
You're it's a forty five minute flight to Phoenix. So
if it's about time with at bam, you got it.
Forty five minute flight. But more importantly, the connection between
her and Asia, as much as they could use some
additional offensive scoring, Ah, it would be.
Speaker 3 (28:29):
A sight listen and do wanna Bonner to Vegas?
Speaker 1 (28:34):
It to me it puts Vegas back in that conversation
of it does trying.
Speaker 3 (28:40):
To win another championship.
Speaker 1 (28:43):
Vegas needs some scoring and do wanna at her size
and her lengths not just on the offensive end, she
also can play the four if she needs to to give.
Speaker 3 (28:55):
Asia a little break at times.
Speaker 1 (28:57):
But defensively, right, she can guard at the three for
the two yeap Vegas. You're right, they don't have the
money either. And I'll tell you this, at this point,
it's probably way too late. One of the teams that
I was like, dang, she could have helped them. Also,
what's Chicago? Oh yeah, I know the Vets that they
got in free agency and Aero Atkins and Keia Nurse
(29:20):
and Beck Allen who I love, by the way, I
love beck Allen.
Speaker 2 (29:24):
Yeah, but she's so great.
Speaker 1 (29:26):
Do wanna Bonner on that Chicago Sky team? To me, like,
I would have loved to have seen that, but whatever
didn't happen.
Speaker 2 (29:35):
Didn't have another team, another team that I think would
be great if she wanted to. But and they have
the cap space to claim her. The Mystics, Oh, the
Mystics showed you in that game against Minnesota. Yeah, that
they are able to compete with anybody, and they did
that without their goal to score in Britney Science. And
(29:56):
so when I think about adding someone like dB, who's
going to give you that veteran presence, who's going to
give you that experience, who can, as you mentioned, give
you that defense that they are clearly making it known
that their identity is going to be a defensive team.
At that. Next to Shakira Austin at that, next to
Kiki Aria fin at that, next to Sonya se Trump and.
Speaker 1 (30:17):
Time out at that, next to a healthy Georgia Amore
coming back next year.
Speaker 3 (30:23):
Guy, right, you.
Speaker 2 (30:24):
Got Emily Inksler coming off the bar like that would
be a nasty squat. I just want you to reconsider dB.
Just think about it, like, think about it, like you really,
you really could do some damage on some other teams
that don't have to be Phoenix in Atlanta.
Speaker 1 (30:46):
You know, here's the other thing I'm gonna say about
Phoenix Besides the fact that they're playing so well, And
I'm saying this from someone who's married, right, like, I
also think what would At like to play with her fiance?
Of course they did it in Connecticut. Would would be like, yeah, yeah, yeah,
(31:10):
so they've proven it works. But you also got to
know that that's putting pressure on At as well. Meaning
I think when when you're not playing together, and that's
for both of them, it allows you to just play
free and not worry about getting mad at your significant
(31:30):
other or them getting mad at you because you didn't
pass them the ball or you missed a shot or
you're playing like shit whatever. So I don't know, here
is what I hope. I hope that wherever she ends
up playing this season, that she's she's happy. You know,
she is getting towards the end of her career and
(31:52):
I just want her to go ball out and play
basketball the way she's always played and be with an
organization that appreciates her and one that she feels like
she's a good fit for you know, I read so
many as you did too, I'm sure, just so many
comments about you know, people talking about well.
Speaker 3 (32:11):
Whereas the loyalty and she's a quitter. I think about
like the real world. Yeah, on a regular job or
whatever it is. If if you're on a job and.
Speaker 1 (32:22):
You feel disrespected by your boss, disrespected by your manager,
whatever it is, and you've had a conversation with them
to let them know here is how I feel about
what's going on, and then they don't change anything.
Speaker 3 (32:41):
You have two choices.
Speaker 1 (32:43):
You can continue to sit there on the job and
continue to feel disrespected, or you can say, you know what,
this ain't working for me anymore.
Speaker 3 (32:51):
I'm out. I'm gonna find something that does work for me.
In deuces Yep. That happens all the time. I'm in
the real world every day.
Speaker 1 (33:02):
So why why why is it any differently when it
comes to sports, or maybe I should say when it
comes to female sports, because it happens in the NBA
all the time as well, where the guy who times
in the NBA are like this, listen, I ain't gonna
play yeah all the time. I don't know lebron or
his age whoever said don't don't draft Bronnie.
Speaker 3 (33:22):
If you do, he's going to go to Australia or wherever.
Do you know what I mean?
Speaker 2 (33:27):
I hear that all the time.
Speaker 3 (33:28):
It happens in the NBA all the time.
Speaker 1 (33:31):
But when when it comes to the w and players
are like this, this isn't the no, I'm out, then
all of a sudden, it.
Speaker 2 (33:39):
Just happened with Kevin Durant.
Speaker 1 (33:41):
Oh facts, one hundred percent. Now I'm happy he comeing
to Houston. But one hundred percent, yes, I did it.
Did and the and the narrative was very different. Well,
it's Kevin Durant, he can do that. Well, this is
the Wanna Bonner, so she can do that.
Speaker 2 (33:56):
Do Wanna Bonner can do it? And did do it,
And it is what it is. And anybody questioning her
loyalty is crazy to me. Anybody questioning the loyalty of
certain athletes in general is crazy to me. Like, I
don't understand, because baby, these teams ain't got no loyalty.
Speaker 3 (34:12):
To you at all.
Speaker 2 (34:13):
They will trade Joe Ass in a heartbeat if it
met their bottom dying? Do I need to speaking of Texas,
do I need to show y'all four months ago, what
the hell happened in Dallas? Tell Luca about about loyalty, Well, loyalty.
Speaker 3 (34:29):
Teams don't have loyalty, no, but time out coaches. Coaches
do it all the time.
Speaker 2 (34:34):
Oh my god, James Wade, do I need to throw
that up left in the middle of the season and
go to Toronto?
Speaker 3 (34:40):
Coaches do it all the time.
Speaker 1 (34:42):
What do we do we when coaches do it it?
All they say is, well, that's the business.
Speaker 2 (34:46):
It's the bit. You're right, it is your rights. It
is the business. And that is exactly why it is
the business of a player to make sure that they
secure their bag and that they make sure that they
secure their standings and their for the ability.
Speaker 3 (35:01):
And taking care of her business.
Speaker 2 (35:03):
And she's taking care of her business. I may not
have agreed with the initial decision to go to Indiana,
just because, as we all both you know, spoke to
at length, that we felt like there were different and
better options for her. But I have one hundred percent
agree with her decision to leave if it isn't benefiting her,
and it doesn't necessarily make you a quitter, but it
(35:25):
makes her just as much as a business woman, as
it does the people in the front office, as it
does the coaches, as it does anyone else who makes
the decision that is best for their bottom line. It
is what I would do and have done, being in
jobs that I have not felt happy with that I
have had to cuss people to fuck out, and I've
been like, oh, you know what, let me go ahead
and walk about this dope. Let me just go ahead
(35:47):
and make the decision for you, because this dian that's
not gonna work. Yeah, that's what this is. So wish
Dowanna the best. I know. Wherever she goes, she's gonna
do an amazing job. She's gonna, you know, make that
team better. And I just hope that she does play
another game for another team and notts this as an
opportunity to retire, because it will be a detriment to
(36:08):
sports fans everywhere who love and appreciate everything that Dowana
has brought to the game to see her not play anymore,
and like this be the last vision that we have
from like she she She's owed so much more, she
deserves so much more.
Speaker 1 (36:24):
So Facts dB, if and when you hear this and
listen to this sis one.
Speaker 3 (36:30):
Protect your piece. Yeah, do what's best for.
Speaker 1 (36:34):
You and your kids and your family. You gotta quiet
a noise, and you you deserve to be happy wherever
you end up. And just know we we got to
bac sis for show.
Speaker 2 (36:50):
All right, y'all when we come back, we are going
to level this thing on out, all right, all right,
Cheryl Will. I mean, it's been a great show having
a you know, conversation about our girl, do wanna and
just in general. You know, if you we've talked about
(37:11):
this on the show before. When you know that you're
in a place that's not doing you good, when you
know that you're in a place that's not meant for
improving your your well being and your mental space, so
times you just got to make a decision to move on.
And you gotta just don't care about the noise. You
gotta do what you gotta do.
Speaker 3 (37:29):
Yeah, you got you gotta go, You gotta move around.
So Deanna period, do you boo?
Speaker 2 (37:35):
Do you boo? All right? Well, with that being said,
it's time for us to go ahead and get leveled
up by Cheryl this week. So, Cheryl, what you got
for us?
Speaker 3 (37:44):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (37:45):
Well, I think this one's very fitting for the conversation
that we just had. It says, if you are looking
for great advice, close your eyes and listen to your intuition.
Speaker 3 (37:58):
The people who love you.
Speaker 1 (38:00):
Can give you good advice, but ultimately, you know your
situation and your goals better than anyone else. Get comfortable
leading yourself. That is perfect.
Speaker 2 (38:15):
I like that for this week's discussion. Perfect because can
nobody can Nobody tell you what to do and how
to be? You better than you?
Speaker 1 (38:24):
No, I don't care what it is you. No one
knows you better than you know you.
Speaker 2 (38:30):
No one knows you better than you. Perfect. That is
the perfect.
Speaker 3 (38:34):
Love me better.
Speaker 2 (38:36):
Hey, I'm about to go get Shaka right now.
Speaker 3 (38:41):
Where are you at?
Speaker 2 (38:41):
Girl?
Speaker 4 (38:42):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (38:42):
Yeah, where are you at? Shaka?
Speaker 2 (38:46):
Come on the show this What's so good, so good,
so good, so fun. Thank you, Thank you for that quote,
and thank you guys for listening to levels to this.
We are going to be back next week with more
next level conversations, so we want you to be tapped in.
Remember this isn't just our show, it's our show. We
want to hear from you, so leave us a review
on Apple Podcast. Tell us what you liked about the show.
(39:08):
Let us know if there are some topics that you
want to hear from, and please follow us on Instagram
at ltt pod because I might be dropping some funny
videos from fanatics best that y'all might not want to.
Speaker 3 (39:18):
Miss or she might not.
Speaker 2 (39:23):
Oh God. Until then, friends, keep your mentals ground level
and we will be back next week.
Speaker 1 (39:29):
Please and listen to Levels to This on America's number
one podcast network, iHeart open your free iHeart app and
search Levels to This with Cheryl Swoops and Tarika Foster
Brasby and start listening
Levels to This is an iHeart women's sports production in
partnership with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. You can find
us on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you
get your podcasts.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Hey, everybody, what's going on? It's your girl, Trerika Foster Brassby.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
What's up y'all? You know what time it is? It's
shit girl, Cheryl Swoke.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Yes, indeed, And this is the levels to this podcast.
This is the show where we share that there is
levels to the shit that women go through. And we
have got a fun show lined up for you today.
I'm gonna have a really good conversation about a subject
that I think some of us can relate to. But
(00:43):
it's definitely popping it off in the WNBA space. And
before we get there, we need to have our surface
level catch up because listen here, honey, me, me and Schiryl.
We acted a fool.
Speaker 1 (00:55):
Yeah, so y'all know I won't be in the streets
like that should be in the street.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
I was. I was in the street for a little
bit for a little bit.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
But anytime, anytime I am with this one, y'all, I
try hard.
Speaker 3 (01:10):
I'm like, come on now, but you know I may
tell you, and then I'll let you fill the people in.
But let me just tell you you.
Speaker 1 (01:17):
You were smooth with it this time though, because my
thing is this, if I'm at an event and I
go to my room, I.
Speaker 3 (01:26):
Ain't coming back out.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
I already noticed.
Speaker 3 (01:28):
No, that's what I said. Y'all. Y'all, y'all got me good.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
You, my brother, Brandon, Christina, y'all got me good.
Speaker 2 (01:35):
We had a plan. We can't conct it a plan.
So this weekend we were at Fanatics Best in New
York and it was a great time. Surel was there
Friday and Saturday doing her things, taking pictures with Tom Brady.
That's why i'mlad I wouldn't hear, because I'd have been like, oh,
hell no, I have to walk away from that one, like,
(01:58):
oh no, not me, not I. So it was great
and then on Saturday we had our show. We were
on the Dick Sporting Good stage. Cynthia Copper joined us.
Oh my god. We had a nice crowd.
Speaker 3 (02:13):
Yeah, we're engaged.
Speaker 2 (02:14):
It was just a really great and fun show. And
so Brandon and I, which is Cheryl's younger brother. If
you guys aren't aren't aware, but Brandon I already knew
what it was. We were like, listen the moment that
Cheryl get ready to take her ass back in that room,
she not coming back out. So we got to make
sure that we keep her out. So we took her
to forty forty when we got some wings, and we
(02:38):
just kept the food coming because we know food makes
people happy, you.
Speaker 3 (02:42):
Know what I'm saying.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
So we got wings and more wings and more wings.
It is more all.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
I'm surprised. I'm not clucking right now.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
And by the time the last set of wings came
out to DJ to switch the music up, Uyl ain't
going nowhere. At this point, we like, bat we in here,
We in this thing right, Oh my gosh. But the
wings can only last so long. So I had life
bet I couldn't do that. The wings could only last
so much. So then we decided, hey, let's go out
(03:10):
to this one spot that we usually go to when
we were in New York have a good time. So
we went to Pergolas. Keep in mind, this is all
a ploy to keep Chryl outside. Yeah, y'all, they got me,
They got me good. It worked, It worked, It was great.
We had a great time just cutting up with friends
or whatever. So yeah, I'm glad that we I'm glad
that we did it. I'm glad. It was my first
(03:31):
time ever being a Fanatics best so I enjoyed it.
Speaker 3 (03:34):
Yeah, let me just tell you.
Speaker 1 (03:36):
I at one point I was like, okay, cause I know,
you know, Brandon be trying to move and be y'all
slick with it. So I was like, did he go
to the DJ and ask the DJ to change up
the music in place of old school because he knew
you give me some good old school And I'm in
that thing, like, oh man, we know, good music, good company,
(03:56):
We're good.
Speaker 3 (03:57):
But I will tell you because I don't do that
very often.
Speaker 1 (04:00):
I really enjoyed myself, and I won't do it again
until probably at my brunch at All Star.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
Hey, yeah, we got another month before we get to
see Chirl outside of the room.
Speaker 1 (04:12):
But I will say to your point, though, it was
my first time at fanatics Fest, and I really enjoyed myself.
I told me and Brandon we're talking, and I said, like,
I've been to a lot of places in my life, Tea,
but I don't know if I've ever been in like
just one location where a couple of things First of all,
(04:33):
anybody who's anybody was there, right, everybody, athletes to entertainers
to singer, just whoever, actresses, actors, everybody was there. So
you don't even have to be a memorabilia collector.
Speaker 3 (04:49):
If you're just a.
Speaker 1 (04:51):
Sports fan you love just seeing amazing people.
Speaker 3 (04:56):
That was a place to be. The second thing.
Speaker 1 (04:58):
The second thing was I I also don't know if
I've ever been in one location where there were so
many black SUVs and.
Speaker 2 (05:06):
Golf yes, yes, yes, oh my god, I want nobody walking.
Wasn't nobody walking, no, ma'am, but it was.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
It was really cool, like adope, adope, event amazing people.
And I thought our show on Saturday with Coop was
really really, really good, a great conversation, and I really
enjoyed hanging and kicking it.
Speaker 2 (05:32):
I know, I know, I'm very excited for our fans
to hear that show with Coop, but more importantly, I
agree with you that it was really cool. I'm actually funny.
I'm at the bar, I'm getting ready to grab a beverage,
and I see someone I know and I want to
walk towards them to tell them hello. And as I
am on my way towards them, I just felt like
(05:53):
this big push of like, nah, you got to hold on.
So I'm like, going on, do you know who I am? Okay,
do you.
Speaker 1 (06:04):
Do?
Speaker 3 (06:04):
You know which?
Speaker 2 (06:08):
Girl? They didn't care because Lebron James was walking in
and so then I was like Lebron, Lebron je I
said me, let me, let me, let me wait right
here until he walked back, because I get it because
I'm not trying to be a victim. I'm not trying
to victim. I'm just trying to go say hello, you know,
I don't want your security to come tackle me from
you know, doing whatever. So when we talk about everybody,
(06:31):
who's anybody was in there, literally everybody. So it was
a good time. It was definitely a good time. But
sometimes we go to an event and we see some
folks and we like, yeah, you know what I'm saying,
this is a good time. I love being here. But
then you get that one person who'll be like, I
don't want to be here no more. And that's exactly
what we've been to talk about today because our own girl,
do Wanna Bonner is like, I don't want to be
(06:52):
here no more.
Speaker 3 (06:53):
I'm out deuces.
Speaker 1 (06:55):
I have to say this before we take it to
the next level. Besides the fact that I'm excited to
talk about this conversation with you today and we're recording
this on June twenty fifth, you know the other reason
why I'm excited. It's my kiddo's birthday. Oh my goodness,
(07:15):
is it Jordan's birthday.
Speaker 3 (07:18):
He's twenty eight years old today. Can you believe that?
Speaker 2 (07:23):
Goodness? Jordan's happy birthday?
Speaker 3 (07:25):
Yay you are?
Speaker 1 (07:27):
You are a grown, fully, fully grown ass man. Fully, yes,
he is him? Is that he's still my baby.
Speaker 2 (07:35):
He's your baby, and he's also a daddy, and we're
so happy to see that. He just keeps growing up
on it. But you know what's crazy, It don't matter
how old you get, you always gonna be somebody. Somebody's
always gonna remember you and treat you like you was
that little child, and that typically always your mother, always forever, always,
forever forever. I love that. Happy birthday, Jordan, happy birthday.
(07:59):
But I love that. Well. With that being said, let's
go ahead and take this thing to the next level.
So last week, news came out that the Indiana fever
waved guard and forward Dowana Bonner now dB, was one
(08:19):
of their key free agent acquisitions over this off season.
But at the beginning of this season we kind of
saw her play a little bit and then all of
a sudden, we didn't. And then it became, oh, there
are personal reasons that dB is missing. So she missed
five games based off the premise of this is personal reasons.
(08:43):
But then news started to circulate. Rumors started to cuculate
because nothing was actually confirmed at the time, but rumors
were circulating that Dowana actually was just not playing because
there was an issue, as it is called, she was
not happy with her role. Again, at the time, this
was rumors, so we were like, oh, okay, well something
(09:06):
something might be going on in Indiana. We don't know,
We don't know, right, But then eventually Front Office Sports
reported that there was a breakup on the horizon between
Dewana Bonner and the Indiana Fever, and sure enough, within
twenty four hours, news came out that she was waived,
(09:28):
and so Dewana Bonner posted a release in which she stated,
and I quote, I want to sincerely thank the Indiana
Fever for the opportunity to be a part of the
Fever franchise. Despite our shared goals and excitement heading into
the season. I felt the fit did not work out,
and I appreciate the organization's willingness to grant my request
(09:48):
to move on, particularly at this point in my career.
I wish the Fever great success is they continue to
build around this dynamic group of young players. Now we
don't have to worry or speculate anymore because it is
now confirmed from Dewanna herself that the fit was not
what she anticipated it to be. But with that being said, Cheryl,
(10:11):
there's a lot to unpack here, right, There's a lot
to unpack here. There's the essence of dB going to
Indiana in this offseason. There's the essence of her not
feeling like she fit into the scheme or the roster,
or the fit of her being there didn't work. And
then there is the essence of where she wants to go,
(10:33):
if any place. Dewana Bonner is towards the end of
her career. She's often said that she contemplated retirement. She
has stated that her preferred destinations are Atlanta and Phoenix.
So there's a lot to unpack here, a whole lot. Yeah,
So let's start with you just kind of sharing what
was your initial reaction when you saw that dB was
(10:55):
about to be out of Indiana.
Speaker 1 (10:57):
You want to start there or you want to start
back in free agency?
Speaker 2 (11:00):
Actually, actually, yes, let's go back to free agency because
I think it's safe to say that both of us
were incredibly shocked when we heard the announcement that she
was even signing with Indiana.
Speaker 1 (11:14):
Oh, I think a whole lot of people were shocked,
not just the two of us. Yeah, So I will
say this I for one, because I don't like speaking
for everyone else. When I heard the news, I was
very shocked that she chose Indiana. And then once I
heard that At was going to Phoenix in mind, I
(11:37):
don't know which one was first, either At or I
don't know who broke the news.
Speaker 3 (11:41):
First or who went were first.
Speaker 1 (11:43):
My point being I thought that the two of them
would go together wherever they ended up.
Speaker 3 (11:49):
Going, but that didn't happen.
Speaker 1 (11:52):
So I then figure the reason why Dowana chose Indiana
was because she wanted to go to Indiana and not
only play for Steph, but help Steph. Right, she's a
great vet Indiana. Last season they had good young pieces
(12:13):
and they're still young.
Speaker 2 (12:15):
Right.
Speaker 1 (12:16):
You had last year with Kelsey Mitchell and Eliah Boston
and Caitlyn A. Obviously, as a rookie, I felt like
they were missing some veteran pieces right to help even
though they made the playoffs, some veteran pieces, maybe they
do better in the first round.
Speaker 3 (12:34):
But then I was.
Speaker 4 (12:35):
Like, just based off of all of the vitriol and
all the things that happened last season, right from from
the fans and coming for at and coming for Dowana,
and I was just like.
Speaker 1 (12:48):
Hmm, it was an interesting choice for me that she
was choosing Indiana.
Speaker 3 (12:54):
Nevertheless, that's what she chose to do. And I thought.
Speaker 1 (12:58):
Initially right watching the preseason games, and granted it's preseason,
but because the season is so short, most teams in
preseason they're playing to.
Speaker 3 (13:08):
Figure out what their team is going to look like.
Speaker 1 (13:11):
So I actually thought Dewana played pretty well in the
preseason games. Granted Caitlin didn't play in the preseason game,
so you're still trying to figure out your team. I
think Dewanna Bonner came to the conclusion of this is
just not the right fit for me when her role changed,
(13:33):
because do Wanto's very open about it, right, it was
one of those things where you promised me X and
when I got here, you gave me Y and Z
and that's not what I signed up for. Now, last
thing I'm going to say, and then I'll let you go.
A lot of people but a lot of people may
look at this and say, well, yeah, but it should
be about the team, right, she should want to be
(13:55):
a team player. I've only known Dewana Bonner to be
a team player always and when when you're when you're
a player, especially a player of DB's caliber. And let's
let's just not get it twisted because I saw a
lot of disrespect online when when she announced I'm out.
Speaker 3 (14:15):
Basically, do Wanna Bonner is her like?
Speaker 1 (14:19):
She has the accolades to prove it, she has the
numbers to prove it, she has the records to prove it.
So let's not let's not get carried away with the disrespect.
Speaker 3 (14:28):
And it's hard.
Speaker 1 (14:30):
It's hard to go to a player of her caliber
right and say, I don't know what the conversation was,
but basically say, oh, by the way, you're gonna come
off the bench now after she had been starting some games.
Speaker 3 (14:44):
I don't know the conversation. I don't know what led
to that. I don't know what.
Speaker 1 (14:48):
Happened, but at the end of the day, the decision
that she made is the decision that she feels is
best for her. And all I can do is clap
for her and say, listen, do what's best for you,
Do what's best for your kids, do what's best.
Speaker 3 (15:04):
For your family.
Speaker 1 (15:05):
And if that is to separate and you go do
something different than sis, got to do what's best for her.
Speaker 3 (15:12):
I'm not mad at her. I hate the look of it, right,
and I think a lot of that is because we
really don't know what happened, like what led to it.
Speaker 1 (15:22):
A lot of people can speculate this, can speculate that, but.
Speaker 3 (15:26):
It was very clear she was not happy with her role.
Speaker 2 (15:30):
Yeah, yep, I think you summed that up very good,
like to me to be honest, because it's been interesting,
like you talk about what you expect. You know, you
played alongside Stephanie White as your coach when you guys
were in Connecticut. You were a semi finals team for
(15:53):
two of those years. So it is understandable why with
all of the questions why she would choose to go
to Indiana, it was justifiable because of the relationship that
she appeared to have with Stephanie White. And that's not
to say that she doesn't still have a relationship with
Stephanie White. We don't know, but it made sense, right,
(16:15):
we understood that party. But my mom used to say
this all the time, like, don't get caught somebody with
somebody selling you woof tickets, because you know what that means.
Everything look good, it sounds good, it feel good, it's
the right, it's what exactly it is that you want
to hear. Yeah, but you might miss the signs that
are a dead giveaway that shit might not be exactly
(16:38):
as it's portrayed to be, right, And so I think
it's interesting, and I would argue, again, this is just
my theory that maybe there were some conversations that were
half pre season that just were not able to be
honored once the season begin, based off personnel, based off
whatever the schematics are. And and I think that's interesting
(17:01):
when you think about the fact that the Wana only
started in three of the nine games that she appeared in.
This is not just any player, right, Like as Dawanna
Bonner Is was a bona fide starter from twenty twelve
to twenty twenty four, she's a two time WNBA champion,
She's a six time All Star. She's number three on
(17:22):
the all time NBA WNBA scool I'm sorry WNBA's scoring list.
I mean, she's been six Women of the Year. This
is the Wanna Bonner, not no scrub like, she's not
not by any means. She's absolutely a future Hall of Famer,
And if she is going to come off the bench,
it most likely will be because she has decided that
(17:44):
she wants to come off the bench, similar to what
she did in Connecticut last year when they're revilling for
a championship, there were some lneups that worked better against
certain opponents, and she volunteered to say, hey, I'll come
off the bench if this is what helps get us
to the Promised Land, this is what helps to get
us a win. I think that's very different when your
star decides to volunteer to do as test for the team,
(18:08):
versus when it's just kind of you feel like you're
being forced or your role is being relegated to just
being in this when that's not what you thought you
came here for. So I totally understand all of that.
So with all of that being said, I at least
acknowledged the fact that she has realized that it's not
gonna work, and she's doing it now in June versus
(18:30):
doing it now in like beginning of August, because I
believe the trade deadline is August first. And granted, you know,
I think you and I both agreed that we felt
that there were other places that would have been a
better fit for her from the beginning, but not much much.
Rather you figure that out now while you're like, what
sixteen or seventeen games in, because she still has two
hundred thousand dollars up to her contract, and that contract
(18:52):
is unprotected, and since they waived her, that means they
obviously didn't feel like any trade that was out there
was valuable enough to cover that. So at the end
of the day, you know, she's got forty eight hours,
or she had forty eight hours to clear waivers before
another team could sign her. But that's another thing that
we're gonna have to look at now because Indiana, on
the surface, they've picked up Aery McDonald, which I think
(19:15):
is a much better fit than Dewanna Bonner personally, they
are going to be losing Demi's dantees because she is
going to go and play overseas for EuroBasket. So it's
not like this team is still not going to be
without questions. They're still going to have some questions, but
at least at this point. The question that remains now
(19:35):
is where does dB go from here? Yeah, so I
want to rewind a little bit because, for whatever.
Speaker 1 (19:44):
Reason, right, do Wanna felt like Indiana was the best
fit for her during free agency? Whatever they sold her,
whatever they promised her, whatever they told her, whatever, there
was something she liked.
Speaker 3 (19:57):
Here's here's my question.
Speaker 1 (20:00):
Do Wanna Bonner with Connecticut has always been I'm going
to say the first or second option right, offensively, the
first or second option. Now, again, it's just my opinion,
and I'm asking a question for a discussion. To go
from being the first or second option to potentially.
Speaker 3 (20:21):
Being the fourth.
Speaker 1 (20:22):
Option on Indiana, my question is did she think about
that or in her mind was it I am do
Wanna Bonner. I can shoot the ball, I can score
the ball. I'm still going to be that first or
second option.
Speaker 3 (20:40):
Now.
Speaker 1 (20:40):
I don't know the conversation she had with Steph, with Amber,
with whomever she talked to, but when I look at Indiana, right,
you have Caitlin Eliah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell. As you're one, two,
three options, doesn't have to be in that order, whatever
word do you want to put it in, but that's
your one, two and three option.
Speaker 3 (21:02):
So my question is, at some.
Speaker 1 (21:05):
Point in the off season when you had that conversation,
did you think about, if I'm not going to be
that first or second option, this isn't going to be
where I want to be, do.
Speaker 3 (21:14):
You know what I mean?
Speaker 2 (21:15):
Because it's hard.
Speaker 3 (21:16):
It's hard for a player tea to go from being that.
Speaker 1 (21:20):
Girl to not being that girl, and especially when you
can still play right, like you can still get buckets
and now, So the reason why I say that is
because when she says she's not happy with her role,
is that role meaning she's just not happy coming off
(21:42):
the bench, or does it mean she's not happy coming
off the bench, she's not happy not being the first
or second option, she's not happy getting more shots, Like,
there's a lot of things in that that she could
be unhappy with and saying all of that, I want
to go to your point, that's also why I felt like,
(22:04):
and you felt like, there were definitely some other teams
that I felt she would have been a better fit
for yup.
Speaker 2 (22:14):
And when we come back on the other side of
the break, let's talk about some of those teams that
we felt she probably would have been better for. We'll
be right back after this. I am with you when
I talked when we talk about teams that I feel
like she would have a better fit for, because I mean,
(22:36):
like you said, I do think that dB dB was
coming off of an all star season in twenty twenty four.
I mean I would have anticipated that she would have
been I know she wasn't going to be the number
one option, and I knew she wasn't going to be
the number two option. In Indy. She could have been
the number three, depending on what set they were running.
The third option could have either been her or Leah Boston,
(23:00):
again depending on the team, depending on whatever they're running,
but she could have been the third, but most likely
she was going to be the fourth. Right And then
you look at the lineups that they've used, which was
primarily with Lexi Hall at the three versus it just
gets really complicated, right because there's no shade to Lexi
because Lexi is doing a good job. She's playing the
way that she can play. But I could also understand
(23:22):
that if you are the wanna, you're like, I didn't come.
Speaker 3 (23:27):
I didn't come here for this.
Speaker 2 (23:28):
So it's a very complicated situation when you think about it.
And again, I can't stress enough that the reason that
she was so highly touted as being such a great
pickup is because of her expertise and because of what
they felt that she could bring offensively to help them
put them in contention for a title alongside the players
(23:48):
that they currently have. Now I get how, I get
how all of this is, like what whatever, But she
has made it clear, according to her agent, that she
wants to play for either Atlanta or Phoenix. Now I
don't know why she wants to be in Atlanta. Maybe
because it's closer to Alabama, which is where she's from,
which is where she went to school at Auburn. So
(24:10):
I don't know. Maybe maybe it's a family relation that
she wants to be in Atlanta. It can be assumed
that she wants to be in Phoenix because it's where
her fiance plays, Alisa Thomas, is in Phoenix. It also
could be because she started her career in Phoenix. She
was drafted in Phoenix, and as we both mentioned, she's
getting towards the end of that career and maybe she
wants to finish her career where she started. So there
(24:31):
are a couple of reasons why she may want to
be in Phoenix. But like you, my question would be, Sis,
why you ain't go to Phoenix to start? Like, ah,
you just didn't go to Phoenix to start. So, because
that's what the mexupo. And now we're looking at cap
space right because when she clears waivers, she becomes an
(24:54):
unrestricted free agent, so she can sign with any team
she wants to. But the Mercury have about eighty eight
thousand dollars in cap space, so they could sign by
her for the veteran minimum if she wanted to take
that amount, But that would also mean that they would
need to cut somebody on their team because they already
have the max of twelve people on their roster. And
(25:15):
they have a chemistry that they have built, and they
have a chemistry that they that has placed them to
be the number three team in the league right now.
So not only are we looking at financially does this
make sense for Phoenix, but also are we willing to
risk disrupting the chemistry that we've currently built to accommodate.
Speaker 3 (25:36):
Maybe they are.
Speaker 2 (25:37):
Maybe they feel like it's somebody that they would potentially
weigh for her. Maybe, and that's their business if so.
But these are the questions that we now have.
Speaker 1 (25:45):
So listen, if I'm a GM of any of the
top eight teams right now, right I won't say eight,
maybe of any of the top five teams right now.
Speaker 3 (25:56):
And granted she has said either Atlanta or Phoenix.
Speaker 1 (25:58):
But if I'm putting my GM had on right now
and I'm a GM of one of the top five teams,
as much as I love, I wanna and appreciate what
she's done and she can still who, I don't know
if I'm willing to do that. So let's just take
Phoenix because that is the one team she mentioned she
(26:21):
would like to go to. I don't know if anybody
when the season started expected Phoenix to be sitting in
that third spot right now, And granted with at with
Satu playing the way she is, and Ka hasn't even
been kay yet because she's just coming back.
Speaker 3 (26:41):
Yeah, but T you said the word the chemistry.
Speaker 1 (26:45):
Listen, they have rookies that are playing minutes, that are contributing.
It's not just the Big three with at Satu and
Ki that has gotten them where they are.
Speaker 3 (26:57):
It's the others, right, the role play.
Speaker 1 (27:01):
So are you as a GM, are you willing to say,
all right, which one of these players am I going
to cut to bring in Dowana Bonner.
Speaker 3 (27:11):
At the vet minimum?
Speaker 2 (27:14):
Right?
Speaker 3 (27:14):
Who? And we don't know if do Wanna want would
play for that or not.
Speaker 2 (27:18):
That's what I'm saying.
Speaker 1 (27:19):
Yeah, that's just a That's a tough position for a
team to be in, right, Because we said it before,
Do Wanna ain't no scrub?
Speaker 2 (27:28):
Right?
Speaker 3 (27:28):
Can Dewana Bonner help you win a championship?
Speaker 2 (27:30):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (27:30):
She can?
Speaker 1 (27:32):
But are you also willing to take that chance when
you already see what you have as far as chemistry goes?
Speaker 2 (27:40):
Yeah? Yeah, I don't know.
Speaker 3 (27:42):
It's just a tough position to be in.
Speaker 2 (27:45):
I would love for dB to reconsider where she wants
to go. Me too, because I'm seeing reports that are
saying that teams have been advised not to even pick
her up off waivers because of where she wants to go.
But I would love for her to just reconsider a
few places, and the one that comes to mind, even
(28:06):
though I know they ain't got no money for her either.
But the one that comes to mind is lost one
hundred percent, like I should. Oh, she's just in my head.
You're it's a forty five minute flight to Phoenix. So
if it's about time with at bam, you got it.
Forty five minute flight. But more importantly, the connection between
her and Asia, as much as they could use some
additional offensive scoring, Ah, it would be.
Speaker 3 (28:29):
A sight listen and do wanna Bonner to Vegas?
Speaker 1 (28:34):
It to me it puts Vegas back in that conversation
of it does trying.
Speaker 3 (28:40):
To win another championship.
Speaker 1 (28:43):
Vegas needs some scoring and do wanna at her size
and her lengths not just on the offensive end, she
also can play the four if she needs to to give.
Speaker 3 (28:55):
Asia a little break at times.
Speaker 1 (28:57):
But defensively, right, she can guard at the three for
the two yeap Vegas. You're right, they don't have the
money either. And I'll tell you this, at this point,
it's probably way too late. One of the teams that
I was like, dang, she could have helped them. Also,
what's Chicago? Oh yeah, I know the Vets that they
got in free agency and Aero Atkins and Keia Nurse
(29:20):
and Beck Allen who I love, by the way, I
love beck Allen.
Speaker 2 (29:24):
Yeah, but she's so great.
Speaker 1 (29:26):
Do wanna Bonner on that Chicago Sky team? To me, like,
I would have loved to have seen that, but whatever
didn't happen.
Speaker 2 (29:35):
Didn't have another team, another team that I think would
be great if she wanted to. But and they have
the cap space to claim her. The Mystics, Oh, the
Mystics showed you in that game against Minnesota. Yeah, that
they are able to compete with anybody, and they did
that without their goal to score in Britney Science. And
(29:56):
so when I think about adding someone like dB, who's
going to give you that veteran presence, who's going to
give you that experience, who can, as you mentioned, give
you that defense that they are clearly making it known
that their identity is going to be a defensive team.
At that. Next to Shakira Austin at that, next to
Kiki Aria fin at that, next to Sonya se Trump and.
Speaker 1 (30:17):
Time out at that, next to a healthy Georgia Amore
coming back next year.
Speaker 3 (30:23):
Guy, right, you.
Speaker 2 (30:24):
Got Emily Inksler coming off the bar like that would
be a nasty squat. I just want you to reconsider dB.
Just think about it, like, think about it, like you really,
you really could do some damage on some other teams
that don't have to be Phoenix in Atlanta.
Speaker 1 (30:46):
You know, here's the other thing I'm gonna say about
Phoenix Besides the fact that they're playing so well, And
I'm saying this from someone who's married, right, like, I
also think what would At like to play with her fiance?
Of course they did it in Connecticut. Would would be like, yeah, yeah, yeah,
(31:10):
so they've proven it works. But you also got to
know that that's putting pressure on At as well. Meaning
I think when when you're not playing together, and that's
for both of them, it allows you to just play
free and not worry about getting mad at your significant
(31:30):
other or them getting mad at you because you didn't
pass them the ball or you missed a shot or
you're playing like shit whatever. So I don't know, here
is what I hope. I hope that wherever she ends
up playing this season, that she's she's happy. You know,
she is getting towards the end of her career and
(31:52):
I just want her to go ball out and play
basketball the way she's always played and be with an
organization that appreciates her and one that she feels like
she's a good fit for you know, I read so
many as you did too, I'm sure, just so many
comments about you know, people talking about well.
Speaker 3 (32:11):
Whereas the loyalty and she's a quitter. I think about
like the real world. Yeah, on a regular job or
whatever it is. If if you're on a job and.
Speaker 1 (32:22):
You feel disrespected by your boss, disrespected by your manager,
whatever it is, and you've had a conversation with them
to let them know here is how I feel about
what's going on, and then they don't change anything.
Speaker 3 (32:41):
You have two choices.
Speaker 1 (32:43):
You can continue to sit there on the job and
continue to feel disrespected, or you can say, you know what,
this ain't working for me anymore.
Speaker 3 (32:51):
I'm out. I'm gonna find something that does work for me.
In deuces Yep. That happens all the time. I'm in
the real world every day.
Speaker 1 (33:02):
So why why why is it any differently when it
comes to sports, or maybe I should say when it
comes to female sports, because it happens in the NBA
all the time as well, where the guy who times
in the NBA are like this, listen, I ain't gonna
play yeah all the time. I don't know lebron or
his age whoever said don't don't draft Bronnie.
Speaker 3 (33:22):
If you do, he's going to go to Australia or wherever.
Do you know what I mean?
Speaker 2 (33:27):
I hear that all the time.
Speaker 3 (33:28):
It happens in the NBA all the time.
Speaker 1 (33:31):
But when when it comes to the w and players
are like this, this isn't the no, I'm out, then
all of a sudden, it.
Speaker 2 (33:39):
Just happened with Kevin Durant.
Speaker 1 (33:41):
Oh facts, one hundred percent. Now I'm happy he comeing
to Houston. But one hundred percent, yes, I did it.
Did and the and the narrative was very different. Well,
it's Kevin Durant, he can do that. Well, this is
the Wanna Bonner, so she can do that.
Speaker 2 (33:56):
Do Wanna Bonner can do it? And did do it,
And it is what it is. And anybody questioning her
loyalty is crazy to me. Anybody questioning the loyalty of
certain athletes in general is crazy to me. Like, I
don't understand, because baby, these teams ain't got no loyalty.
Speaker 3 (34:12):
To you at all.
Speaker 2 (34:13):
They will trade Joe Ass in a heartbeat if it
met their bottom dying? Do I need to speaking of Texas,
do I need to show y'all four months ago, what
the hell happened in Dallas? Tell Luca about about loyalty, Well, loyalty.
Speaker 3 (34:29):
Teams don't have loyalty, no, but time out coaches. Coaches
do it all the time.
Speaker 2 (34:34):
Oh my god, James Wade, do I need to throw
that up left in the middle of the season and
go to Toronto?
Speaker 3 (34:40):
Coaches do it all the time.
Speaker 1 (34:42):
What do we do we when coaches do it it?
All they say is, well, that's the business.
Speaker 2 (34:46):
It's the bit. You're right, it is your rights. It
is the business. And that is exactly why it is
the business of a player to make sure that they
secure their bag and that they make sure that they
secure their standings and their for the ability.
Speaker 3 (35:01):
And taking care of her business.
Speaker 2 (35:03):
And she's taking care of her business. I may not
have agreed with the initial decision to go to Indiana,
just because, as we all both you know, spoke to
at length, that we felt like there were different and
better options for her. But I have one hundred percent
agree with her decision to leave if it isn't benefiting her,
and it doesn't necessarily make you a quitter, but it
(35:25):
makes her just as much as a business woman, as
it does the people in the front office, as it
does the coaches, as it does anyone else who makes
the decision that is best for their bottom line. It
is what I would do and have done, being in
jobs that I have not felt happy with that I
have had to cuss people to fuck out, and I've
been like, oh, you know what, let me go ahead
and walk about this dope. Let me just go ahead
(35:47):
and make the decision for you, because this dian that's
not gonna work. Yeah, that's what this is. So wish
Dowanna the best. I know. Wherever she goes, she's gonna
do an amazing job. She's gonna, you know, make that
team better. And I just hope that she does play
another game for another team and notts this as an
opportunity to retire, because it will be a detriment to
(36:08):
sports fans everywhere who love and appreciate everything that Dowana
has brought to the game to see her not play anymore,
and like this be the last vision that we have
from like she she She's owed so much more, she
deserves so much more.
Speaker 1 (36:24):
So Facts dB, if and when you hear this and
listen to this sis one.
Speaker 3 (36:30):
Protect your piece. Yeah, do what's best for.
Speaker 1 (36:34):
You and your kids and your family. You gotta quiet
a noise, and you you deserve to be happy wherever
you end up. And just know we we got to
bac sis for show.
Speaker 2 (36:50):
All right, y'all when we come back, we are going
to level this thing on out, all right, all right,
Cheryl Will. I mean, it's been a great show having
a you know, conversation about our girl, do wanna and
just in general. You know, if you we've talked about
(37:11):
this on the show before. When you know that you're
in a place that's not doing you good, when you
know that you're in a place that's not meant for
improving your your well being and your mental space, so
times you just got to make a decision to move on.
And you gotta just don't care about the noise. You
gotta do what you gotta do.
Speaker 3 (37:29):
Yeah, you got you gotta go, You gotta move around.
So Deanna period, do you boo?
Speaker 2 (37:35):
Do you boo? All right? Well, with that being said,
it's time for us to go ahead and get leveled
up by Cheryl this week. So, Cheryl, what you got
for us?
Speaker 3 (37:44):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (37:45):
Well, I think this one's very fitting for the conversation
that we just had. It says, if you are looking
for great advice, close your eyes and listen to your intuition.
Speaker 3 (37:58):
The people who love you.
Speaker 1 (38:00):
Can give you good advice, but ultimately, you know your
situation and your goals better than anyone else. Get comfortable
leading yourself. That is perfect.
Speaker 2 (38:15):
I like that for this week's discussion. Perfect because can
nobody can Nobody tell you what to do and how
to be? You better than you?
Speaker 1 (38:24):
No, I don't care what it is you. No one
knows you better than you know you.
Speaker 2 (38:30):
No one knows you better than you. Perfect. That is
the perfect.
Speaker 3 (38:34):
Love me better.
Speaker 2 (38:36):
Hey, I'm about to go get Shaka right now.
Speaker 3 (38:41):
Where are you at?
Speaker 2 (38:41):
Girl?
Speaker 4 (38:42):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (38:42):
Yeah, where are you at? Shaka?
Speaker 2 (38:46):
Come on the show this What's so good, so good,
so good, so fun. Thank you, Thank you for that quote,
and thank you guys for listening to levels to this.
We are going to be back next week with more
next level conversations, so we want you to be tapped in.
Remember this isn't just our show, it's our show. We
want to hear from you, so leave us a review
on Apple Podcast. Tell us what you liked about the show.
(39:08):
Let us know if there are some topics that you
want to hear from, and please follow us on Instagram
at ltt pod because I might be dropping some funny
videos from fanatics best that y'all might not want to.
Speaker 3 (39:18):
Miss or she might not.
Speaker 2 (39:23):
Oh God. Until then, friends, keep your mentals ground level
and we will be back next week.
Speaker 1 (39:29):
Please and listen to Levels to This on America's number
one podcast network, iHeart open your free iHeart app and
search Levels to This with Cheryl Swoops and Tarika Foster
Brasby and start listening
Hosts And Creators
Terrika Foster-Brasby
Sheryl Swoopes
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Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.