DeWanna Bonner’s Jersey Retirement Is the First Step of Recognizing Her Timeless Impact

The 2008-09 Auburn Tigers are a special team in the history of Alabama basketball and the SEC. They were the first Auburn squad to win an SEC Title outright, and the most recent to do so, dominating the 2009 season with a 30-4 record.

Part of what made that group special is that they were quite literally built by Bama, all five starters in that lineup Alabama born and raised. Sherell Hobbs, Alli Smalley, Whitney Boddie, Trevesha Jackson, and DeWanna Bonner.

On Sunday before Auburn’s rivalry game with Alabama, a 78-65 victory, Bonner’s jersey was retired in a heartfelt affair.

Bonner became just the 5th player to have her jersey retired in program history, and 11th total hanging at Neville Arena, a special accomplishment. 

“I’m so overwhelmed with emotion,” says Bonner.

“Everything’s so different, but at the same time, you still feel like home you know? It’s a family atmosphere… my emotions are just all over the place right now.”

She’d been back through Auburn seven or eight years ago to stop and say hi on her way home to Birmingham, but that was the extent of returns trips. 

The 2009 team came out to DJ Khaled’s We Takin’ Over (it came out in 2007), accompanied by the baggy shorts, boxy/bulky shoes, and entrance smoke screens that were a fixture of the late 00’s.

“That was a great song,” says Bonner in between laughs after being reminded of the 2009 tunnel track.

Reminiscing back, she remembers Auburn having a Walmart and a Target when she was in school. She’s in awe of how much the city’s been built up, hardly recognizing it as she drove in and spent the weekend. 

She keeps her eyes on what’s going on in college hoops. She’s loved watching JuJu Watkins at Southern Cal, she’s mesmerized by the dunking and sellout crowds, celebrities sitting courtside.

“Everything’s changed so much,” says Bonner, but with a stroke of pride. 

“I don’t think I realized how big of a deal she was here, all the records and things she accomplished. I knew she was good, but to be a part of this day is super special for her, and I’m just happy I was able to be here,” says fiance and teammate, Alyssa Thomas.

DeWanna has never been the type to celebrate herself. She’s confident in who she is and what she brings to the table on and off the court, but her boundless energy and positivity is directed at uplifting her teammates and keeping up with her twin daughters. So much of what made the ceremony for Bonner so special was that it was a celebration of her career that she could sit back and take in.

Former Auburn great and WNBA legend Ruthie Bolton had a beautiful pregame video on the jumbotron for DeWanna. Her former teammates in Phoenix who need no introduction, Diana Taurasi and Brittney Griner, had congratulatory speeches in the compilation, as did former Auburn coach Nell Fortner.

Sun teammate Brionna Jones and members of Connecticut's front office were in attendance. Her former high school coach was in the building. Her teammates from the 2009 team stayed from the day prior to watch the commencement. People who have watched DeWanna since she started playing competitive basketball in Birmingham and Fairfield over 20 years ago were at Neville to pay their respects.

“I was telling Alyssa last night, like this is the first time I’ve felt like my basketball accomplishments have been recognized. Yeah I’ve had All-Star appearances, I’ve won championships, but to the overall picture this is one of those moments where you did all that work for this moment… I’ve been reflecting a little bit more and I’m like yeah, I wanna be in the big Hall of Fame one day, that’s my ultimate goal and dream. I feel like I’ve started laying the bricks to do that, just gotta finish this thing out strong,” says Bonner.

As much as this entire ceremony and weekend was about Bonner, as she received a Mayoral proclamation from the city of Auburn declaring January 21st DeWanna Bonner day, it stood out in taking in the weekend how much this place means to her.

In between every interview and appearance, she'd be back in Auburn’s locker room before the game as a vocal presence. She gave a pregame speech, dapped up and hyped every player as they made their way back from pregame warmups.

I’d never seen the War Eagle chant before, and it sends chills down your spine. During her pregame commemoration and jersey raise, she cut off the end of her speech to say she was ready for some basketball, and then led the crowd as she spun with a finger up to them.

“Warrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr Eagle, AYY!”

Words don’t do it justice.

Mid-game, she found her way to the student section, led them in cheers, and fully engaged with the game. Courtside seats be damned, DB was here to watch the win and make sure she did her part to will the Tigers on.

She ran out to celebrate with the team after they’d secured the win and led them in the Reverse Rammer Jammer after knocking off their bitter in-state rival.

DeWanna is always generous and kind with fans, but you could sense that this meant something more. She stayed over an hour after the game to take pictures, sign autographs, and share a conversation with what felt like half the crowd. The number of people who came in and thanked her for all she’d done for Auburn, the state of Alabama, and girls like her coming up was staggering. 

“I didn’t dream of this, I didn’t dream of going to the WNBA, I didn’t dream of getting my jersey retired… I didn’t know this was possible! I didn’t really have the role model to look after like that, because no one had ever done it before (out of Alabama)… so everything has been a surprise to me, honestly,” says Bonner.

The jersey retirement itself was special, but the interactions she had were the kind of thing you just can’t expect out of a person. That’s who she is and what she does. She cares deeply and greatly about this school, this state, her home, and the people who supported her in a time before social media and highlight reels blowing up on Youtube.

“This is where I actually grew up, you know? Because this is where you come to grow up. I left home, left my parents for the first time, and then you’re on your own. You figure out so much about yourself. This is the biggest accomplishment I’ve had so far in my career,” says Bonner.

“This is just the first stop,” stating that she really wants to give back to Alabama after her playing career comes to an end.

While this was Bonner’s first opportunity to pour back into the place that poured so much into her during her formative years, it was evident how much she’s already done so without setting foot back in The Plains.

Bonner isn’t finished with basketball yet, just playing one of the finest seasons of her career, but this was one of the first steps in admiring and commemorating what’s been a special career for a phenomenal individual.