Alyssa Thomas and DeWanna Bonner are a lot extra than simply companions on the court docket. They’re the epitome of basketball dominance for the Connecticut Solar. DeWanna’s the fifth-highest scorer within the historical past of the League. Alyssa is the W’s all-time chief in triple-doubles. They every have their jerseys hanging within the arenas of their respective alma maters. They’ve each gained AP Comeback Participant of the 12 months and have every claimed quite a few League data. Merely put, they’re the most effective gamers on among the best groups within the W yr after yr. And should you couldn’t inform by the diamond rock dancing on DeWanna’s finger, they’re additionally engaged.
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An uplifting power was flowing all through our workplace on a Monday morning in late June. After a two-and-a-half hour drive from Connecticut to NYC, all that may be felt and heard is an abundance of affection and laughter shared by the couple as they pose for pictures at their first-ever SLAM cowl shoot.
Rocking their vibrant orange Explorer Version uniforms, each Alyssa and DeWanna are absolutely current within the second, whereas creating pockets of time the place they fall right into a world all to their very own. They’re holding staring contests whereas we snap flicks and poking enjoyable at their peak distinction.
“I like taking part in with Alyssa. She’s one of many hardest working rivals within the League, so it type of makes me need to go more durable,” DeWanna says. “Even at my age, I’m like, I’ve received slightly bit extra in there to provide as a result of I see her going simply as exhausting.”
The 2 have been relationship for the previous few years, and through 2023 All-Star Weekend out in Las Vegas, Alyssa proposed to DeWanna beneath the shade of palm timber accented by candles and a whole bunch of roses. They began off as rivals and nonetheless are in some methods. DeWanna drafted to the Phoenix Mercury in 2009. Alyssa drafted to the New York Liberty and instantly traded to the Connecticut Solar in 2014. Forward of the 2020 bubble season, a blockbuster commerce despatched the 2 down the trail of a relationship as teammates that finally become companions.
The previous 5 seasons have been a journey of ups and downs: new teammates, new coaches, new positions, new obligations. And but, the 2 stay anchored to the tradition they’ve instilled since they first teamed up 4 years in the past. It’s a tradition that has the Solar sitting at 18-6 because the second-best group within the W with each DeWanna and Alyssa dominating, once more. The marriage’s gonna have to attend ’til after the Olympics, although.
Earlier than the morning of June 11, Alyssa Thomas and DeWanna Bonner had by no means been contained in the Connecticut Solar workplaces. As Alyssa walked down the hallway with DeWanna intently behind, the four-time All-Star peered by the frosted glass of the room to her proper. She immediately dropped her head to the aspect because the feelings started to construct. A well-known determine stood within the room, Connecticut Solar president and USA Basketball’s Girls’s Nationwide Group Committee Chair Jen Rizzotti. In her arms have been Alyssa’s deep purple, white and blue USA Basketball threads, honoring her with a spot on the 2024 US Girls’s Olympic group.
“Truthfully, they instructed me I had a gathering,” Alyssa says. “I turned the nook and I see her [Jen] by the glass and my coronary heart type of simply dropped that it’s lastly taking place. I’m in all probability the second-oldest on the group at 32, and I’m getting my first alternative to be on a group like this—it meant so much to me.”
Within the video posted to USA Basketball’s Instagram, the loudest voice within the room is DeWanna’s, cheering and clapping for her individual with pleasure. “It’s humorous as a result of I feel I used to be extra anxious than her throughout that ready course of. I’m similar to, When is it going to occur?” she says. “So for me, I’m simply so happy with her, I’m so comfortable for her. It’s one thing that she actually, actually labored exhausting for, like she stated, at 32. Yeah, we’ll be in Paris.”
All through her 11-year profession within the WNBA, Alyssa’s offseason timeline has hardly ever matched up with the Olympics. She prefers to recoup her psychological and bodily in what little downtime there’s between the season ending and the beginning of her abroad schedule. The 2020 Olympic Video games (held in 2021 because of Covid) have been at one level an possibility, however the rehab course of for a torn Achilles that she suffered in January took precedence.
AT was again on the court docket 9 months later. And when the season wrapped, Cheryl Reeve satisfied Alyssa to swimsuit up for her and Group USA within the 2022 FIBA World Cup. Successful Gold has been an inescapable feeling ever since.
Simply three days earlier than our shoot, the primary voting replace for the 2024 WNBA All-Star roster was revealed. DeWanna ranked within the high 10. Understanding the festivities this season will see the USA Basketball roster face off in opposition to the WNBA All-Stars, the 2 are already trying ahead to taking part in reverse each other in Phoenix. “Oh, I’m gonna whoop her up,” DeWanna chimes in instantly.
“She’s not scoring. She’s not getting a bucket,” Alyssa interrupts.
“Shut up,” DeWanna says in a playful tone as Alyssa laughs out loud. “Please. I don’t care the place I’m, I don’t care how loopy of a shot it’s, I’m going to try to make it. And if I make it, oh, I’ve gained a championship. If I make one shot on her, it’s over.”
“It gained’t occur,” Alyssa fires again.
The back-and-forth is greater than only a nice sound chunk—it’s a peek into their distinctive dynamic, one full of love, teasing and a really, very wholesome quantity of competitiveness.
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“We nearly had the chance to try this abroad, however I received damage, which I used to be comfortable about,” DeWanna says about taking part in in opposition to one another. “I used to be slightly nervous taking part in in opposition to her, as a result of Alyssa is slightly tough and I’m not. However on this surroundings, the place it’s not an excessive amount of on the road, it may be pleasant. However I promise you,” she says trying proper at AT, “I’m attempting to bust you up.”
“It’s not pleasant in any respect. It’s all enterprise,” Alyssa replies.
For the previous 5 seasons, it’s been simply that: straight enterprise. After DB was traded from the Phoenix Mercury—the place she gained two championships and was a three-time Sixth Girl of the 12 months—to the Solar, the 2 shortly shaped one of the dominant duos within the historical past of the W.
Underneath their purview, sustained success has develop into routine out in Uncasville, CT. Numbers 24 and 25 have led the Solar to 4 straight semifinal appearances plus a visit to the 2022 Finals. They’re insurmountable in high-low actions, transition and half-court defensive schemes. Within the midst, an inventory of collective and particular person accolades has been working longer than the Susquehanna River.
“They are surely the center and soul of this franchise,” head coach Stephanie White instructed the AP. “You concentrate on not simply what they do on a day-to-day foundation, however the consistency with which they’ve achieved it since they’ve been right here.”
Unstoppable doesn’t even start to explain AT’s sport. She’s a point-forward who units the sport to simple mode for everybody whereas main the group in assists, rebounds and steals. This season, she’s placing up 11.5 factors, 9.4 rebounds and a League-high 7.9 assists a sport. And to start out the season in opposition to the Indiana Fever, she threw down a 13/13/10 triple-double. Yeah, final season wasn’t only a one-off.
In her fifteenth season, DeWanna has solely continued to develop the mastery of her offensive repertoire. The midrange is lit up with scorching spots like a Christmas tree for DB. Transition treys persist with the online and post-up fadeaways sing of swishes. She makes use of her size to grab steals on the defensive finish, plugging up gaps and sending photographs into the third row. As of press time, the 6-4 bucket-getter is pouring in a team-high 17.1 factors, knocking down 6.3 boards and swiping 1.3 steals a sport.
“I all the time say we have now to be that significantly better than different groups. We’re not an excellent group or something of that kind, so our margin for error is so much smaller than different groups,” Alyssa says. “And simply attempting to get all people to purchase into that and perceive that there are not any off days. There’s no stress-free or taking performs off. We’ve received to go exhausting for 40 minutes.”
This season, the 2 have been clocking in extra time. Alyssa’s already popped off for 2 triple-doubles and DeWanna’s posted eight 20-pieces. Between Alyssa, DeWanna and two-time All-Star Brionna Jones, the one different fixed that resides in Connecticut is change. The previous 5 years have seen a revolving door of coaches, gamers and entrance workplace personnel.
“I feel that’s simply the character of the beast in Connecticut,” Alyssa says. “It’s not a good market for those who love to do the opposite issues, be within the highlight, issues like that. It’s a quiet space, you’ve received to be a unique kind of participant to come back there. We don’t have all of the bells and whistles that different folks do, so it’s actually in regards to the basketball for us.”
The 2024 marketing campaign has been full of much more changes. DeWanna and Alyssa spent the vast majority of final season surveying the paint on the 4 and 5. With middle Brionna Jones again from a torn Achilles, they’ve dipped again into their typical roles whereas infusing parts of final yr’s success. They’re growing chemistry with the brand new backcourt pairing of DiJonai Carrington and Tyasha Harris, who’ve stepped in to the beginning guard positions. The most recent additions of Rachel Banham and Moriah Jefferson coming off the pine have been an added piece to juggle, too.
“I don’t need to say we began over once more, however it’s implementing new folks and attempting to get them to know the system. However in the identical approach, transforming it to suit all people’s type of play and get the most effective out of everybody,” Alyssa says. “We’ve had our ups and downs up to now, and it’s nonetheless a piece in progress, however it’s going to come back all the way down to us and the coaches coming collectively and determining what’s greatest for this group. That’s why it’s a protracted season and it’s about taking part in your greatest basketball come playoff time.”
The playoffs are nonetheless a bit within the distance, however in June, the Solar have been already in midseason type, posting an early 13-1 document and changing into simply the seventh group in League historical past to win 13 of their first 14. All six of these earlier squads reached the Finals, and 4 of them gained all of it. We’re not saying it’s future, however historical past has a approach of repeating itself.
“We’ve been proper there on the cusp, so now this yr, I feel we’ve type of taken the enjoyable out of it slightly bit, however we’re attempting to get that again,” DeWanna says. “It’s championship or bust for us. That’s the place we’re.”
As seamless because the highlights look, the couple warns that taking part in basketball each single day together with your companion isn’t as magical as one may assume it’s. There are angles, reads and passes that Alyssa may even see that DeWanna doesn’t, and vice versa.
“It’s like a present and a curse. You’re taking part in with anyone that’s the most effective on the planet and he or she’s additionally your companion, so that you get to bounce concepts off of one another, you speak basketball. But additionally, it’s aggressive; we go at it on the court docket as properly,” DeWanna says. “However I nonetheless need to bust her up on that court docket.”
“It’s principally that she desires to bust me up on the court docket,” Alyssa responds. “9 occasions out of ten.”
“Tune in! When is the [All-Star] Sport? July twentieth. Vote me in, ’trigger tune in,” DeWanna exclaims.
“Drinks on me the night time earlier than,” Alyssa says with fun.
Portraits by Marcus Stevens.
