Fever veterans getting acclimated to new experience with Caitlin Clark in basketball-rich Indiana

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — DeWanna Bonner signed with Indiana to win a third WNBA championship.

She never anticipated the local welcoming committee would find her in grocery store produce sections, along the streets of Indianapolis or anywhere else she visits.

Bonner isn't just recognizable because she stands 6-foot-4 or is already a fan favorite in this basketball-frenzied state. The 37-year-old veteran is getting a glimpse into what it's like to be a teammate of the WNBA's top drawing card, Caitlin Clark.

“Everywhere I go, it's like, ‘We’re excited for the season, thank you for being here,' so it's been really refreshing,” Bonner said, noting it is a different level of attention than she experienced playing with Phoenix and Connecticut. “The eyes are on you here; the lights are bright.”

Thanks to a cadre of young stars including rookie Paige Bueckers, along with the budding rivalries around the league — notably Clark and Angel Reese — the spotlight is shining brightly on the WNBA. Their ascension, with stars such as A’ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart, Napheesa Collier and Britney Griner still playing at a high level, is bringing record-setting attention to televised WNBA games.

Bonner is another of those veterans still playing well. She starts this season ranked third in league history in games played (502) and seven points short of surpassing Tina Thompson (7,488) for No. 3 on the career scoring list. She's also a six-time All-Star and two-time all-WNBA selection.

But even someone as accomplished as Bonner can't overshadow Clark, last year's WNBA rookie of the year. Clark helped the Fever snap a seven-year playoff drought as Indiana shattered league records for home attendance, road attendance and total attendance. As Clark was breaking the league's single season assists record the WNBA enjoyed record TV ratings.

The intrigue has only grown this year. With a star-studded cast of title-winning veterans, like Bonner, now surrounding Clark, expectations and interest continue to soar. Indiana tips off the 2025 season Saturday hosting Reese and the Sky.

Indiana drew more than 12,400 fans to its only home preseason game even though Clark sat out with a leg injury. Their second game, played at Clark's alma mater, Iowa, sold out in 42 minutes, drew record ticket prices on the secondary market and attracted 1.3 million viewers — larger than all but two NBA preseason telecasts since 2010.

That made Indiana an easy choice for the veterans seeking one-year deals as they await a new collective bargaining agreement.

“Who doesn't want to play in front of sold out crowds at home and when you're away?” Indiana center Aliyah Boston said. “You have a bunch of people wearing Fever jerseys wherever you play. I think that's so important because you know you're always going to have a family coming from the fans because they're always going to cheer you on.”

The experience of being Clark's teammate includes dealing with long lines of fans, hordes of autograph seekers at every stop, dozens of nationally televised games and, of course, answering so many questions about Clark.

Longtime WNBA player and new Fever forward Natasha Howard is embracing the atmosphere.

Howard is returning to Indiana after spending her first two seasons in Indy, the second during Stephanie White's first tenure as head coach. White, Indiana's original No. 22, has returned in the same capacity.

Howard, however, comes back with a new perspective after winning the 2017 WNBA title with former Minnesota All-Star Maya Moore, two titles with Sue Bird in Seattle and two playoff appearances as teammates of Stewart and Ionescu in New York.

“It feels good to be playing with Caitlin, a true point guard who controls the floor,” Howard said. “I see her leadership in practice, the way she talks in huddles. I think it's because she did it at Iowa for four years, but I feel like she wouldn't be in that category with the superstars if she wasn't a good leader.”

Clark has grown accustomed to the fanfare over the past three seasons, the first two as a breakout college phenom at Iowa and last season as the most watched rookie in league history. Now everyone wants to see what she'll do for an encore.

Bonner believes Indiana now has the elements Clark and the Fever need to take that next step.

“They want to win, that's all I needed to hear. They wanted to win, they wanted to be led," Bonner said. “They didn't have any experience last year in the playoffs, so this is totally different. But I've also been following them a little bit because no one understands playing in this type of environment but the people who have done it.”

AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball

Fans watch Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark warm up before an exhibition women's basketball game against Brazil, Sunday, May 4, 2025, in Iowa City, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Indiana Fever center Aliyah Boston (7) drives around Brazil forward Licinara Bispo, second from left, during the first half of an exhibition women's basketball game, Sunday, May 4, 2025, in Iowa City, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark, left, hugs Iowa coach Jan Jensen, right, after an exhibition women's basketball game against Brazil, Sunday, May 4, 2025, in Iowa City, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Brazil guard Izabela Leite (23) talks with Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark, center right, after an exhibition women's basketball game, Sunday, May 4, 2025, in Iowa City, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark signs autographs after an exhibition women's basketball game against Brazil, Sunday, May 4, 2025, in Iowa City, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

NEW YORK (AP) — Thousands of nurses in three hospital systems in New York City went on strike Monday after negotiations through the weekend failed to yield breakthroughs in their contract disputes.

The strike was taking place at The Mount Sinai Hospital and two of its satellite campuses, with picket lines forming. The other affected hospitals are NewYork-Presbyterian and Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx.

About 15,000 nurses are involved in the strike, according to New York State Nurses Association.

The strike, which comes during a severe flu season, could potentially force the hospitals to transfer patients, cancel procedures or divert ambulances. It could also put a strain on city hospitals not involved in the contract dispute, as patients avoid the medical centers hit by the strike.

The hospitals involved have been hiring temporary nurses to try and fill the labor gap during the walkout, and said in a statement during negotiations that they would “do whatever is necessary to minimize disruptions.” Montefiore posted a message assuring patients that appointments would be kept.

The work stoppage is occurring at multiple hospitals simultaneously, but each medical center is negotiating with the union independently. Several other hospitals across the city and in its suburbs reached deals in recent days to avert a possible strike.

The nurses’ demands vary by hospital, but the major issues include staffing levels and workplace safety. The union says hospitals have given nurses unmanageable workloads.

Nurses also want better security measures in the workplace, citing incidents like a an incident last week, when a man with a sharp object barricaded himself in a Brooklyn hospital room and was then killed by police.

The union also wants limitations on hospitals’ use of artificial intelligence.

The nonprofit hospitals involved in the negotiations say they’ve been working to improve staffing levels, but say the union’s demands overall are too costly.

Nurses voted to authorize the strike last month.

Both New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani had expressed concern about the possibility of the strike. As the strike deadline neared, Mamdani urged both sides to keep negotiating and reach a deal that “both honors our nurses and keeps our hospitals open.”

“Our nurses kept this city alive through its hardest moments. Their value is not negotiable,” Mamdani said.

The last major nursing strike in the city was only three years ago, in 2023. That work stoppage, at Mount Sinai and Montefiore, was short, lasting three days. It resulted in a deal raising pay 19% over three years at those hospitals.

It also led to promised staffing improvements, though the union and hospitals now disagree about how much progress has been made, or whether the hospitals are retreating from staffing guarantees.

Nurses strike outside Mount Sinai West Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Nurses strike outside Mount Sinai West Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Nurses strike outside Mount Sinai West Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Nurses strike outside Mount Sinai West Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

FILE - A medical worker transports a patient at Mount Sinai Hospital, April 1, 2020, in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, File)