It may be the off-season, but the WNBA is still making headlines! This time, the ball is in the court of its star players who have entered free agency. With the 2025 league calendar now underway, free agency negotiations started on January 11 and will run through the rest of the winter. During this free agency period, big names have made surprising decisions, shaking up the WNBA’s loyal, sapphic internet fanbase.
Fans were devastated to hear the Connecticut Sun lost one of its best players, Alyssa Thomas, a five-time All-Star and two-time All-WNBA first-team forward who’s spent 11 seasons of her WNBA career in Connecticut. In this blockbuster trade, she was acquired by the Phoenix Mercury in exchange for longtime Phoenix players Natasha Cloud and Rebecca Allen.
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Hold onnnnnnnn. This Alyssa Thomas trade to Phoenix?!?? pic.twitter.com/1sT56xv55l
— gee. (@geeondruh) January 28, 2025
Alyssa Thomas to Phoenix Mercury?!
— London ShyBrigerian (@blite101) January 28, 2025
Oh y’all really shaking things up! pic.twitter.com/WEOP9INbnu
rest in piece me, a connecticut resident and sun fan who deeply loves alyssa thomas https://t.co/YnU9YCr5D6
— p / NAIBREY NATION (@pptheleo) January 9, 2025
It was especially upsetting to fans when they realized Thomas would not only be departing from her team but from her Sun teammate and fiancee, DeWanna Bonner. The iconic basketball power couple, who got engaged last year, met when Bonner was traded to the Sun in 2020 and their relationship blossomed from teammates to lovers. Bonner is also a free agent, but whether she’ll be joining her partner in Phoenix is unknown.
Related: 5 Things To Know About Unrivaled Star Brittney Griner: From Baylor Legend To Global Icon
separating alyssa thomas and dewanna bonner should be a crime
— KiKi (@kiarrajordan15) January 28, 2025
THEY BROKE UP MY PARENTS AND THEIR DAUGHTER pic.twitter.com/jffsd0LgNe
— #21 (@i5reese) January 28, 2025
DeWanna Bonner doesn’t play about Alyssa Thomas 😳 We’ll miss this 💔 pic.twitter.com/5mRAgzQN8K
— WNBA Got Game (@wnbagotgame) January 29, 2025
everyone from the sun is leaving like they’re tearing up families bad bad
— #21 (@i5reese) January 30, 2025
Alyssa & Dewanna should be a package deal btw
— P E A ☆ H E S (@PeachesNoKream) January 29, 2025
Besides the loss of Thomas, the trade has Phoenix mourning the loss of Natasha Cloud and Brittney Griner, as well as Diana Taurasi, but whether Taurasi retired or will return is still up for debate. Fans had a lot to stay about these iconic and talented queer players leaving the desert.
Related: Everything GOated About Breanna Stewart: 5 Things To Know About The Unrivaled Star Player
the desert was really stud headquarters https://t.co/w7G9q1q8XP
— SJ (@SJBasketball8) January 29, 2025
the first WNBA game i ever went to was BG’s home return (may 21st, 2023) and not to be dramatic, but in retrospect i think that experience actually changed my life.
— maddy 🍉 (@phxsunz25) January 29, 2025
i’ll always be grateful to BG for everything she did for this franchise & city.
valley forever 💜🧡🏜️ pic.twitter.com/76dPD7K0SH
They took my whole family bro pic.twitter.com/yLiLmGy6ua
— Chlo 💿👻🌹 (@taurasiscntybun) January 28, 2025
Getting traded after you flexed the new facility is nasty work
— kola – depressed Miami Heat fan (@vedalok1999) January 28, 2025
pic.twitter.com/LUWfXx5faz
With free agency contracts being signed by players on Saturday, February 1, expect to see some official announcements about these ankle-breaking changes. For now, we can only wonder what other surprising news will be coming to the court this March. As heartbreaking as it has been for fans, it’s an exciting new chapter for these talented players, and we only wish them the best.