Indiana Fever star Sophie Cunningham addressed the departure of former teammate DeWanna Bonner from the team in a controversial breakup this season.Bonner stepped away from the team just nine games into the season, citing "personal reasons" while the team tried to trade her. Indiana then released Bonner on June 29, and she returned to the Phoenix Mercury, where she started her career in 2009.CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COMCunningham, who previously played with Bonner for the Mercury in 2009, praised Bonner as a player but also suggested Bonner showed a lack of "professionalism" in her departure."Im still rooting for her. I want her to end her career and be happy, but I also think like, its OK to be professional about it. Send a text to your teammates, send a text like, Hey, love you guys, or you dont even have to say, Love you guys. Say, Sorry this didnt work out, good luck Theres a way to handle that, I think," Cunningha said on an episode of her podcast Tuesday.Bonner returned to Indianapolis and was booed by the fans. Cunningham said Bonner should have expected boos from Fever fans based on how her departure played out.SOPHIE CUNNINGHAM OPENS UP ON EX-TEAM'S TREATMENT OF CAITLIN CLARK, AND INFAMOUS FIGHT THAT CHIPPED HER TOOTH"I was kind of surprised she signed here in Indiana anyway, so well take her in a heartbeat. Shes a Hall of Famer. Shes a helluva basketball player, can score from anywhere on the court," Cunningham said."She got to Indiana, and she just wasnt really happy, and I want people to be happy, so thats why Im kind of like neutral on this one, which everyone is surprised about. Shes toward the end of her career, like she deserves her flowers, she deserves to be happy. But I also think that if youre going to leave, youre going to have to expect getting booed."The boos didnt sit right with Mercury star Kahleah Copper. The four-time All-Star and WNBA champion thought Bonner handled the boos well, but she didnt understand why the jeers happened in the first place."I just don't understand. Like, she's a legend. All the things she's done for the league, and just then the disrespect, I just can't get down with it. They booed her. She didn't say a word to the crowd. People talked some trash to her, but we had her back," Copper said, via the Indy Star."It's just very distasteful what their fan base is doing when it comes to DB. She is just the sweetest soul. The situation didn't work for her. It just wasn't what she wanted or whatever, but we don't need all of that. It's just unnecessary."Follow Fox News Digitalssports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.