Aari McDonald

Position: Guard
Age: 27
Years Pro: 5
Signed: By the Fever to a hardship contract on June 2, 2025. Released on June 13, but signed to a rest-of-season contract on June 25.
Key Stats: Appeared in 20 regular season games, starting 13. Averaged 9.8 points, 4.7 assists, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.3 steals per game.

Aari McDonald didn’t begin the season on a WNBA roster, but quickly became one of the Fever’s most important players.

McDonald was in training camp with Los Angeles, where she played 26 games in 2024, but was waived by the Sparks before the start of the regular season. She joined the Fever early in the season on an emergency hardship contract while Caitlin Clark and Sophie Cunningham were sidelined with injuries.

McDonald made an immediate impact, averaging 11 points and 3 assists in 25.3 minutes per game over a three-game stint in Indiana, showing she had the immediate trust of head coach Stephanie White.

“I’ve always been impressed with her ability to defend, her activity on the defensive end of the floor,” White said at the time of her signing. “Her ability to get to the paint and make a decision when she gets there.

“She is a true point guard, so she brings that energy, she brings the ability to dictate. And she has been really good so far. It has been a lot of information to absorb quickly, and she has done a great job with it.”

The Fever had to waive McDonald as players returned to the lineup, but less than two weeks later, a roster spot opened up after the Fever agreed to waive DeWanna Bonner and they quickly signed McDonald for the remainder of the season. McDonald scored 14 points off the bench in her first game back, then started the next night and tallied 13 points and six assists in a win at Dallas.

McDonald also got the start in the Commissioner’s Cup championship game on July 1 and finished with 12 points on 5-of-6 shooting, three rebounds, two blocks, and a steal in the Fever’s win in Minnesota.

As Clark continued to battle injuries, McDonald emerged a vital part of the Fever’s offensive attack. She had 10 games with five or more assists, including a season-high nine in a win over Seattle on Aug. 3. She was instrumental in helping create shots for All-Stars Kelsey Mitchell and Aliyah Boston, but also showed she could score the ball as well.

McDonald’s best performance came in a 107-101 win over Phoenix on July 30, when she erupted for a career-high 27 points while going 7-for-11 from the field, 3-for-4 from 3-point range, and 10-for-10 from the free throw line.

“I think tonight, I really was like, ‘Okay, this is my time to shine,’” McDonald said after her career night. “Everyone’s encouraging me, so I have to believe. Just staying in the gym, staying locked in and just staying aggressive, that’s been the key for me.”

McDonald’s season came to an untimely end on Aug. 7 in Phoenix when she broke a bone in her right foot, the same game that veteran point guard Sydney Colson went down with a torn ACL.

While it ended prematurely, McDonald proved during the 2025 season that she is a talented point guard capable of starting for a playoff-level team. Whether it is in Indiana or elsewhere, she should have a secure roster spot in the WNBA in 2026.

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