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Aari McDonald

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Aari McDonald
McDonald with theAtlanta Dreamin 2023
No. 15 – Los Angeles Sparks
PositionShooting guard/point guard
LeagueWNBA
Personal information
Born(1998-08-20)August 20, 1998(age 25)
Fresno, California,U.S.
Listed height5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)
Listed weight141 lb (64 kg)
Career information
High schoolBrookside Christian
(Stockton, California)
College
WNBA draft2021:1st round, 3rd overall pick
Selected by theAtlanta Dream
Playing career2021–present
Career history
2021–2023Atlanta Dream
2021Uni Gyor MELY-UT
2023–2024Perth Lynx
2024–presentLos Angeles Sparks
Career highlights and awards

Aarion Shawnae McDonald(AIR-eeon;born August 20, 1998) is an American professionalbasketballplayer for theLos Angeles Sparksof theWomen's National Basketball Association(WNBA). She was drafted third overall by theAtlanta Dreamin the2021 WNBA draftafter playingcollege basketballat theUniversity of Washingtonand theUniversity of Arizona.[1]

Early life and high school

[edit]

McDonald grew up inFresno, Californiaas the youngest of six children. After initially playing atBullard High Schoolin her freshman year, she transferred to Brookside Christian High School inStockton, California.At Brookside, she compiled nearly 1,500 points scored in her two years with the school, recording multiple triple-doubles and even a quadruple double.[2]A four-star recruit, she committed to playingcollege basketballatWashington.

College career

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University of Washington

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After missing the first seven games due to injury, McDonald played in 28 games, starting 21 of them. She was named to thePac-12All-Freshman team after averaging 9.8 points on the season, third on the team behindKelsey Plumand Chantel Osahor.[3]

McDonald announced that she would leave the program and transfer after one season.[4]She cited departures of Plum, Osahor, head coachMike Neighbors,assistant coachMorgan Valley,and the passing of her grandfather as reasons for her transfer.[5]

University of Arizona

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McDonald decided to transfer to play atArizonaforAdia Barnes,a former Washington assistant who was heavily involved in recruiting her to play for the Huskies.[6][7]She spent her first season with the program sitting out due to transfer rules and was a member of the scout team.[8]

Redshirt sophomore year

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McDonald made an immediate impact in her first year on the court for the Wildcats, tying the school's single game scoring record with 39 points againstLoyola Marymountin the second game of the season.[9]She finished the season with 890 points scored, breaking a single-season record set by her coach Barnes, and was the second player inPac-12history to have 800 points and 150 assists, joining her former teammate Plum.[5]She was named to the All-Pac-12 first team and defensive team at the end of the season.[10]

Redshirt junior year

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After tying the single-game record for scoring in the previous season, McDonald broke the record with a 44-point performance against 22nd-rankedTexason November 17, 2019.[11]

McDonald racked up awards, being named a second-teamAll-Americanby theAssociated PressandUnited States Basketball Writers Association,a first-team All-American by theWomen's Basketball Coaches Association,Pac-12Defensive Player of the Year, first-team All-Pac-12 and on the Pac-12 All-Defensive team.[12]She was also a finalist for theNaismith Defensive Player of the Year Awardand named the 2020 recipient of theAnn Meyers Drysdale Award,given to the top shooting guard in the country.[13][14]

Although she was eligible for the WNBA draft, McDonald announced that she would return for her senior season at Arizona.[15][16]

Redshirt senior year

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McDonald was named thePac-12 Conference Player of the Year,becoming the first Arizona player to win the award since her head coach Adia Barnes.[17]She was also named the Co-Defensive Player of the Year, the second consecutive year she was named the winner.

McDonald excelled during Arizona's2021 NCAA tournament run.After leading the Wildcats pastStony BrookandBYU,she scored 31 points againstTexas A&Min the Sweet Sixteen, sending Arizona to the Elite Eight for the first time.[18]She scored 33 points in the Wildcats' Elite Eight match againstIndiana,despite suffering an ankle injury with more than two minutes remaining in the game.[19]In their next game againstUConn,she scored 26 points en route to earning the first championship appearance in program history, as well as praise from UConn head coachGeno Auriemma.[20]

In thenational championship game,McDonald scored a game-high 22 points and was able to get the final shot of the game off, but could not get it to fall as the Wildcats lost toStanford54–53, ending their historic run.[21]She ended her college career after scoring double-digits in 93 consecutive games, which was the longest active streak.

College Statistics

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Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG TO PPG
2016–17 Washington 28 21 24.1 .473 .330 .667 2.7 1.4 1.4 0.1 1.6 9.8
2017–18 Arizona Sat out due to NCAA transfer rules
2018–19 Arizona 37 37 35.7 .452 .281 .755 6.5 4.6 2.6 0.1 3.8 24.1
2019–20 Arizona 29 29 31.8 .458 .278 .788 5.6 3.6 2.3 0.0 3.8 20.6
2020–21 Arizona 27 27 33.6 .407 .345 .765 5.4 4.0 2.6 0.1 3.1 20.6
Career 5 years, 2 teams 121 114 31.6 .444 .305 .756 5.1 3.4 2.3 0.1 3.1 19.1

Professional career

[edit]

After being projected to be a top-five draft pick,[22][23]McDonald was drafted third overall by theAtlanta Dreamin the2021 WNBA draft.[1]She averaged 6.3 points, 1.6 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 30 games in the2021 WNBA season.[24]She was subsequently named to theWNBA All-Rookie Team.[25]

In October 2021, McDonald had a four-game stint in Hungary with Uni Gyor MELY-UT.[24]

McDonald returned to the Atlanta Dream for the2022 WNBA seasonand averaged 11.1 points, 2.3 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.4 steals in 36 games.[24]She returned to the Dream in2023for a third season.[24]

On August 25, 2023, McDonald signed with thePerth Lynxin Australia for the2023–24 WNBL season.[26][27]On December 29, 2023, she was ruled out for six weeks with a knee injury. She suffered atorn medial collateral ligamenttwo days earlier against theUC Capitalsbut avoided a knee reconstruction.[28]She returned to the line-up for the final two regular-season games, scoring 24 and 26 points to help the Lynx clinch a playoff spot.[29]She finished as the league'sscoring championwith 19.8 points per game[30]and earnedAll-WNBL Second Teamhonors.[31]She scored 26 and 27 points in two semi-final games to lift the fourth-placed Lynx over the first-placedTownsville Fireto reach the WNBL grand final series.[32][33][34]In game one of the grand final series against theSouthside Flyers,McDonald had 15 points and 10 assists in a 101–79 win.[35][36]They went on to lose game two 97–95 despite McDonald's game-high 26 points.[37][38]McDonald had 21 points in a 115–81 loss in game three.[39][40]

On February 1, 2024, McDonald was traded to theLos Angeles Sparksalongside the 8th pick in the2024 WNBA draftin exchange forJordin Canadaand the 12th pick.[41]

WNBA Career statistics

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Legend
GP Games played GS Games started MPG Minutes per game RPG Reboundsper game
APG Assistsper game SPG Stealsper game BPG Blocksper game PPG Points per game
TO Turnoversper game FG% Field-goalpercentage 3P% 3-point field-goalpercentage FT% Free-throwpercentage
Bold Career best ° League leader

Regular season

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Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG TO PPG
2021 Atlanta 30 4 16.4 .322 .308 .882 1.6 2.0 0.8 0.2 1.2 6.3
2022 Atlanta 36 6 24.3 .411 .338 .871 2.3 2.6 1.4 0.0 2.1 11.1
2023 Atlanta 24 9 23.5 .402 .321 .762 2.0 3.0 0.6 0.0 1.6 7.9
Career 3 years, 1 team 90 19 21.5 .385 .324 .851 2.0 2.5 1.0 0.1 1.7 8.6

Playoffs

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Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG TO PPG
2023 Atlanta 2 0 18.0 .273 .250 0.0 1.0 2.5 1.0 0.0 2.5 3.5
Career 1 year, 1 team 2 0 18.0 .273 .250 0.0 1.0 2.5 1.0 0.0 2.5 3.5

Personal life

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McDonald is the daughter of Aaron and Andrea McDonald. Her brother Tre'von Willis played basketball atUNLV.[42]

McDonald is currently engaged to formerArizonadefensive backDevon Brewer, who proposed to her after the Wildcats were eliminated from thePac-12 Tournamentin2020.[43]

References

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  1. ^ab"UA's Aari McDonald taken third overall in WNBA Draft; teammate Trinity Baptiste goes in second round".Arizona Daily Star.RetrievedApril 25,2021.
  2. ^"Meet The Husky Freshmen: Aarion McDonald".University of Washington Athletics.RetrievedApril 25,2021.
  3. ^"Kelsey Plum Named Pac-12 Player Of The Year".University of Washington Athletics.RetrievedApril 25,2021.
  4. ^"Freshman basketball star Aarion McDonald leaving Washington".Seattle Times.RetrievedApril 25,2021.
  5. ^ab"The rise of Aari McDonald, Arizona's star hungry for more".The Athletic.RetrievedApril 25,2021.
  6. ^"Top Transfer Aarion McDonald Signs with Arizona".University of Arizona Athletics.RetrievedApril 25,2021.
  7. ^"The special bond between Arizona's Adia Barnes and Aari McDonald, who believed in each other".The Athletic.RetrievedApril 25,2021.
  8. ^"The Confidence, Speed and Shooting of Aari McDonald".The New York Times.RetrievedApril 25,2021.
  9. ^"McDonald Ties School Record with 39 Points, LMU Wins 66-64".University of Arizona Athletics.RetrievedApril 25,2021.
  10. ^"Wildcats star Aari McDonald wins pair of Pac-12 awards, loses out on player of the year".Arizona Daily Star.RetrievedApril 25,2021.
  11. ^"Aari McDonald breaks the Arizona record by scoring 44 points".KGUN9.RetrievedApril 25,2021.
  12. ^"Arizona's Aari McDonald named Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year; Oregon coach gets award over Adia Barnes".Arizona Daily Star.RetrievedApril 25,2021.
  13. ^"2020 Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Finalists Announced".Naismith Trophy.RetrievedApril 25,2021.
  14. ^"Aari Mcdonald wins Ann Meyers Drysdale Award".The Daily Wildcat.RetrievedApril 25,2021.
  15. ^"Aari McDonald will be back for her senior year".The Daily Wildcat.RetrievedApril 25,2021.
  16. ^"This Is For Them by Aari McDonald".The Players Tribune.RetrievedApril 25,2021.
  17. ^"Aari McDonald Named Pac-12 Player of the Year".University of Arizona Athletics.RetrievedApril 25,2021.
  18. ^"Sweet 16: McDonald propels Arizona over Texas A&M 74-59".Associated Press.RetrievedApril 25,2021.
  19. ^"Aari McDonald's 33 points leads No. 3 Arizona to first Final Four in program history".Yahoo! Sports.RetrievedApril 25,2021.
  20. ^"Aari McDonald's Electric Night vs. UConn Lifts Her Arizona Program to New Heights".Sports Illustrated.RetrievedApril 25,2021.
  21. ^"Stanford defeats Arizona to win its first NCAA women's title since 1992".Washington Post.RetrievedApril 25,2021.
  22. ^"WNBA mock draft 2021, version 4.0: Arizona guard Aari McDonald jumps into top five".ESPN.RetrievedApril 25,2021.
  23. ^"WNBA mock draft: Charli Collier holds top spot; Aari McDonald makes splash".Yahoo! Sports.RetrievedApril 25,2021.
  24. ^abcd"Aari McDonald".usbasket.com.RetrievedJune 21,2023.
  25. ^"Aari McDonald Named to WNBA All-Rookie Team".dream.wnba.com.October 5, 2021.RetrievedJune 21,2023.
  26. ^"ATLANTA DREAM #3 DRAFT PICK AARI MCDONALD JOINS LYNX FOR THE UPCOMING SEASON".wnbl.basketball/perth.August 25, 2023.RetrievedAugust 25,2023.
  27. ^O'Donoghue, Craig (August 25, 2023)."Perth Lynx sign WNBA number three draft pick Aari McDonald after gaining backing from Marina Mabrey".The West Australian.Archived fromthe originalon August 25, 2023.RetrievedAugust 25,2023.
  28. ^O'Donoghue, Craig (December 29, 2023)."Perth Lynx import Aari McDonald to miss six weeks with knee injury but will be back for WNBL finals".The West Australian.Archived fromthe originalon December 29, 2023.
  29. ^O'Donoghue, Craig (February 25, 2024)."Perth Lynx finish fourth and will play against Townsville Fire in WNBL semi final series".The West Australian.Archived fromthe originalon February 25, 2024.
  30. ^"Stats".wnbl.basketball.RetrievedFebruary 25,2024.
  31. ^"WNBL 2023/24 Second All-Star Team".twitter.com/WNBL.February 25, 2024.RetrievedFebruary 25,2024.
  32. ^O'Donoghue, Craig (March 3, 2024)."Perth Lynx import Aari McDonald holds the key to a WNBL grand final berth ahead of clash with Townsville Fire".The West Australian.Archived fromthe originalon March 3, 2024.
  33. ^O'Donoghue, Craig (March 3, 2024)."Perth Lynx beat Townsville Fire to qualify for WNBL grand final as Aari McDonald and Amy Atwell star again".The West Australian.Archived fromthe originalon March 3, 2024.
  34. ^O'Donoghue, Craig (March 10, 2024)."Perth Lynx import Aari McDonald is built for big occasions like the WNBL grand final against Southside Flyers".The West Australian.Archived fromthe originalon March 10, 2024.
  35. ^O'Donoghue, Craig (March 10, 2024)."WNBL grand final: Perth Lynx thrash Southside Flyers in game one as Amy Atwell stars".The West Australian.Archived fromthe originalon March 10, 2024.
  36. ^"LYNX SCORCH FLYERS IN AMAZING GAME 1 SHOWING".wnbl.basketball/perth.March 10, 2024.Archivedfrom the original on March 10, 2024.
  37. ^O'Donoghue, Craig (March 14, 2024)."Perth Lynx defeated by Southside Flyers after buzzer beater in game two of grand final series".The West Australian.Archived fromthe originalon March 14, 2024.
  38. ^"FLYERS PREVAIL AFTER LYNX ALMOST PULL OFF FIGHTBACK".wnbl.basketball/perth.March 14, 2024.Archivedfrom the original on March 14, 2024.
  39. ^O'Donoghue, Craig (March 17, 2024)."WNBL grand final: Perth Lynx smashed in game three by Southside as championship dream gets shattered".The West Australian.Archived fromthe originalon March 17, 2024.
  40. ^"LYNX FALL IN GAME 3 BUT PLENTY TO BE PROUD OF".wnbl.basketball/perth.March 17, 2024.Archivedfrom the original on March 17, 2024.
  41. ^"Sparks Acquire Guard Aari McDonald".WNBA.com.February 1, 2024.RetrievedFebruary 3,2024.
  42. ^"Meet the next leader for the Washington women's hoops team: Aarion McDonald".Seattle Times.RetrievedApril 25,2021.
  43. ^"'McDonald time': Ranking Aari McDonald's timeless performances with the Wildcats ".Arizona Daily Star.RetrievedApril 25,2021.
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