Aari McDonald Steps Up for Fever as Injuries Shake the Roster
With the Indiana Fever in the midst of a tough early-season stretch and key players sidelined, a fresh face is stepping into the spotlight: Aari McDonald. Following the injury to star guard Caitlin Clark—who’s nursing a quad strain and will be out for at least two weeks—the Fever were left scrambling for healthy guards. Add to that the injuries to Sydney Colson and Sophie Cunningham, and the team found itself dangerously low on game-ready players.
Enter McDonald, signed via an emergency hardship exception that allows WNBA teams to bring in a player when fewer than 10 are available. For McDonald, it was a call she’d been anxiously waiting for. After being waived by the Sparks earlier this year, she found herself watching games from home—an unfamiliar position for someone with her pedigree.
"Very anxious," McDonald said after her first practice with the Fever. "It felt weird sitting at home just watching games this time of year. When I got the call, I was very blessed. It’s a humbling experience to join a team like the Fever. I’m just excited and ready to compete and just win."
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The timing couldn't be more critical. The Fever, currently 2-4 and riding a three-game losing streak, desperately need a spark. With the team hosting the Washington Mystics next, McDonald won’t have the luxury of easing into her new role.
Coach Stephanie White made it clear: “She’s got to play. She’s brought in here to play, to handle the ball. We’ll keep it simple for her, but she’s a player and this is what she does.”
McDonald is no stranger to high-pressure situations. A standout at Arizona, she led her college team to the national championship game in 2021 and was named Pac-12 Player of the Year. Selected third overall in that year’s draft by the Atlanta Dream, she quickly earned All-Rookie honors and established herself as a tough, gritty guard capable of leading on both ends of the floor.
Her WNBA journey has had its ups and downs—three years in Atlanta, a trade to Los Angeles, and now a shot at redemption in Indiana. She enters a Fever roster not just as a temporary fix, but as someone who could prove vital while Clark and others recover.
As the Fever prepare to face the Mystics, all eyes will be on McDonald—not just for what she brings statistically, but for the energy, urgency, and resilience she can inject into a team that needs all three right now. Her message is loud and clear: she’s ready, and she's here to compete.
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