‘Here for a reason.' Aari McDonald reminds herself she belongs in Fever 'audition'
INDIANAPOLIS — Aari McDonald meditated to calm her nerves before her first game with the Indiana Fever on Tuesday. The former third overall pick took slow breaths and told herself, "You're here for a reason."
McDonald's debut performance vindicated her pregame affirmation.
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McDonald finished with seven points, five assists with zero turnovers and three steals in 27 minutes to help end the Fever's three-game losing skid with an 85-76 home victory over the Washington Mystics.
'It felt good tonight to finally get back. The team, the fans and the staff were all very welcoming and made sure I had everything to be very successful tonight. And shout out for the win,' McDonald said postgame. 'When your number is called, you have to be ready to deliver, and I felt like I did just that.
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'The team made me feel comfortable. They know what I can do, and just taking that and applying it to the court made me feel better. No pressure at all tonight, just going out there and playing my game."
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Indiana signed McDonald on Monday on an emergency hardship contract following injuries to Fever star Caitlin Clark (left quad strain) and guard Sophie Cunningham (right ankle). McDonald spent three seasons with the Atlanta Dream before being traded to the Los Angeles Sparks in early 2024. The Sparks waived McDonald in March.
The former Pac-12 Player of the Year said the past few weeks without being on a roster was 'tough' and called it 'weird' to watch WNBA games from home. However, the time away makes McDonald value her return to the court.
'Being away taught me not to take anything for granted,' McDonald said. 'I didn't do that with my previous team, but being away for a couple of weeks makes me appreciate this more and when you go out on the court, it's all or nothing. You just have to leave it out there.'
The Fever held a 14-point lead entering the fourth but found themselves only up by five with under two minutes left. With 1:28 remaining, McDonald drove to the basket and found a cutting Kelsey Mitchell under the rim. Mitchell made the layup, drew a foul and completed a three-point play to extend the Fever lead to 81-73.
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After practice Monday, Fever coach Stephanie White said she was impressed by McDonald's defensive prowess and ability to make wise decisions in the paint. The late game play validated why White signed the 26-year-old.
"Aari was terrific," White said. "She was the ultimate point guard. She got us settled when we needed to. Five assists and zero turnovers, that's huge. Not just that, but she set the tone on the defensive end, and that was big time for us."
McDonald acknowledged the anxiety associated with watching film to learn about players and a system she wasn't familiar with. McDonald said she was a "sponge" and wasn't afraid to ask questions about the Fever's play style, which helped her quickly acclimate.
White credited McDonald for absorbing information quickly and Mitchell called her the 'ultimate pro,' praising McDonald for doing an 'unbelievable job' at learning the plays.
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'Someone said in the locker room, 'We feel like you know the plays more than us already,'' Mitchell told reporters after the game. 'She's on it, and it goes to show what pros are and how they are supposed to operate. She did everything amazingly and with such grace. I think for us, we can use what she brings to the table offensively and defensively.'
Mitchell added McDonald was 'fun to play with' and credited her with creating shots for the team. Mitchell believes McDonald also offers the Fever a 'scrappy' defensive presence. McDonald's first points of the game Tuesday came off a steal that turned into a transition layup.
'On the defensive end, I'm hungry. I don't like my person to score on me,' McDonald said. 'It happened a couple of times (Tuesday) and was frustrating, but it's just next-play mentality. I'm in survival mode, so I got to be hungry, and I've always had that in me, so you can't take it out. It was definitely brought out tonight.
McDonald said it's imperative to maintain confidence in her game and remember the Fever have faith in her. McDonald knows nothing is promised in the WNBA and called her stint with the Fever an 'audition.' Before tip off on Tuesday, the former Arizona standout addressed mentally balancing the uncertainty that comes with playing in the league and staying positive when an opportunity arises.
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'I have to constantly remind myself with the uncertainty that these moments don't define me,' McDonald said. 'You could easily crumble or keep working on your game and getting better. I stayed humble and grounded and the Fever called. I'm ready to rise to the occasion.'
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This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana Fever guard Aari McDonald impresses in debut vs Mystics
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