Inside Aari McDonald’s Unstoppable Comeback Code: How Setbacks Fuel Her Rise with the Indiana Fever

Ever wonder what it takes to flip the script when every sign says you’re the underdog? Meet Aari McDonald—the Indiana Fever guard who’s been rewriting the playbook her entire life. At a mere 5’6”, she’s been shadowboxing giants and smashing records, proving that height ain’t nothing but a number when grit and adaptability are your real assets. From a modest start at the University of Washington to lighting up the University of Arizona’s scoreboard like it’s a Friday night blowout, McDonald’s journey screams resilience louder than a buzzer-beater crowd! And guess what? Just when her WNBA season hit a rough patch with a broken foot, the question isn’t if she’ll bounce back—it’s how spectacular her comeback’s going to be. Intrigued yet? Dive into the whirlwind story of a powerhouse who turns obstacles into opportunities and keeps reaching higher—because quitting isn’t in her vocabulary. LEARN MORE

Indiana Fever guard Aari McDonald may see herself as an underdog, but she has a way of turning obstacles into stepping stones to the top. And that’s been true her whole life.

Would transferring from the University of Washington after a modest freshman season stall her college career? Nope—McDonald blossomed at the University of Arizona, breaking the school’s single-season scoring record in her first active year. Could a 5’ 6” guard truly dominate on the national stage? You bet—she dropped 33 points against Indiana in the Elite Eight, leading the Wildcats to their first Final Four, then delivered 26 against UConn to punch their ticket to the 2021 NCAA championship game.

And now, with her fifth WNBA season stalled by a broken bone in her right foot, the question becomes: can McDonald come back stronger? If history is any guide, the answer is already written.

WH caught up with the 27-year-old Fresno, California native at the gym to talk about how her upbringing shaped her adaptability, why she thinks introverts have a superpower, and her plans to leave a legacy of giving back.

The thing about underdogs, as we all know, is that they’re expected to lose. McDonald never got that memo. After starting to hoop at age 7, she joined the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU). The only problem was there were no girls’ teams available.

McDonald didn’t stress—in sixth grade, she joined a boys’ team and dominated. “Adaptability has always been an important part of my game,” McDonald says. “Even back on that AAU team, I was the same height I am now and I was playing against 6’ 4” boys. I didn’t care that the boys were bigger than me…I refused to back down.”

If basketball taught her to adapt on the court, growing up as the youngest of six taught her to adapt everywhere else. “Watching my siblings get in trouble, I learned how to read a room and to wait for the right time to ask my parents for something,” McDonald laughs. An introvert at heart, McDonald has also learned to harness her quiet focus and use it as a superpower. “I just soak everything in,” she says.

That same focus and ability to adjust would define McDonald’s journey through high school, college, and now the professional ranks. Drafted third overall by the Atlanta Dream in 2021, she quickly made her mark, leading all first-year players in the league that season with 59 assists and 25 steals, and earning a spot on the WNBA All-Rookie Team.

After playing overseas with the Perth Lynx in Australia and a brief stint with the Los Angeles Sparks in 2024, McDonald found herself without a team at the start of the 2025 season. Seizing an opportunity, she signed with the Indiana Fever under an emergency hardship exception due to multiple injuries on the roster.

Her mission: To fill in for 2024 Kia WNBA Rookie of the Year Caitlin Clark after she sustained an injury in July. No big deal, right? For McDonald, it was just another chance to step up and prove her worth. She studied Indiana’s plays on a flight to Indianapolis, where the Fever were set to face the Mystics the next day. Then, she put up 7 points, 5 assists, and 3 steals off the bench in 27 minutes, helping the Fever secure an 85–76 victory, their first win without Clark.

“I literally had one practice before that game,” she says. “That underdog mentality has shaped me to be strong and solid. Anything I do, you’re going to get all of me.”

McDonald appeared in 20 games with the Fever before sustaining an injury during a match-up against the Phoenix Mercury in August. Though her run with the Fever was cut short, her impact was apparent. Fever forward Aliyah Boston called McDonald the “perfect missing piece for us” in a post-game interview, and Indiana head coach Stephanie White raved to the media about “her ability to have the ball in her hands and make plays, not just for herself but for her teammates.” Even Clark spoke to her “tremendous job” in the paint.

And if you think an injury means that McDonald is sitting around, watching reality TV and eating bonbons, think again. She’s more of a Hunting Wives and vanilla confetti cupcake kind of girl (that was the flavor the team surprised her with for her birthday in August). But seriously. This downtime for McDonald means honing her mental game, getting stronger than ever before, and giving back.

One thing that’s been immensely helpful in her healing: receiving “get well soon” messages from the girls on her very own AAU team, called Team Aari. Based in Sacramento, the team is coached by her brother and managed by her sister-in-law. “When I went down, the girls started posting about me on Instagram and texting me—it felt really good,” she says. “Just seeing the joy that the girls have and just how happy they are to play… At times in the W, with viewership and pressure growing, it can feel like carrying a weight. But when I watch them play, I’m reminded to just be carefree, smile more, and not be so serious.”

She’s the baby sister at home, yes, but McDonald loves feeling like a big sister to her AAU team. They’ve inspired her to think more about the legacy she hopes to build over her career in the W. “I’ve been having talks with my family about creating a foundation in honor of my grandfather who passed, and then hopefully starting tournaments and giving scholarships in his name,” she says. “He was the wisest, nicest person and I just want to give back to people and be remembered as selfless.”

She’s getting right down to business on that legacy. McDonald is working towards her Master’s in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), a decision inspired by family members on the autism spectrum, with the hope of applying her new knowledge to life both on and off the court.

While sidelined with injury (and beyond physical therapy and weight training at the gym), McDonald is mapping out what comes next, especially as it relates to her on-court mode. That vision includes finding power in speaking her truth. “I want to be more vocal and show more emotion when I come back,” she says. “As I get older, I’m starting to ask more questions.”

She’s also focused on her mental health; she’s filling her cup with good books (One Golden Summer is currently on her nightstand), listening to relaxing ocean sounds on her phone, and diving into breathwork exercises. “This time is for me to lock in on my mental game, my faith, and just honestly become a better and a healthier version of myself,” she says.