Arizona Legend Aari McDonald Signs with Minnesota Lynx
09/07/2026 | Women's Basketball
TUCSON, Ariz. – Arizona Women's Basketball legend Aari McDonald has signed with the Minnesota Lynx, the organization announced Monday.
"I can't put into words how excited I am to be back in the league and especially playing for an organization like Minnesota," McDonald said. "This last year of my life has been a roller coaster, so I'm finally glad I get to see the fruits of my labor."
Aari to Minnesota ????
— Arizona Basketball (@ArizonaWBB) September 7, 2026
A new chapter begins in the North Star State! pic.twitter.com/v5dVwvrYsv
McDonald returns to the WNBA after spending the 2025 season with the Indiana Fever, where she averaged 9.8 points, 4.7 assists, 2.4 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game in 20 appearances, including 13 starts. Her season was cut short by a right foot injury in August.
The Fresno, California, native was selected third overall by the Atlanta Dream in the 2021 WNBA Draft, becoming the highest WNBA draft pick in Arizona program history. McDonald spent three seasons with Atlanta before joining the Los Angeles Sparks in 2024 and Indiana in 2025. She earned WNBA All-Rookie Team honors in 2021 and has career averages of 8.8 points, 3.1 assists, 2.0 rebounds and 1.0 steal per game across 136 appearances.
McDonald cemented her legacy during three seasons in Tucson, helping lead Arizona to its first Final Four and national championship game appearance in 2021. She was named the 2021 Pac-12 Player of the Year, earned Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2020 and 2021 and won the 2020 Ann Meyers Drysdale Award. McDonald also became Arizona's first First-Team All-American and finished her career with 2,041 points in 93 games.
McDonald was inducted into the Arizona Ring of Honor in January 2022, permanently enshrining her place among the most accomplished players in program history.
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