Indiana Fever Sign Guard Aari McDonald with Hardship Exception

Los Angeles Sparks v Golden State Valkyries — Thearon W. Henderson

INDIANAPOLIS–The Indiana Fever used a hardship exception to sign guard Aari McDonald on Monday. The WNBA emergency hardship exception allows any team to sign a player, with immediate effect, if a team drops below 10 game-eligible players at any time.

McDonald has averaged 8.6 points per game, 2.8 assists per game, and 2 rebounds per game during the course of her four-year WNBA career. She most recently signed with the Beijing Great Wall of the Women’s Chinese Basketball Association for the 2024–2025 season.

McDonald spent the 2024 season with the Los Angeles Sparks where she average 8.7 points per game, appearing in 26 games total. In 2023, she helped Atlanta qualify for their first playoff berth since 2018.

“I was very anxious. It felt very weird sitting at home and watching the games this time of year, but I was very humbled to join a team like the Fever,” said McDonald at practice on Monday.

McDonald said she’ll be watching a lot of film to get ready to play in Indiana.

“I’m ready to add my speed, my competitiveness, and just my will to win,” said McDonald.

The Fever have been dealing with injury struggles lately. Caitlin Clark is out with a left quadriceps injury and guards Sophie Cunningham and Sydney Colson left Friday’s game against the Connecticut Sun and were unable to return.

Indiana’s next game is Tuesday night against the Washington Mystics.