Arizona basketball legend McDonald tears knee ligament in Australian pro league
Former Arizona standout Aari McDonald has hit the injured reserve list of Australiaβs WNBL after a minor ligament tear to her right knee occurred about seven minutes into the Perth-University of Canberra game last week.
On Friday morning, the Perth Lynx announced that McDonald would be out for six weeks but would return in February β just in time for the WNBL finals. The team also said that McDonald was already rehabbing. The Lynx are on a four-game winning streak and are in second place at 8-3.
McDonald was in the midst of an MVP-caliber season, averaging 18.8 points (second in the WNBL), 5.9 assists (third), and 1.8 steals (tied for fifth) per game. She is fourth in the league in field goal percentage (46.1).
McDonald has scored 20 or more points in five of her first 10 games with the Lynx this season, topping eight assists on five occasions as well. She hit a season high with 35 points on Dec. 10 against the Adelaide Lightning.
On Wednesday, she was injured going for a rebound off a missed free throw from her teammate, Emily Potter, and got tangled up with Jade Melbourne and her leg collapsed. She stayed down on the court for a few minutes before being helped off by the Lynx trainers. After the game she was seen on crutches.
Arizona coach Adia Barnes said after the Seattle win on Sunday afternoon that she had not heard about McDonaldβs injury.
βAari like never doesnβt pop up (after landing on the court),β Barnes said. βAari is tough and strong and Aari getting injured is rare. Our bodies ... it takes a toll on you playing so many years. I hope sheβs okay. I love you, Aari. I actually just texted her the other day but I didnβt know that. So thank you for telling me that.β
This is McDonaldβs second injury in 2023. During her third season with the WNBAβs Atlanta Dream this summer, McDonald tore her left labrum in June and was out for more than six weeks.
On Dec. 23, she had the WNBL Play of Day as she blew passed two Southside defenders for a basket and finished with 25 points, eight assists and four steals.
McDonald, a member of Arizonaβs McKale Center Ring of Honor, is arguably the best player in program history. She led the Wildcats on their magical ride to the 2021 National Championship game.
She owns many program records including most points in a single season (890), which actually is the bar for both UA menβs and womenβs teams. She won the Ann Meyers Drysdale award in 2020 for best shooting guard in the country, the 2021 Pac-12 player of the year and a two-time league defensive player of the year. McDonald was the No. 3 selection in the 2021 WNBA draft for the Dream.
Aari Mcdonald with a 3-pointer from Adelaide Lightning vs. Perth Lynx (WNBL YouTube)
Contact sports reporter PJ Brown at pjbrown@tucson.com. On X(Twitter): @PJBrown09
