Years from now, Arizona Wildcats fans may debate the biggest “get” of Adia Barnes’ young coaching career.
Was it when Barnes, as an assistant coach at Washington, helped recruit Aari McDonald to the Huskies? Was it when Barnes, as the head coach at Arizona, brought McDonald to Tucson after the speedy guard decided to leave Washington?
Or was it in April, when Barnes convinced McDonald to turn down the WNBA and return to Arizona for her senior season?
“It’s extremely important that she came back; so much of what we do revolves around Aari,” Barnes said. “I never thought about it that way. It’s funny: I would say it was more important the second time I recruited her because we’ve never been here, and she helped change the program. She’s such a loyal kid, so her leaving UW to come to Arizona and all those things were really meaningful.”
Few players in program history have accomplished more than McDonald in the last two seasons.
In her first year in the UA’s lineup, McDonald set the school’s single-season scoring mark (890 points) for men and women; became the only player since 2000 with 800 points, 200 rebounds and 150 assists in one season; and led the Wildcats to a WNIT championship.
McDonald followed it up last season by winning the Ann Myers Drysdale award for best shooting guard in the nation; snagging the Pac-12’s Defensive Player of the Year award; continuing her scoring surge; and leading her team to a No. 12 ranking and, if not for the COVID-19 pandemic, a certain NCAA Tournament bid.
Arizona guard Aari McDonald (2) reacts to a foul call during No. 16 Arizona’s 73-57 win over Southern California at McKale Center in Tucson, Ariz. on February 2, 2020.
McDonald’s final season could be her best yet. She is a preseason AP All-American, the first Wildcat ever to achieve the honor. She is also on watch lists for the Drysdale award, Wade Trophy and Naismith awards. The Pac-12’s media voted her to the preseason all-conference team.
And because of her, Arizona is ranked No. 7 nationally — the Wildcats’ highest-ever preseason rating.
Barnes said this season’s version of McDonald is the most impressive yet.
The guard has grown as a leader and improved her shot. McDonald said she’s also focusing on “slowing down” — and, no, it doesn’t mean one of the fastest guards in the country is slamming on the breaks. Instead, she’ll be picking her spots.
“Knowing when to change pace and just reading the floor, just observing everything,” McDonald said.
Former UA coach and Pac-12 Networks analyst Joan Bonvicini said McDonald should be even harder to guard.
“I watch Aari as a coach and as a broadcast analyst and I’ve always said she’s more of a scorer than a shooter. However, with her putting up 500 shots a day, obviously her shot has improved significantly,” Bonvicini said. “I don’t know how to guard her now. She was already a headache and now it’s a nightmare for a coach as they prepare to play Arizona. There might be another quick or fast player, but not with Aari’s skillset.”
McDonald spent the long offseason recovering from a stress fracture to her left fibula suffered toward the end of last season. She also watched a lot of film and tried to get into the right mindset for her senior season.
“I would say the most important thing I did was take care of my body,” McDonald said.
“I don’t think people know how important that is, especially if you play a lot of minutes. You have to stretch, do yoga, do something. Coming in, I did not like to stretch at all, but I have to like it; I have to be more flexible. … Also, just going into workouts … you have to be intent about certain stuff you do. What do you want to get better on? What do you want to focus on? What do you want to get better at right now? I think coming in with that mindset, I think that’s helped me a lot, too.”
McDonald has taken this mindset into every practice. If she misses a free throw, McDonald goes off to the side of the court, drops and does extra pushups. Barnes said that from Day 1 of practice, McDonald has been “hungrier.”
Arizona guard Aari McDonald (2) wades into the lane against Stanford forward Maya Dodson (15), left, and forward Nadia Fingall (4) in their Pac12 basketball game at McKale Center, February 28, 2020, Tucson, Ariz.
“Before everyone thought Aari was at her fastest gear, yet it’s like she hit the switch and it’s turbo blaster now,” Barnes said. “You know the term ‘eye of the tiger?’ When you look in someone eyes and they want stuff and you can see it, you can feel it? That’s Aari. She’s so prepared.”
When it’s all pieced together, the Wildcats’ star will be well-equipped for what’s next: Leading her team further than ever before.
And so the 2020-21 season could be McDonald’s — and Arizona’s — introduction to the national stage.
Most women’s basketball fans across the country haven’t seen McDonald grab the ball from her opponent on the defensive end of the court and — less than three seconds later — score on a layup. They haven’t seen her beat all five defenders and score or drive and kick a pass to Sam Thomas for a corner 3-pointer. They haven’t seen McDonald dominate both ends of the court.
They will. Soon.
“Aari makes hard plays look easy,” Bonvicini said.
“She gets as excited when she scores as when her teammates do and that’s why she so special. She impacts the game in so many different ways. Her coming back shows how committed she is to Adia and the program. She will go down as the best player in program history — I think Adia is fine with that. Aari will also be one of the best in the Pac-12 ever.”
