Aari McDonald's third season with the Atlanta Dream has come to a screeching halt.Β
The former Arizona standout suffered an injury during the Dream's 92-87 loss to the Las Vegas Aces on Friday. On Tuesday morning, after getting an MRI, she learned she has a torn labrum in her shoulder.Β
McDonald is expected to be out for 3-4 weeks.Β
She played 26 minutes in that game, scoring five points, grabbing two rebounds and dishing seven assists. In the last minute of the game, she fell on her shoulder while diving for a 50/50 ball.Β
McDonald started Atlanta's first five games this season as veteran Danielle Robinson was out with an injury and had a left knee arthroscopy last week. McDonald is averaging 6.0 points, 2.4 rebounds and 3.8 assists (15th in the WNBA) in 28.8 minutes per game.
Brittney Griner, the WNBA player once held in Russia for nearly 10 months on drug-related charges, spoke in Phoenix Thursday where she continues to to map her return to the court with the Phoenix Mercury. Griner was arrested last year at the airport in Moscow on drug-related charges and detained for nearly 10 months, much of that time in prison. Her plight unfolded at the same time Russia invaded Ukraine and further heightened tensions between Russia and the U.S., ending only after she was freed in exchange for the notorious Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.
