Weren’t you shocked when the entire league passed up on Aari McDonald during this off-season? We certainly were! Even though she hasn’t been in the league for too long, McDonald has impacted winning for both Atlanta and the LA Sparks. Her performance last season led to a career high of ten starts, and all seemed well… That is, until she was left off of every WNBA roster this year. It took a twenty-day injury to Caitlin Clark and a hardship contract to get her back on the hardwood floor again, and she did not disappoint. 

In the three games that she has played with the Fever this season, Aari McDonald ended up averaging solid stats of 11 points, 3 assists, and 2 steals a game while shooting 37% from deep! Not to mention, she did all of this while playing limited minutes. Fever fans adore her, and the management? They have nothing but praise for McDonald. “Aari was terrific,” Fever coach Stephanie White said after her first game with the Fever. “She came in, and she was the ultimate point guard. She got us settled when we needed to. Five assists, zero turnovers. That’s huge.”

However, all good things must come to an end under WNBA salary cap rules. The thing is, McDonald had joined the Fever on a hardship contract, and the rules dictate that a franchise must have fewer than 10 active players to be eligible for those contracts. With Caitlin Clark and Sophie Cunningham coming back, McDonald getting cut was quite inevitable. And this is what McDonald feels about the opportunity: “This is my job, so just gotta be ready, gotta leave it all out on the court. This is an audition, either for the Fever or for another team.” McDonald said. No Fever fan liked the idea of letting the explosive guard go–it felt like a major injustice!

Here’s a player that no other team wanted to bag, someone who held down the fort during Caitlin Clark’s absence, and a genuinely talented basketball player that Indiana is letting go. Some suggested that Indiana should let go of a player to offer Aari McDonald a regular contract, and some were calling for potential salary cuts and cap adjustments. So let’s find out what exactly they’re saying about this!

Fans are restless after hearing about major locker room injustice on the eve of Caitlin Clark’s long-awaited return

Indiana Fever fans are caught between two sides right now. On one hand, their star player, Caitlin Clark, is back and ready to rumble! However, simultaneously, they also feel the loss of a young star who is filled to the brim with potential and work ethic. Aari McDonald truly endeared herself to supporters through her grit and grind on the court, so when she was released? Social media went crazy!

A fan on X called out the Indiana Fever for shoddy decision-making after this sad announcement. “Aari McDonald made such a big impact on a team that lost their All-WNBA point guard for the first time in two years, it’s almost unbelievable that they decided to just not keep someone that perfectly fit behind Caitlin Clark and kept Sydney but that’s how the WNBA works for you.” Critiquing the league’s favoritism for familiar faces and their disregard for fresh talent, the move hasn’t gone down well with those who have seen Aari step up.

It was quite a common sight to see WNBA fans rallying behind the Wildcats alumni. “Tough break for Aari McDonald. Hoping she finds a new opportunity soon.” A fan said on X, expressing their sorrow for the harsh roster move. On the other hand, some fans went around talking about how other teams need to get McDonald on board.

“@PhoenixMercury You all need to hire Aari McDonald, Indiana was insane enough to let her go. She brought the Arizona Wildcats an NIT Championship, a Final Four, and a runner-up to the Division I National Championship, barely losing to Stanford. She is the heart of basketball,” another fan said. McDonald averaged around or above 20 points, with 5 rebounds and 4 assists on the come up, so it makes sense why some of the WNBA fans were trying to push McDonald towards another team.

Without a doubt, she deserves to be in the league, and Indiana isn’t the only team that can pick her up! A user on X even proposed something poetic when it came to her future in the W: “Chicago Sky would be insane not to release Maddy Westbeld immediately to pick up Aari McDonald.” They said, and isn’t that a scary thought? But even though some fans are marching forward, the overwhelming consensus is for McDonald to somehow find her way back to the Fever. And fans aren’t leaving any stone unturned! “How do we get Caitlin Clark to take pay cut to let Aari McDonald stay?” A fan put it on X, summing up the entire situation rather aptly.

It will be interesting to see where the five-foot-six-inch tall guard will be going, as we Fever fans are deeply invested in her career going forward. She provided hope for the franchise even without the star player, and proved that she truly is a baller. But where will McDonald’s end up? Only time will tell!