Aari McDonald joined the Indiana Fever mid-season, then suffered a season-ending broken foot in August.

She averaged 9.8 points and played a pivotal role before her injury.

McDonald has landed a new job outside the WNBA amid her road to recovery.

Aari McDonald was one of the Indiana Fever’s mid-season recruits amid the myriad of injuries the team had to deal with throughout the campaign. The 5-foot-6 guard initially signed on a hardship exception contract in June. She was able to prove her value to the team and was eventually able to sign a rest-of-the-season deal.

Unfortunately, McDonald also suffered an injury. She broke her right foot in August, and the Fever had no choice but to shut her down for the remainder of the campaign. She was one out of five Indiana players who sustained season-ending injuries, alongside Caitlin Clark, Sophie Cunningham, Sydney Colson and Chloe Bibby.

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Indiana Fever guard Aari McDonald (2) takes the ball to the basket against the Washington Mystics.Grace Smith/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Indiana Fever guard Aari McDonald (2) takes the ball to the basket against the Washington Mystics.Grace Smith/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

McDonald played 20 games for the Fever this past season, averaging 9.8 points, 2.4 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.2 triples in 26.3 minutes per contest. She was no superstar, but she played a pivotal role in head coach Stephanie White’s rotation.

On Thursday, it was announced that McDonald had landed a new job outside the WNBA. The 27-year-old has been named as one of 48 players who will take part in the second season of Unrivaled.

“AARI MCDONALD IS UNRIVALED ✅ presented by @ally Catch her in Season 2 starting Jan. 5 on TNT, truTV and Max,” the league posted on Instagram.

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Unrivaled is a 3-on-3 league that features some of the top players in the WNBA. It was founded by stars Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart in 2025, and the success of its inaugural season has led to an even bigger campaign in 2026.

Congratulations quickly poured in for McDonald as fans expressed their excitement to see her back on the court. Some supporters, however, could not help but get curious about her injury status.

“I thought she was hurt? Glad to see she’ll be recovered in time! Welcome to Unrivaled, Aari!” a comment on Instagram read.

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“She’s gonna be healed by then? Excited for this tho!!” another said.

“Cute but I thought her foot was broken?” asked a user.

“she got hurt in August. It takes 2 months tops to recover from a bone fracture. She will be fine by January,” declared another.

“yeah she’s already walking really decent in the fever’s videos with lilly and the haunted house one,” a fan posted.

McDonald, a five-year WNBA veteran, will be an unrestricted free agent once the window officially opens on Feb. 1.

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Related: Indiana Fever Star Kelsey Mitchell Shares Update Outside WNBA Amid Offseason

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Oct 31, 2025, where it first appeared in the WNBA section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.