Aari McDonald’s return to Fever gets the stamp of love from Aliyah Boston, Lexie Hull & more with warm messages

Aari McDonald got a much-deserved second chance with the Indiana Fever. After playing three games with the Fever earlier this month under emergency hardship exception, there were demands from the fans that McDonald should get another chance with a WNBA team.

After news of DeWanna Bonner wanting to part ways with the Fever became public, McDonald's name circulated among Fever fans. On Wednesday, right after Indiana waived Bonner, the team re-signed McDonald.

She received a warm welcome from her teammates, including Lexie Hull, Aliyah Boston and veteran guard Sydney Colson. Hull reposted the Indiana Fever on her Instagram Story and captioned it with a special message for McDonald.

"she's baaaaaaaaack @aarimcdonald," she wrote.

Boston and Colson also took to their IG Story to send a welcome message to their teammate.

"Welcome back babes," Boston in the caption of her IG Story.

"Type shit @aarimcdonald," Colson wrote.

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According to Associated Press, the Fever team granted DeWanna Bonner an unconditional release. In her statement, Bonner thanked the Fever team for granting her request, adding that their fit did not work towards their shared goals.

"Despite our shared goals and excitement heading into the season, I felt the fit did not work out and I appreciate the organization’s willingness to grant my request to move on, particularly at this point in my career," Bonner wrote. "I wish the Fever great success as they continue to build around this dynamic group of young players."

Indiana Fever can benefit from Aari McDonald after DeWanna Bonner's departure

One of the reasons DeWanna Bonner wanted out of Indiana was due to her changed role within the team. She was brought in as one of the core members of the championship-caliber squad. However, three games into the season, coach Stephanie White decided to bench Bonner in favor of Lexie Hull.

Bonner had been away from the team since May 10, citing personal reasons, which may have contributed to the Fever losing games. Aari McDonald's addition will only make things better for the Fever going forward.

Since joining the WNBA in 2021, McDonald has been one of the better bench players in the league. She can not only score with efficiency, but also share some ball-handling responsibility.

When the Fever had earlier signed her under the emergency hardship exception, she became an instant fan favorite. In three games, Aari McDonald averaged 11.0 points, 1.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.0 steals in 25 minutes.

Aari McDonald has proved she fits well with the Fever before, and her return is met with high hopes that she will be a solid contributor for Indiana for the rest of the season.

About the author

Nandjee Ranjan is a journalist covering the NBA and WNBA at Sportskeeda whose passion for basketball dates back to his childhood when he enjoyed playing the sport in school.

Nandjee finds his heart divided between two NBA powerhouses: the LA Lakers and the Golden State Warriors. He idolizes LeBron James and his leadership, while he appreciates the Warriors' dynamic and team-oriented style of play.
Basketball, for Nandjee, isn't just a sport but a holistic approach to fitness and well-being. He's been drawn to team sports, finding fulfillment in the physical engagement basketball offers.

With years of following basketball, Nandjee contextualizes historical events and player performances. He believes in conducting thorough research before writing, only taking information from reliable sources. He doesn’t mind taking more time to write an articles, as long as it is 100% accurate for his readers’ benefit.

During his leisure hours, Nandjee finds relaxation by reading books.

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Edited by Gio Vergara