The Indiana Fever turned heads in the 2025 WNBA season with a surprising run to the playoff semifinals despite facing a slew of injuries to key pieces.
Star guard Caitlin Clark missed extended time due to a left quadriceps strain and a lingering groin issue, veteran Sophie Cunningham suffered a season-ending right knee MCL tear, and Sydney Colson was lost for the year with a torn ACL, leaving Indiana thin in its backcourt.
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Point guard Aari McDonald also emerged as a valuable contributor before she too was struck by injury.
Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham (8) and Indiana Fever guard Aari McDonald (2).Grace Smith/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
(Grace Smith/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
As Fever head coach Stephanie White and the organization hoped to have the team’s stars healthy and ready for 2026, Fever fans received concerning news regarding McDonald’s offseason.
Unrivaled, the 3-on-3 women’s basketball league, announced that McDonald will be out for the remainder of its season, essentially ending her competitive play until the start of the WNBA campaign.
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McDonald was revealed as a participant for the 2026 Unrivaled season and had been assigned to Breeze BC, but she played just six minutes in her lone game before exiting with a right lower extremity injury and has not seen action since (via ESPN’s Kendra Andrews).
McDonald originally joined the Fever in June on a hardship contract, signed amid the team’s injury crisis. She was released briefly when other players returned, before Indiana re-signed her for the rest of the season.
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Before last year’s injury, McDonald showed why she mattered to Indiana’s rotation. In 20 games with the Fever, she averaged 9.8 points and 4.7 assists per game and delivered a career-high 27-point performance in late July, helping stabilize the team’s offense while others were sidelined.
McDonald is a free agent heading into the 2026 WNBA offseason, adding uncertainty to her next professional chapter. Fever fans and league observers will be watching closely as she rehabs with an eye toward returning to full health.
The WNBA season is scheduled to begin on May 8, but the ongoing collective bargaining agreement negotiations between the league and the players’ association has put the season in doubt.
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Related: Indiana Fever Star Caitlin Clark Adds New Skills Before 3rd WNBA Season
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Feb 9, 2026, where it first appeared in the WNBA section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
