Fever Coach Shares What Aari McDonald Addition Could Mean for Caitlin Clark

Aari McDonald is back with the Indiana Fever. Head coach Stephanie White explains how her return can help Caitlin Clark.

Jun 3, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Fever guard Aari McDonald (2) takes the ball to the basket during a game between the Indiana Fever and the Washington Mystics at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Mandatory Credit: Grace Smth- INDIANAPOLIS STAR-Imagn Images | Grace Smith-INDIANAPOLIS STAR-Imagn Images

The Indiana Fever have reunited with Aari McDonald, signing the 26-year-old guard for the remainder of the season in the wake of DeWanna Bonner's departure.

Fever fans aren't the only ones thrilled to see the energetic playmaker back with the squad.

"Really excited about having Aari back," Indiana head coach Stephanie White told media ahead of Thursday's game against the Los Angeles Sparks. "Certainly her pedigree, her ability to have the ball in her hands and make plays, not just for herself but for her teammates, and the tone she sets on the defensive end of the floor."

McDonald joined the Fever on a hardship contract in early June, amidst injuries to guards Caitlin Clark and Sophie Cunningham. While the former No. 3 overall pick only appeared in 3 games, she managed to make her mark, averaging 11.0 PPG, 3.0 AST, and 2.0 STL while playing 25.3 minutes a night.

Aari McDonald on choosing to re-sign with the Fever

“There were a couple other teams interested…of course I will love to be here but I’m gonna explore just to see what the other teams are talking about. But in the back of my mind I just knew this was the place to be.” pic.twitter.com/hVcwZOIhsx

— correlation (@nosyone4) June 26, 2025

Her .193 defensive win shares per game, a metric that measures a player's cumulative defensive impact, is still the highest of any Fever player this season, adding credence to White's remark about her defensive contributions.

Above all else, McDonald's addition could bode well for Clark's production the rest of the season.

"When we get 'C' back, it gives us the ability to play 'C' off the ball a little bit, take some pressure off of her," White noted. "I mean, she's getting hounded 94 feet, 40 minutes a game every game."

On Aari’s return and what she offers the Fever.

I am personally looking forward to her playmaking next to Caitlin. pic.twitter.com/gn9Yf3TH3h

— Jess (@FeverBandwagon) June 26, 2025

Clark is not active for Thursday's matchup against Los Angeles, this time held out with a left groin injury after she was sidelined for 5 games with a left quad strain.

It's been a grueling last three games for Indiana's superstar, who's struggled to the tune of 1-for-23 from the three-point line. Opposing defenses are keying in on her at all costs, and it's led to a few uneven games for the Fever offense.

"And so just to be able to relieve some of that pressure with different kinds of looks," White continued. "Aari gives us a different look than 'Syd', and I think that having both of them is a benefit to us."

While McDonald will have a larger role to fill Thursday with Clark out of the lineup, the long-term hope is that she can open up more looks for #22.

Indiana's offense understandably runs through Clark when she's on the floor, and while they've enjoyed success by putting the ball in their top playmaker's hands, it also puts immense pressure on Clark to shoulder the offense, both in terms of scoring and facilitating.

Clark has still succeeded in distributing the ball to her teammates amid this slump, but the Fever's over-reliance on her was exposed in their recent losses to the Golden State Valkyries and Las Vegas Aces, two second-half collapses that saw Indiana's offense fall stagnant without Clark's shooting touch.

As White mentioned, McDonald's presence allows the Fever to run more sets with Clark off-ball, something that should only help her get more open looks. It also means seeing less of the full-court, nonstop pressure that could be wearing on Clark physically.

It remains to be seen how White's will utilize these "different looks", but there's no doubt it gives Indiana more flexibility with their lineup rotations. If McDonald's addition breeds more small-ball lineups, that should only benefit a Fever offense that seems to dominate when they spread the floor.

“My mentality tonight is be on demon time,” Aari McDonald says of her first game back with the Fever.

— Tony East (@TonyREast) June 26, 2025

Plus, it's never a bad thing to get some more offensive production from the bench.

While Clark's shooting slump doesn't feel like a long-term concern given her impressive resume, you can expect teams to continue to hone in on her the rest of the season. Adding a player like McDonald will make it harder to minimize Clark's impact and should give White more flexibility moving forward.