Now a pro. Aari McDonald is first Fresno player selected in WNBA draft first round
Aari McDonald was selected by the Atlanta Dream with the third overall pick on Thursday, becoming the first player from the Fresno area to be taken in the first round of the WNBA draft.
McDonald watched with anticipation with her family and close friends at their Fresno home and celebrated when WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert called her name. McDonald is also the first player from the University of Arizona to be taken in the first round.
She becomes the second player from the Fresno area to be drafted by a WNBA team. Adrian Williams-Strong from Clovis West High was taken in the second round by the Phoenix Mercury in the 2000 WNBA draft.
McDonald led Arizona to the NCAA tournament this season and took the Wildcats to the championship.
The Pac-12 Player of the Year in 2021, she leaves Arizona as the single-season scoring record holder and had been projected to go in the first round by many draft analysts.
Before McDonald transferred to Brookside Christian High in Stockton, she played for Bill Engle at Bullard High in 2012-2013. She dominated the season as a freshman and helped the Knights to a 21-6 overall record and 8-2 mark in the County/Metro Athletic Conference.
In her final game as a Knight, she finished with 42 points against Hanford in the Central Section Division I tournament.
She was named The Bee’s Most Outstanding Offensive Player.
This story was originally published April 15, 2021 at 4:36 PM.
