While Team USA competed for another gold medal in Berlin, Cheryl Reeve changed up her Minnesota Lynx roster. The Lynx waived Eliska Jokolva and signed Aari McDonald as a backup point guard behind rookie Olivia Miles.
Experience played a big role in the decision, as Reeve shared in a practice media availability on September 14.
"We felt like she was about as good as a prospect we could have to improve our situation," Reeve said about McDonald, per a video on the Lynx's YouTube channel. "We needed a player that we felt like we could put in the game in the playoffs. And experience. As much as we enjoyed Elis, she just simply doesn't have the experience. It was an opportunity that we felt like it was worth taking a swing at."
McDonald is lucky that she was signed during the World Cup break. That gave her a chance to practice with most of her new teammates, work with the coaches, and learn plays and schemes. Still, joining a title contender during the season and being expected to produce right away isn't easy.
However, McDonald did the exact same thing with the Indiana Fever last season, proving that she can provide a boost quickly after joining a team under less-than-ideal circumstances.
Indiana Fever guard Aari McDonald (2) yells in excitement Wednesday, July 30, 2025, during the game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
McDonald started the 2025 season off without a roster spot after the LA Sparks waived her during training camp. When the Fever had to deal with injuries to Caitlin Clark and Sophie Cunningham , they signed McDonald to a hardship contract and eventually a contract for the rest of the season.
McDonald only played 20 games before an injury took her out as well. But she was impactful in those 20 games, averaging 9.8 points, 2.4 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 1.3 steals per game. She started 13 games and impressed with her defense, her ability to come in and run the offense with little preparation, and her rim pressure.
She quickly became a fan favorite, but she suffered another injury during Unrivaled, and the Fever opted to sign Ty Harris as their primary backup guard in free agency instead, as McDonald went through another recovery process.
Aug 7, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Indiana Fever guard Aari McDonald (2) against the Phoenix Mercury during an WNBA game at PHX Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Lynx enter the playoffs with a lot of pressure to win. They lost the 2024 finals to the New York Liberty and were title contenders once again before Napheesa Collier 's injury cut short their 2025 playoff run. Now, with Olivia Miles in the mix, they are once again the number-one seed and a championship contender. It's about time that the core of Collier, Kayla McBride , and Courtney Williams gets over the hump.
Joklova is an interesting young talent, but she's also a rookie who didn't play consistent minutes going into the World Cup break. For a team that faces as much pressure to win as the Lynx, going into the playoffs with two rookie point guards would be risky.
McDonald has only played in two playoff games so far, but she has five WNBA seasons under her belt and has been in uncomfortable situations before. That could make her an integral part of Reeve's playoff rotation, even though Olivia Miles and Courtney Williams will play the brunt of the minutes at the two guard spots. McDonald won't get the same minutes she got with the Fever last season and will have to impact games in short bursts off the bench. Nevertheless, her experience of joining a team mid-season should come in handy.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/onsi/womens-fastbreak as Aari McDonald's Fever Experience Proves She Is Ready for New Challenge With Lynx .
