Aari McDonald is arguably the greatest player to ever suit up for Arizona's women's basketball team, and now the former Wildcats star is returning to her alma mater in a different role. McDonald, who currently plays for the Atlanta Dream in the WNBA, will begin splitting her time as the newest director of recruiting operations for head coach Adia Barnes.

"We are excited to welcome Aari back to our program where she left an extraordinary legacy," Barnes said in a statement provided by the team. "Her career as a Wildcat truly represents the standard of excellence our program is built on, and I can't wait to begin another season with her as a key part of our program.

"Aari is an exceptional role model for current team, beloved by the Tucson community and will build a foundation for her successful coaching career here at Arizona."

In her new role, McDonald will include overseeing all recruiting logistics, assisting with on-campus visits, managing recruit information as well as social media content.

It will not impact her responsibilities with the Dream as McDonald prepares for her third season in the WNBA.

"I want to thank Coach Barnes for giving me a chance to be a part of her staff," McDonald said. "Tucson has always felt like a second home to me, and I am so excited to be back in this community with the best fans in the country. Most importantly, I can't wait to help recruit future Wildcats and bring home championships."

McDonald's relationship with Barnes goes back to their time together at Washington, where the star guard began her career while Barnes as an assistant coach with the Huskies. When Barnes left Seattle to return to her alma mater in Tucson, McDonald followed along eventually becoming the most decorated player in program history.

McDonald helped lead UA to within one basket of a national championship in the 2020-21 season while earning the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year award and the 2020 Ann Meyers Drysdale Award. She's the program's career leader in points per game and was inducted into the school's Ring of Honor at McKale Center.

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