Ariel McDonald facts for kids
McDonald, in 2007
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 5, 1972 Harvey, Illinois, U.S. |
| Nationality | American / Slovenian |
| High school |
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| Listed height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) |
| Listed weight | 190 lb (86 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Minnesota (1990–1994) |
| NBA Draft | 1994 / Undrafted |
| Pro career | 1994–2009 |
| Career history | |
| 1994–1995 | Castors Braine |
| 1995–1996 | Interier Krško |
| 1996–1999 | Olimpija Ljubljana |
| 1999–2002 | Maccabi Tel Aviv |
| 2002–2004 | Panathinaikos |
| 2004–2005 | Dynamo Moscow |
| 2005–2008 | Akasvayu Girona |
| 2008 | Dynamo Moscow |
| 2008–2009 | Montepaschi Siena |
| Career highlights and awards | |
As player:
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Ariel Rene McDonald (born January 5, 1972) is an American-Slovenian former professional basketball player. He played as a point guard, which is a player who leads the team's offense.
Ariel McDonald was a very skilled player. He was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the Israeli Basketball Premier League in 2000. He also won the FIBA SuproLeague Final Four MVP award in 2001. In 2002, he was chosen for the All-EuroLeague Second Team. McDonald played for many top European basketball teams. These included Montepaschi Siena, Olimpija Ljubljana, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Panathinaikos, Akasvayu Girona, and Dynamo Moscow.
Contents
Early Life and High School Basketball
Ariel McDonald started his high school basketball journey at Homewood-Flossmoor High School near Chicago. He was a fantastic player there. He scored about 24 points in each game. He also made 63% of his shots and had 10 assists per game.
After two years, McDonald's family moved to Raleigh, North Carolina. He then played for Athens Drive High School. He helped his new team reach the final four in North Carolina.
College Basketball Career
In 1989, McDonald began playing college basketball at the University of Minnesota. In his first year, he was "red-shirted." This means he practiced with the team but did not play in games. This allowed him to train and improve.
Over the next four years, McDonald and the Golden Gophers team got much better. They won the NIT Tournament in 1993. In McDonald's final year, 1994, they reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Professional Basketball Journey
McDonald started his professional career in Europe. He played for smaller teams like Castors Braine in Belgium. He also played for Interier Krško in Slovenia. After that, he joined a top Slovenian team, Olimpija Ljubljana. While in Slovenia, he played in the EuroLeague. This is the highest level of professional club basketball in Europe. He even played in the 1997 EuroLeague Final Four.
McDonald then moved to Maccabi Tel Aviv. He quickly became very popular in Israel. With teammates like Nate Huffman and Anthony Parker, he helped Maccabi become one of Europe's best teams. During his three years with Maccabi, the team won the FIBA SuproLeague title in 2001. They also reached the EuroLeague Final Four twice, in 2000 and 2002. McDonald was named the MVP of the Israeli Basketball Premier League in 2000.
Ariel McDonald played 139 games for Maccabi Tel Aviv. He scored 1,606 points during his time there. After three successful years, he left the club. He then joined one of Maccabi's biggest rivals, Panathinaikos. McDonald played well for Panathinaikos. In his first game against his old team, Maccabi Tel Aviv, he scored 19 points.
From 2005 to 2008, McDonald played for Akasvayu Girona in the Spanish ACB League. In July 2008, he returned to Dynamo Moscow. He had played for them before, in the 2004–05 season.
Playing for His Country
Ariel McDonald also played for the senior men's Slovenian national basketball team. He represented Slovenia at the FIBA EuroBasket 2001 tournament.
Life After Playing: Coaching
After retiring from playing professional basketball, McDonald became a high school basketball coach. He coached at Providence Academy in Plymouth, Minnesota.
Personal Life
After playing in Slovenia for two years, Ariel McDonald became a Slovenian citizen in June 1997. He was also famous in Israel for appearing in a Burger King commercial. In the ad, he famously said, "Listen to McDonald - only Burger King."
See also
In Spanish: Arriel McDonald para niños
