Ariel McDonald

Infobox Euroleague Player
name = Ariel McDonald
nickname =


caption =
position = Point guard
height_ft = 6
height_in = 2.5
weight_lb = 176
league = Russian League
team = Dynamo Moscow
nationality = United States
nationality_2 = Slovenia
birth_date = birth date and age|1972|1|13
birth_place = Harvey, Illinois
draft = Undrafted
draft_year =
draft_team =
career_start = 1994
former_teams = Braine Castor (1994–1995)
Interier Krsko (1995–1996)
Olimpija Ljubljana (1996–1999)
Maccabi Tel Aviv (1999–2002)
Panathinaikos (2002–2004)
Dynamo Moscow (2004–2005)
Akasvayu Girona (2005–2008)
awards = 2001 Suproleague Final Four MVP
2007 FIBA EuroCup Final Four MVP

Ariel Rene McDonald (born January 13, 1972 in Harvey, Illinois) is an American-Slovenian basketball player, playing the Point guard position for Russian SuperLeague club Dynamo Moscow. A high quality floor general, McDonald played for top European teams like Olimpija Ljubljana, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Panathinaikos and Akasvayu Girona.

Early life

Ariel began his high school career at Homewood-Flossmoor High School outside of Chicago. He averaged 24 points on 63% field-goals, and 10 assists per game. After two years at Homewood-Flossmoor, McDonald's family moved to Raleigh, North Carolina. Ariel took his new high school, Athens Drive, to the final four in North Carolina.

In the fall of 1989 Ariel arrived at the University of Minnesota. In his first year of college, Ariel was redshirted. He and the Gophers greatly improved over the next four years, winning the 1993 NIT and reaching the second round of the 1994 NCAA Tournament in McDonald's senior year.

Personal life

After playing for two years in Slovenia, McDonald became a Slovenian citizen in June 1997. [ [http://www.acb.com/jugador.php?id=B8Q ACB Profile] ]

European career

McDonald beagan his career in Europe playing for small teams like Braine Castor (Belgium) and Interier Krsko (Slovenia). After his time in Interier Krsko he was taken to the top Slovenian basketball club: Olimpija Ljubljana. During his time in Slovenia he played in the top flight of international basketball, achieving great success in European tournaments. McDonald's next stop was Maccabi Tel Aviv. Soon Ariel McDonald became very famous in Israel, and together with Nate Huffman and Anthony Parker turned Maccabi into one of the best European basketball teams. In McDonald's three seasons with Maccabi the club won the Suproleague title (2001) and twice reached Euroleague Final Four (2000, 2002). One of McDonald's claims to fame in Israel was a Burger King commercial in which he said: "Listen to McDonald - only Burger King". Ariel McDonald played 139 games, scoring 1606 points for Maccabi Tel Aviv in three years. Finally he said goodbye and moved to one of Maccabi's biggest rivals: Panathinaikos. With Panathinaikos Ariel McDonald put up solid numbers and also 19 points in the first game he played against his former team Maccabi Tel Aviv. McDonald played for Akasvayu Girona in the Spanish ACB League from season 2005/06 up until July 2008, there he returned to Dynamo Moscow for whom he played at the 2004-05 season [ [http://www.ulebcup.com/ulebcup/home/news/i/33639/448/item Dynamo Moscow brings back Arriel McDonald] ] .

References

External links

* [http://www.basketpedya.com/Acc002InfJug.php?idjug=7716&idioma=3 Career]
* [http://www.euroleague.net/competition/players/showplayer?seasoncode=U2007&gamecode=187&clubcode=pan&pcode=APC Euroleague.net Profile]
* [http://www.geocities.com/arrielmcdonald/ Ariel McDonald Fansite]
* [http://www.wptn.com/trademark_vol5is3/tmark_018_vol5is3.htm McDonald's vs. McDonald]