Ariel McDonald
Encyclopedia
Ariel Rene McDonald is an American
-Slovenia
n basketball
player, playing the point guard
position for the Italian club Montepaschi Siena
. A high quality floor general, McDonald played for top European teams like Olimpija Ljubljana
, Maccabi Tel Aviv
, Panathinaikos, Akasvayu Girona and Dynamo Moscow
.
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
. Arriel took his new high school, Athens Drive High School
, to the final four in North Carolina.
In the fall of 1989 Arriel arrived at the University of Minnesota
. In his first year of college, Arriel 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.
, McDonald became a Slovenia
n citizen in June 1997.
) 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 Arriel 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 Arriel 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.
Slovenian Cup: 1997, 1998, 1999
Israeli League: 2000, 2001, 2002
Israeli Cup: 2000, 2001, 2002
Suproleague: 2001
Greek League: 2003, 2004
Greek Cup: 2003
FIBA Eurocup: 2007
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
-Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
n basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player, playing the point guard
Point guard
Point guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that...
position for the Italian club Montepaschi Siena
Mens Sana Basket
Mens Sana Basket, more frequently referred to as Montepaschi Siena, is an Italian League professional basketball club from Siena. More precisely, it is the now-autonomous basketball section of the comprehensive sports club Polisportiva Mens Sana...
. A high quality floor general, McDonald played for top European teams like Olimpija Ljubljana
KK Union Olimpija
-Depth Chart:-In: Ben Woodside Deon Thompson Aleksandar Ćapin Jaka Blažič Danny Green Ratko Varda Robert Rothbart -Out: Giorgi Shermadini - return from a loan Kenny Gregory Samo Udrih Aloysius Anagonye Vladimir...
, Maccabi Tel Aviv
Maccabi Tel Aviv (basketball)
Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv B.C. is a professional Israeli basketball club based in Tel Aviv. The team plays in three leagues: the Euroleague, the Israeli Basketball Super League, and the Adriatic League....
, Panathinaikos, Akasvayu Girona and Dynamo Moscow
MBC Dynamo Moscow
MBC Dynamo Moscow is a Russian professional basketball team from Moscow, Russia.-Early Years:Created in 1923 when Russia was part of the Soviet Union, Dynamo is among the oldest sports clubs in the country. Its name was chosen because Dynamo means 'power in motion'. The club was backed by the...
.
Early life
Arriel began his high school career at Homewood-Flossmoor High SchoolHomewood-Flossmoor High School
Homewood-Flossmoor High School is a public high school in Flossmoor, Illinois, in the Chicago metropolitan area. The majority of HF students live in Flossmoor and nearby Homewood, but the school also serves areas of Olympia Fields, Chicago Heights, Glenwood, and Hazel Crest serving 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
Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...
. Arriel took his new high school, Athens Drive High School
Athens Drive High School
Athens Drive High School is a co-educational secondary Wake County public high school in southwestern Raleigh that serves grades 9-12. As of 2006-2007 the school has approximately 1,900 enrolled students and approximately 130 hired educators. It is also part of the .-History:Athens Drive was opened...
, to the final four in North Carolina.
In the fall of 1989 Arriel arrived at the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
. In his first year of college, Arriel was redshirted
Redshirt (college sports)
Redshirt is a term used in American college athletics that refers to a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen his or her period of eligibility...
. He and the Gophers greatly improved over the next four years, winning the 1993 NIT
National Invitation Tournament
The National Invitation Tournament is a men's college basketball tournament operated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. There are two NIT events each season. The first, played in November and known as the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off , was founded in 1985...
and reaching the second round of the 1994 NCAA Tournament
1994 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1994 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 17, 1994, and ended with the championship game on April 4 in Charlotte, North Carolina...
in McDonald's senior year.
Personal life
After playing for two years in SloveniaSlovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
, McDonald became a Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
n citizen in June 1997.
European career
McDonald began his career in Europe playing for small teams like Braine Castor (BelgiumBelgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
) and Interier Krsko (Slovenia). After his time in Interier Krsko he was taken to the top Slovenian basketball club: Olimpija Ljubljana
KK Union Olimpija
-Depth Chart:-In: Ben Woodside Deon Thompson Aleksandar Ćapin Jaka Blažič Danny Green Ratko Varda Robert Rothbart -Out: Giorgi Shermadini - return from a loan Kenny Gregory Samo Udrih Aloysius Anagonye Vladimir...
. 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
Maccabi Tel Aviv (basketball)
Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv B.C. is a professional Israeli basketball club based in Tel Aviv. The team plays in three leagues: the Euroleague, the Israeli Basketball Super League, and the Adriatic League....
. Soon Arriel McDonald became very famous in Israel, and together with Nate Huffman
Nate Huffman
Nathaniel Thomas Huffman is a 7'1" American former professional basketball player, who played most of his career outside of the United States with Maccabi Tel Aviv.-High school and college career:...
and Anthony Parker
Anthony Parker
Anthony Michael Parker is an American professional basketball player who last played with the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association . After graduating from Bradley University with a major in liberal arts, he entered the 1997 NBA Draft and played briefly in the NBA before...
turned Maccabi into one of the best European basketball teams. In McDonald's three seasons with Maccabi the club won the SuproLeague
Suproleague
FIBA SuproLeague was the FIBA professional club basketball Champions' Cup for the 2000-01 season. Up until that season, there was one cup, the FIBA European Champions' Cup , though in this season of 2000-01, the leading European teams split into two competitions: the FIBA SuproLeague and the ULEB's...
title (2001) and twice reached Euroleague Final Four
Euroleague Final Four
The Euroleague Final Four is the final four format championship of the Euroleague professional club basketball competition. The Euroleague used the final four format for the first time during the 1987-88 season. It is known as the Turkish Airlines Euroleague Final Four for sponsorship reasons...
(2000, 2002). One of McDonald's claims to fame in Israel was a Burger King
Burger King
Burger King, often abbreviated as BK, is a global chain of hamburger fast food restaurants headquartered in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The company began in 1953 as Insta-Burger King, a Jacksonville, Florida-based restaurant chain...
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 Arriel 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
Asociación de Clubs de Baloncesto
The Liga ACB, known as the Liga Endesa for sponsorship reasons, is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in Spain. It was founded in 1956 with the name of Liga Nacional. The league changed its name to the current one in 1983. The league is rated as one of the three "A" level European...
from season 2005/06 up until July 2008, there he returned to Dynamo Moscow
MBC Dynamo Moscow
MBC Dynamo Moscow is a Russian professional basketball team from Moscow, Russia.-Early Years:Created in 1923 when Russia was part of the Soviet Union, Dynamo is among the oldest sports clubs in the country. Its name was chosen because Dynamo means 'power in motion'. The club was backed by the...
for whom he played at the 2004-05 season.
Honours
Slovenian League: 1997, 1998, 1999Slovenian Cup: 1997, 1998, 1999
Israeli League: 2000, 2001, 2002
Israeli Cup: 2000, 2001, 2002
Suproleague: 2001
Greek League: 2003, 2004
Greek Cup: 2003
FIBA Eurocup: 2007