Aari McDonald is a preseason AP All-American. She’s on every watch list she’s eligible for. She’s the reigning Ann Meyers Drysdale Award winner and Pac-12 Defensive Player of the year. Is she the best player in the nation?
The Arizona faithful would certainly say yes. ESPN doesn’t quite agree, but it does think she’s among the best.
The Worldwide Leader ranked McDonald as the second-best player in NCAA women’s basketball in the rankings of the top 25 players in the sport. Graham Hays writes that she’s “one of a handful of players with the ability to influence the championship race.