2008-09 Preview: Sonny Weems, last year’s starter at small forward and the national collegiate slam dunk champion, is in the NBA (Denver), so the position is open. With two years of college experience, including his freshman year at George Washington University, McDonald is expected to immediately help fill that void.

Previous College: As a sophomore at Cowley College in 2008, he averaged 13.4 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 2.1 blocked shots and 2.1 steals per game on a team that won the Jayhawk Conference title and finished 31-3.

As a freshman at George Washington University in 2006, he averaged 4.4 points and 1.5 rebounds in 20 games on a team going 27-3 with an Atlantic 10 championship and a No. 14 national ranking. He sat out the 2007 season and transferred to Cowley.

In High School: In 2005, he attended prep school at Bridgton Academy in Maine. He averaged 17.0 points and 8.0 rebounds on a team going 30-6 before signing with George Washington. He prepped at O.D. Wyatt High in Fort Worth, Texas. As a senior, he averaged 22.0 points, 12.0 rebounds and 4.5 blocked shots. He also averaged 16.0 points as a freshman, 14.0 as a sophomore and 18.0 as a junior for Coach Archie Myers. He was his district’s defensive player of the year in 2003, and first-team all-district in 2003 and 2004.

Personal: Born July 18, 1986, he is the son of Barbara McDonald. The left-hander is majoring in communications disorders.