After graduating from Texas A&M, McDonald spent several years playing in the relative obscurity of the Canadian NBL, where he was named an All-Star in 1993 while playing to Cape Breton, and the
Continental Basketball Association (CBA) where he played for the Oklahoma City Cavalry and the
Sioux Falls Skyforce. He was selected to the CBA All-Defensive Team in 1992. In McDonald's first year in the league in
1994, he led the Giants to the
NBL championship with a 2–0
Grand Final series win over the
Adelaide 36ers, including hitting the game winning shot in overtime in Game 1 of the series at the
Clipsal Powerhouse in
Adelaide to give the Giants a 95–93 win. D-Mac was also named the runner-up in the
NBL Most Valuable Player voting and the runner-up for the NBL's
Best Defensive Player Award. For each of his first three years (1994–1997), McDonald led the league in assists and steals, winning the
NBL Good Hands Award each year, and was again named runner-up NBL Most Value Player in
1997. From 1995 to 1997 he played in the
NBL All Star-Game, becoming the MVP of the 1996 game. McDonald was named to the
All-NBL First Team from 1994 to 1996 and to the All-NBL Second team in 1997. earning NBL Best Sixth Man honours in 2004. The
2005–06 season saw McDonald return to the starting line-up, and his play saw many sporting commentators wonder how his 42-year-old body was able to sustain his elite level of play and athleticism. McDonald helped lead the Tigers to the 2006 championship, outclassing many of his younger opponents along the way including starting
Australian Boomers point guard
CJ Bruton. He was named among the finalist for the NBL's 25th Anniversary Team, finishing 17th in the final voting, and was named to the 2006 NBL Aussie All-Star Team, where he was named the MVP. McDonald signed a contract extension to lead the Tigers past his 44th birthday. His contract also gives him the opportunity to coach a Melbourne Tigers developmental team in the off-season. Despite his age, he was still one of the quickest and most explosive players in the NBL, but rarely played a full game due to his age and limited stamina. He retired after Game 5 of the
2007–08 Grand Final series win over the Brian Goorjian coached
Sydney Kings. == Coaching career ==