“Aliyah has already come in and instilled that culture that so many of the players needed and she did it so effortlessly,” said current teammate Kelsey Mitchell, who just made her first All-Star team. Nobody else in this year’s draft class comes close to matching Boston’s stats - 15.0 points (21st), 8.4 rebounds (tied for seventh) and 1.4 blocks (tied for sixth).īut Boston’s biggest contribution might be her locker room presence. She makes all the right decisions out there on the floor and, like A’ja (Wilson), at a very young age.” “She is the most selfless, most loving, humble person, the greatest teammate. “You all are just getting a small taste of what we know of Aliyah Boston,” two-time national champ Dawn Staley said. A few days later, Boston found out she would be the league’s eighth rookie All-Star Game starter, the first since Shoni Schimmel in 2014. Her resume doesn’t resemble someone who appears star struck, though.īoston was named the WNBA’s rookie of the month in May and June and the Eastern Conference’s top overall player for the week ending June 18. I swear I was like watching you and now we’re on the same level.” “The hardest part was playing against people you’ve looked up to because you think ‘Wow this is like real. “It’s a learning experience, but I’m enjoying every step of the way,” the No. Those battles have made Boston tougher as she settles into her new role just three months after finishing her college career at South Carolina. Sure, she’s struggled at times with foul trouble against the likes of 6-9 Brittney Griner. In her All-Star Game debut she had 11 rebounds, six points, two assists and a steal. She takes everything in, she talks to every coach, she watches video with every coach, she asks the best questions.”Īdapting quickly to her new environment is one of many reasons she’s so far avoided the traditional learning curve and emerged as arguably the frontrunner in the rookie of the year chase.Īt 6-foot-5, 220 pounds, Boston possesses the size, strength and skills to challenge most polished veterans. It’s the different levels, size, speed, quickness, strength - she hadn’t faced that night in and night out. “You just don’t know until you get into this league how you’re going to respond. “I knew she was special, but she’s exceeded it,” first-year coach Christy Sides said. And maybe some second-half magic will finally put Indiana in the playoffs for the first time since 2016.įederal News Network's Cyber Leaders Exchange: Discover the ways that agencies lead the way as the government “fundamentally re-imagines America’s cyber social construct”. Two more wins would give the Fever their highest single-season total since 2019. The organization’s league record-tying 20 game losing streak ended in May and Indiana already has matched last season’s victory total (five). The first-time All Star’s historic season has made her the front-runner for rookie of the year honors and infused renewed hope for the Indiana Fever franchise. Aliyah Boston just wanted to fit in as a WNBA rookie.
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