LAS VEGAS — The summer before her first season at the University of South Carolina, Aliyah Boston took the court with her new teammates for a series of drills and pick-up games. Immediately, it was clear she was different from most freshmen.
“The first time I was on the court with her I was like, ‘Yeah, she’s her,'” Victaria Saxton said. “Nobody’s gonna be able to stop her.”
Nearly four years later, after Boston became one of the most decorated players in collegiate basketball history and was selected No. 1 overall by the Indiana Fever in the 2023 WNBA Draft, Saxton is getting déjà vu. Once again teammates with Boston after making the Fever roster as a third-round pick, Saxton has watched her establish herself as one of the best bigs in the WNBA. On Saturday, Boston will start in the All-Star Game, after becoming the eighth rookie (and first since 2014) to earn that honor.
“Aliyah’s just being who she is,” Saxton said. “She can really do it all.”
Former South Carolina Women’s Basketball teammates and now WNBA rookies, Zia Cooke & Aliyah Boston, reunite in Las Vegas. 
Through 20 games, Boston is averaging 15.4 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game, while shooting 61% from the field. Forget her ranks among rookies, those marks are good for 20th, ninth, ninth and first in the league, respectively. The only players to ever average at least 15 points and eight rebounds on 60% shooting or better for a full season are former MVPs Nneka Ogwumike and Sylvia Fowles.
The transition has been smooth in part because Boston spent four years in the powerhouse South Carolina program, a professional environment that has a .791 winning percentage in coach Dawn Staley’s 15-year tenure. “She’s coached us to be pros,” Saxton said. A record-tying five Gamecocks were drafted in 2023, including three of the top 10 picks.
“Definitely the plays that we run, at South Carolina we ran pretty much the same thing,” Boston said. “It’s been good to adjust quickly in the sense of I know what we’re running because Coach Staley ran those and prepped those, so that feels really nice.”
Boston has also benefited from the stream of double- and triple-teams opponents threw at her in college. All of the attention forced her to be precise with her positioning and footwork, to cultivate a sense of calm under pressure and to learn how to read the floor. She doesn’t face doubles quite as often in the pros, and she’s enjoying the extra space and time to attack.
On post-ups, which is how Boston gets the ball nearly 40% of the time, she’s scoring 1.181 points per possession; of the players with at least 50 post-ups, she’s second only to Brittney Griner in efficiency.
Aliyah Boston at a meet and greet during WNBA All-Star Game weekend in Las Vegas.
“Her footwork is incredible,” Fever coach Christie Sides said. “A lot of times people are screaming, ‘Travel,’ and when you go back and watch the video, you’re like, ‘Nope, she sure didn’t.'”
When teams do decide to send help, Boston usually makes the right play, whether that’s attacking quickly or kicking it out to an open teammate. “She knows what’s supposed to happen and when it’s supposed to happen,” Saxton said. Boston already has seven games with at least four assists, and, among the league’s 20 highest scorers, only A’Ja Wilson and DeWanna Bonner have averaged fewer turnovers.
Her high IQ is evident even when she doesn’t have the ball. Boston is averaging a league-high 3.3 offensive rebounds, and she is first in second-chance points (4.1 per game) thanks to her innate understanding of positioning and timing. It also helps to be 6-foot-5 and 220 pounds.
“Aliyah’s a load down there to try and have to move,” Dream coach Tanisha Wright said.
Defensively, there have been more challenges. Boston has fouled out twice and ranks fourth in the league with 3.4 fouls per game. “I get really frustrated sometimes with the fouls,” Boston said, “but I think it’s just a learning curve that I’m gonna have to figure out.”
The increased size and physicality of her opponents have been an issue at times, and she views the hard hits she’s taken as her “welcome to the league” moments. She’s also still getting used to some of the WNBA’s rules, such as defensive three seconds.
“Sometimes I’m just watching, and the refs are like, ‘You need to get out,'” Boston said. “And I’m like, ‘Oh, shoot.'”
As a rim protector, though, Boston’s making a real impact. The Fever have allowed the fourth fewest attempts in the restricted area per game (18.4) and the third-lowest field goal percentage at the rim (60.6) – both massive improvements from last season.
“Her fearlessness [stands out],” Fever guard Lexie Hull said. “There’s big names at the 5 position and people that have been around this league a long time and to see her go up and battle against them night in and night out is really impressive, especially when she can hold her own on both sides of the floor.”
In interviews, teammates described her as composed, consistent, genuine, humble and “a phenomenal person,” usually raving about her character and work ethic before mentioning anything to do with basketball. “She has all of the intangibles,” Sides said. Opposing coaches are already praising her poise and game-planning for her.
In the six years before Boston’s arrival, the Fever went 45-147, including 34 losses by 20 points or more. On paper, this season looks just as miserable: They’re 5-15 and on an eight-game losing streak entering the All-Star break. Boston’s presence, though, means this is not the same old story. There’s a better spirit, a new level of competitiveness and, above all else, a sense from those around the Fever that the darkest era in franchise history is behind them. “She’s special,” Sides said. “There’s no doubt about it.” The wins haven’t come yet, but, with Boston around, it’s hard not to be optimistic.
“I repeat this all the time, but just being in this space, I look at everything as a good moment,” Boston said. “Seriously.”
By JACK MALONEY/CBS Sports