NEW YORK — Aliyah Boston wrapped up her rookie season being named Associated Press Rookie of the Year.
The St. Thomas native was the No. 1 pick of the Indiana Fever and helped the team double its win total from last year.
Boston saw early success claiming Rookie of the Month honors in her first month in the league, she went on to earn the accolade three times throughout the season, making her just the eighth player in WNBA history to win at least three WNBA Rookie of the Month honors.
Boston averaged 14.5 points and 8.4 rebounds while shooting 57.8% from the field.
Breanna Stewart narrowly edged Las Vegas’ A’ja Wilson by one vote from the 12-member media. Alyssa Thomas was third in voting. Stewart and Wilson finished one-two in the balloting last year also with the Aces’ star winning the league’s MVP award.
The WNBA will announce its awards over the course of the postseason which begins Wednesday. The league MVP will be announced on Sept. 26.
Wilson was selected as the AP’s Defensive Player of the Year for the second consecutive season, edging Thomas and Washington’s Brittney Sykes. Wilson anchored the Aces’ defense, averaging 2.2 blocks and 1.4 steals. Las Vegas earned the top seed in the playoffs.
Other AP winners included:
— Comeback Player of the Year: Brittney Griner and Napheesa Collier. Griner missed all of last year after spending nearly 10 months in a Russian prison. She averaged 17.5 points this year. Collier missed nearly all of last season after giving birth to her first child. She averaged 21.5 points and 8.5 rebounds to help Minnesota earn the sixth seed in the playoffs.