Editor’s Observe: This story is a part of a sequence from SB Nation profiling the 2025 WNBA All-Star groups. At this time, let’s get to know Aliyah Boston.
When Fever head coach Stephanie White made it a precedence coming into the season to have Aliyah Boston be the hub of the offense, she couldn’t have identified how necessary a choice that may be.
“I feel typically after we use the time period hub, oftentimes they assume passing on a regular basis and it’s not. It’s utilizing her to get into one other motion,” White mentioned of Boston throughout the preseason. “I need her to be just a little bit extra egocentric in that from that standpoint, however I feel that’s going to come back. It’s going to come back when she will get extra comfy in her reads.”
A pair of accidents to Caitlin Clark has restricted her to simply 12 video games within the first half of the season for the Fever, and can now maintain her out of the All-Star sport. In her place, Boston discovered that consolation and has develop into the engine that has stored the Fever churning alongside with out their different No. 1 choose.
The third-year middle is having a profession yr almost throughout the board and whereas Indiana has had predictable pace bumps with Clark sidelined, Boston has been a central motive as to why the Fever haven’t solely been capable of hold maintain of the rope, however thrive, even profitable the Commissioner’s Cup with out Clark.
After a gradual begin to her 2024 marketing campaign, Boston has had a a lot faster and extra environment friendly begin to 2025. She’s averaging a career-best 16 factors per sport whereas capturing 56.3% from the sector, a mark that has her fourth within the league in discipline objective share.
Whereas a lot of her sport final season was centered across the choose and roll with Clark, she’s nonetheless discovered a solution to be productive with out her operating mate this yr. In her 11 video games previous to the All-Star break — 5 of which got here with Clark on the sideline — Boston averaged 17.5 factors and seven rebounds whereas nonetheless capturing 53.3% on 12.5 photographs per sport.
That final mark is without doubt one of the key numbers because it’s one of many largest indicators of her elevated load with out Clark. For her profession, Boston averages 10.8 photographs per sport. However with Clark out, Boston has shouldered the load, even pouring in a career-high 31 factors throughout the aforementioned stretch.
And as a lot as she’s helped the Fever regular the ship along with her scoring, it’s been her playmaking that has been the most important distinction this season. When White spoke about Boston being the offensive hub within the preseason, her potential to be a playmaker was as a lot of a spotlight as another side of Boston’s sport.
That’s manifested itself within the ball being in her fingers greater than ever this season. Her utilization fee (21.5%) and help share (21.7%) are at career-high ranges, whereas her turnover share (10.2%) is the bottom of her temporary time within the WNBA.
Briefly, the Fever are asking greater than ever from Boston and he or she’s answering the bell.
It’s been important this season, too. One of many solely constant issues about Indiana’s season has been Boston. Clark has moved out and in of the lineup and whereas fellow All-Star Kelsey Mitchell leads the group in scoring, her effectivity has wavered all through the season.
DeWanna Bonner, introduced in because the steadying veteran, lasted all of 9 video games earlier than asking for her launch from the group. Sophie Cunningham has equally battled accidents this season, and Natasha Howard has oscillated between sturdy video games — like profitable the Commissioner’s Cup MVP — and quiet outings.
Amidst all of the peaks and valleys, the metronome of all of the Fever success this season has been Boston.
The hope for Indiana is that, every time Clark can get again within the fold heading into the second half of the season, Boston’s sturdy season will be amplified alongside her operating mate. Generally, Indiana is searching for issues to click on into place after coming into the yr with expectations to contend for a title.
In a season by which they’ve looked for options for his or her many issues, the one factor the Fever have discovered is that Boston will be the engine that pushes them alongside.
