It was never “work” for Aliyah Boston. It was love when she first picked up a basketball in third grade. It was courage when she left home, moving 1,700 miles to chase her dream. It was dedication that earned her three Massachusetts Gatorade Player of the Year awards. It was passion that led her to South Carolina and a championship. It was talent and grit that made her the No. 1 overall pick. And it is that same love, passion, and unshakable mentality that will carry her through a career destined for greatness in the years to come.

It was visible from the very beginning. Barely two months after being drafted, Aliyah Boston recorded a game-high 23 points, 14 rebounds, and six assists in the Fever’s first home victory of the 2024 season, becoming the first rookie in WNBA history to lead all players in points, rebounds, and assists. Unsurprisingly, she went on to claim Rookie of the Year honors.

And this year, the accolades kept coming. Boston was named to the WNBA All-Defensive Second Team after anchoring Indiana’s defense and carrying an expanded offensive load. In the paint, she was relentless, averaging 1.2 steals and a team-high 0.9 blocks per game, consistently matching up against elite frontcourt players like A’ja Wilson.

Boston also finished fourth in total rebounds across the WNBA, with 361 boards in 34 game, setting a new franchise record and breaking her own mark from both 2023 and 2024. That means she has set a new single-season rebound record in each of her three years with the Fever. As if that wasn’t enough, at just 23, Boston became the youngest center in the past decade to earn a spot on the WNBA All-Defensive Team.

A milestone that didn’t go unnoticed amd earned a shoutout from Yahoo! Sports with a bold prediction. “We’re going to see more from her. AB, I believe in the next three years will be an MVP. That’s my final,” analyst Ice Young said.  Cassandra Negley agreed, saying, “I told someone that last week in Indiana. I was like….future MVP for sure.”

This forces us to track back a little. After AB arrived in Indy in 2023, Caitlin Clark joined the following year. While Clark’s talent and the fanfare she brought to Indiana were legendary, many overlooked that the real franchise turnaround began with Boston. She was the stepping stone, taking the Fever from a 5-31 record to 13-27 in her first year. 

Even this season, amid grueling five season ending injuries, Boston played all 44 games, started every one, averaged 15 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 3.7 assists and was the definition of consistent. So, with her growth and consistency, it’s not far-fetched to imagine Boston winning an MVP in the near future. Plus, she finished a well-deserved sixth in MVP voting. And from a league standpoint, WNBA has been bigs dominant when it comes to MVP. 

However, this isn’t the first time anyone has called it. Her SC head coach Dawn Staley even commented on a post, “Your @WNBA MVP awaits! Keep applying the pressure! It’s what we do!” Staley, who has developed MVP talent before with Wilson. 

And as Staley would say, “This is what Gamecocks do,” Boston is already setting her sights on next year’s plans.

Aliyah Boston eyes future 

Boston doesn’t chase validation. The hardware has spoken for itself, but the Fever’s power forward even deleted social media, realizing she doesn’t need approval from anyone. All she focuses on is working hard and keeping her eyes on what’s ahead, even when things don’t go her way.

Indiana Fever’s 2025 season ended with a Game 5 loss to the Las Vegas Aces in the WNBA Semifinals. Falling one game short of the Finals is tough and came with a frustration, but given the adversity this team faced, reaching this stage makes 2025 a hugely successful campaign. Asked postgame about when they start thinking ahead to the next challenge, both Boston and coach Stephanie White had the same answer: “Tomorrow.”

Boston later reflected on the season and the future on WNBA legend Candace Parker’s Post Moves podcast on October 8. Parker noted, “Because when [the Fever] stars add healthy players back next season…” Boston cut in confidently, “We’re gonna be on a roll. We’re gonna be on a roll.” Parker smiled and confirmed, “Yep. You’re gonna be on a roll,” before mentioning that she and Boston will train together this offseason.

All in all, with this promising core – whether it’s Boston, Kelsey Mitchell, or Caitlin Clark- the Fever are poised to produce an MVP, or maybe even multiple, in the years to come.