This was supposed to be their year. Caitlin, Aliyah, and Kelsey, backed by DeWanna and Natasha — a core built to win. The season where the long wait for a championship would finally end. But that dream quickly faded. Caitlin Clark has only played 13 games so far, and injuries to three guards have made things even worse. Now, there’s no guarantee they’ll even make the playoffs. And in the middle of all this chaos, one player’s breakout season is quietly flying under the radar.

No, we are not talking about Kelsey Mitchell’s wonderful year where she’s averaging 20.7 points a game and her own teammates are building a case for her to be in the MVP conversation after recently pulling up wearing “Kelsey Mitchell MVP” shirts at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse before their game against the Lynx. We are talking about Aliyah Boston.

“She is super smart. Like, she probably came in as the smartest player, like, ever in the history of our program. Just, just smart. Just really understands how to play the game, but also play the game,” these were the words of Dawn Staley about her former player after appearing in the Post Moves with Candace Parker and Aliyah Boston podcast.

Boston and Staley share a strong four-year bond (2019-2023). Together, they delivered the second national championship for the Gamecocks, where Boston not only won the NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player (MOP) award but also earned Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year honors that same season. Her standout performances made her the number 1 pick in the 2023 draft, and since then, she’s shown steady, year-over-year growth.

That’s something Dawn Staley further highlighted in the podcast, suggesting that Boston’s performances have gone under the radar this season. “I mean, she’s a rebounder. She’s a scorer when she gets the ball, stop. But now she’s added the element of passing. It’s like she gets better every single year. And I really don’t think she gets the credit for her growth.”

She carried her strong form into the W, winning Rookie of the Year despite the Fever finishing with a 13-27 record. Boston averaged 14.5 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 2.2 assists that season. This year, she started with a bang. In the first four games, Boston was averaging a career-best 18.5 points per game, with 19 of her 31 field goals coming off Clark’s assists. But once Clark went down with an injury, everything changed.

The Fever started running their offense through Boston. Her role shifted, and she became one of the team’s primary facilitators. Naturally, we got to see a new version of Boston this season — one who could also create for her teammates, just like Staley highlighted. She’s averaging career highs in points (15.5) and assists (3.6). Sure, those numbers might not be enough to make her an MVP candidate, but back-to-back All-Star appearances ,along with clear growth in her game, has Coach Staley believing Boston deserves to be in the conversation for the Most Improved Player award this season. That said, Boston kept building on her strong season and made more history in the game gainst the Storm.

But the story doesn’t stop at the stat sheet. Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White made Boston the central hub of their offense this season, shifting away from a Clark-first setup. White’s scheme has expanded Boston’s versatility—she’s playing multiple positions, making reads, facilitating, and setting the tone inside. She even led all WNBA centers in assist numbers this season, a testament to her evolving role.

Aliyah Boston creates history

Without Caitlin Clark, Aari McDonald, Sophie Cunningham, and Sydney Colson, the Fever entered their game against the Seattle Storm with a 19-20 record, clinging to the 8th spot. They knew a loss could crush their playoff hopes. But against all odds, the Fever stunned the Storm with a dominant 95-75 win, leapfrogging them to 6th place in the standings.

In just 27 minutes against the Storm, Aliyah got 27 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals on 10-18 shooting from the field. Her incredible statline also helped her create a Fever franchise record. At age 23, she became the fastest Fever player to reach 1,000 rebounds.

As Boston keeps making a huge impact for the Fever, all eyes will be on how the team wraps up the regular season, and whether Caitlin Clark will be ready to hit the court again this year. Stay tuned for more Fever updates.