For a move that big, you’d expect some warning signs. But when Audi Crooks finally revealed where she’d be playing her final college season, even Aliyah Boston was left wondering.

“I did not see that coming at all, actually,” the Indiana Fever star admitted on the latest episode of the Post Moves podcast while reacting to Crooks’ decision to commit to the Oklahoma State Cowgirls.

And honestly, she wasn’t the only one caught off guard.

For weeks, the conversation around Crooks’ transfer didn’t include Oklahoma State anywhere near the top. Programs like the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, the Maryland Terrapins, and even the Iowa Hawkeyes were seen as more likely landing spots. But the Cowgirls came in like the underdogs of the transfer portal and took away one of the most dominant players of the 2025-26 NCAA season.

That surprised even Candace Parker.

“I felt like there were a lot of eyes pointing to Notre Dame for sure,” she added.

But let’s address the elephant in the room: what even led Crooks to choose the Cowgirls?

The Move, the Money, and Audi Crooks’ Big Decision

Just a few days before making her decision, Crooks laid out exactly what she wanted from her next program. And if you look closely, Oklahoma State didn’t just check those boxes, they practically built the pitch around them.

First up? Culture.

Crooks made it clear she wanted to be around good people, a strong environment, and a program that actually feels right, beyond just basketball. That’s where head coach Jacie Hoyt’s system comes into play. Known for her energy-first approach and player empowerment, Hoyt has turned the Cowgirls into a program that doesn’t just compete but believes it can win.

And that win-now mindset matters. Because Crooks is coming off a dominant run in the Big 12, and instead of switching conferences, she’s staying right where she’s already proven she can take over, just with a team that’s been far more aggressive in building around talent like hers.

Then comes the second and probably most important piece: shooters.

At Iowa State, Crooks had to carry most of the offensive load, which led her to post 40+ points in four games and 30+ in nine games. But this time, she wanted balance and help in the form of shooters so she can dominate from inside the paint and rely on scorers as well.

Oklahoma State got that covered too.

With the addition of elite guard Liv McGill, alongside proven perimeter options like Micah Gray and Stailee Heard, the Cowgirls suddenly look like exactly what Crooks described – an inside-out threat. The kind of team where if you double the big, someone’s knocking down a three on the other end.

And then finally, there’s development.

Oklahoma State’s spacing-heavy, pro-style system gives Crooks exactly that. It gives her room to operate, forces her into reads she’ll see at the next level, and, maybe most importantly, shows scouts she can thrive without having to carry everything on her own.

So yeah, the fit? It makes sense.

But let’s not pretend that’s the only reason this move is making headlines.

Because what really turned heads wasn’t just the program, it was the number attached to it.

According to reports, Crooks is set to earn around $1.4 million in NIL deals. If accurate, that would place her among the highest-paid players in women’s basketball, even if you compare to the pros.

And that’s where things get wild. Only two players are currently projected above that mark annually: A’ja Wilson and Aliyah Boston.

Wilson’s supermax extension comes out to roughly $1.67 million per year, while Boston’s deal with the Indiana Fever averages around $1.5 million annually. Which means, at least on paper, a college senior is stepping into the same financial conversation as the biggest stars in the game.

But even as conversations around NIL numbers continue to grow, it’s not like Boston is falling behind.

Aliyah Boston is Still Setting the Standard

Even with college stars starting to enter the same financial conversations, Boston is still doing what she’s always done – producing at the highest level.

Heading into the 2026 season with the Indiana Fever, Boston is coming off another strong year where she anchored a team that had to battle through injuries for most of the season. She averaged 15.0 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 3.7 assists while continuing to establish herself as one of the most complete forwards in the league.

And her impact didn’t go unnoticed either.

Boston earned All-WNBA Second Team and All-Defensive Second Team honors, which further solidified her place among the league’s elite. As a result, Indiana handed her a four-year, $6.3 million extension, which is the richest total salary in WNBA history.

“It was super fun for me. Winning DPOY was pretty good, too,” she said. “I think it’s gonna help motivate me this year to continue to be that defensive presence… anywhere the team needs.”

So while Audi Crooks’ decision may have caught her off guard, Aliyah Boston’s focus hasn’t shifted—it’s locked in on the 2026 WNBA season.