In two of the last three years, the Indiana Fever have turned draft night into a reunion stage for former rivals. First, it was Aliyah Boston and Caitlin Clark, who went from competing against each other to sharing the same locker room after Clark arrived as the No. 1 overall pick in 2024. Now, the pattern continues with Raven Johnson, another Clark rival, joining the team as the No. 10 pick in the 2026 draft.

But then, the history of the Clark–Johnson rivalry appears to be more intense. And fans, of course, could hardly have envisioned them playing together. But viewing it from the perspective of a former rival turned teammate, Boston believes it isn’t as big a deal as many fans think. As she puts it, while speaking on her joint podcast with Candace Parker, all the stuff before “literally doesn’t matter.” For her, regardless of whatever history Clark and Johnson may have had, she believes, “it’s going to be fine.”

But to be fair, you really can’t blame a lot of fans who might still be blowing the rivalry out of proportion. Caitlin Clark’s iconic wave-off gesture during the Iowa vs. South Carolina semifinal in 2023 is unforgettable. Clark waved off Raven Johnson while she was open at the three-point line, essentially daring her to shoot because of her low three-point percentage at the time. And she didn’t shoot.

As Johnson later shared, that singular action resulted in online “bullying.” The viral nature of the clip also severely affected her mental health, that she even considered quitting basketball. Aliyah Boston, who was Johnson’s teammate at the time, was also in that game. And Caitlin Clark actually dropped 41 points on them. That set the record for the most points in a women’s Final Four semifinal.

According to Boston, that was one of the things she also had to talk about when Caitlin Clark joined the team in 2024. “It’s crazy because we actually did talk about it, cos I feel like we had to talk about it,” she said. For Boston, it’s just one of those moments that gives you that wow feeling, but the beef doesn’t carry over. In fact, according to her, “fans always have more beef than the players actually do. And it’s so funny when you read about fans hating one person, and you are playing with that said person.”

And of course, it appears that the beef doesn’t actually carry over with Raven Johnson. In fact, she has explicitly stated she is most excited to play with Caitlin Clark. She even called her a “phenomenal player” with a “winning mentality.” And quite frankly, she has since moved on from the 2023 incident, even though it’s something fans still talk about.

In fact, the following season they met again in the NCAA tournament, this time in the title game. Johnson’s team, South Carolina, went on to win 87-75 to complete a perfect 38–0 season. And she played a significant part, holding Caitlin Clark to just 5-of-20 shooting after the first quarter. In fact, she also entered the WNBA after shooting a career-high 39.8% in her final college season.

So for Johnson, all rivalry seems to be in the past now. In the words of Aliyah Boston, “when you come in and you’re in the gym, and ready to hoop, that is literally all it is, and all the stuff before literally doesn’t matter.”

Aliyah Boston Excited to Reunite With Former Teammate Raven Johnson

Aliyah Boston and Raven Johnson were teammates at the University of South Carolina for two seasons (2021–2023). During their time together, they won one national championship in 2022. They are now reuniting again on the Indiana Fever. And Boston is, of course, excited to have her former teammate around.

After the Indiana Fever drafted Raven Johnson with the No. 10 overall pick, Aliyah Boston immediately took to her Instagram story to express her joy, writing, “Let’s get it Ray Ray. My freshieee babyyyyz.” While speaking on the Post Moves Podcast with Candace Parker, she also further expressed her excitement and even predicted that Johnson will have a strong WNBA career. “I’m happy to have my girl Raven,” she said. “I think Raven is going to have a good W career. I’m excited she gets to start it at the Fever. I’m excited.”

Raven Johnson has, in fact, also returned the favor, calling the reunion a “phenomenal” opportunity to play with her mentor again. As she stated, “Boston taught her what pro habits were, and her leadership, and role model, goes a long way.”

And of course, Aliyah Boston is currently a leading figure on the Indiana Fever team. She alongside Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell make up the core of the team. Perhaps, Raven Johnson will also one day work her way into being a key part of the team too.