As it turns out, Aliyah Boston actually went through the 2026 WNBA season while not fully fit. And while the Indiana Fever only disclosed that she was dealing with a “right lower leg injury,” regularly listing her on the injury report under that generic label, the team never specifically divulged that she had a lateral meniscus tear, an injury that has now warranted surgery. For WNBA broadcaster Robin Lundberg, that lack of transparency is quite frustrating.
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Reacting to the Indiana Fever’s update revealing that Boston had undergone surgery to repair the injury, Lundberg criticized the organization for not being more forthcoming about the specifics of her condition. He argued that knowing the exact nature of the injury would have provided a clearer picture of the challenges Boston faced throughout the campaign.
“So more or less, AB was playing hurt all season. I do have some criticism that comes as a result of that,” Lundberg said on his YouTube channel.
“One, I just wish the organization had been more transparent about it personally… it was right lower leg injury or whatever all season long. That was what it was determined and said to be. But we never knew what the injury that she clearly suffered in Unrivaled…
“She was out of some games and back-to-back. She left some games early. I think Scott Agnes [Fever beat reporter] reported that it was the meniscus. But that part of it is a little annoying. I don’t see why there can’t be transparency there,” he added.
As shared by the Indiana Fever, Boston underwent a right knee arthroscopy to repair the lateral meniscus on Wednesday, with the procedure proving successful. The surgery was performed by Dr. Corey Kendall at OrthoIndy, and Boston is set to begin the rehabilitation process with the Fever’s medical and performance team.
As indicated by Lundberg, Boston originally sustained the injury in February 2026 while playing in the offseason Unrivaled three-on-three league, which forced her to miss the Unrivaled postseason and Team USA’s FIBA World Cup qualifying games. She subsequently played through recurring pain throughout the WNBA season, forcing the Fever to manage her minutes and contributing to her missing four regular-season games.
The knee even flared up significantly during the regular-season finale against the Minnesota Lynx, causing her to exit early. She also entered the first-round playoff series against the Las Vegas Aces listed as questionable and was clearly not playing at 100% physical fitness.
Playing in that regular-season finale against the Minnesota Lynx was, in fact, one decision that Lundberg found particularly questionable. Given that the Fever were aware Boston was managing an underlying meniscus injury, he questioned the wisdom of allowing her to play in a game that had little significance to their postseason position, especially with the playoffs looming just days later.
“Why did she play in the last game of the season against the Lynx?” Lundberg said. “I think she only played 13 minutes of that game. You can make the argument for the others, for Rhythm or whatever. Why the hell was Aliyah Boston in that game?”
But then, the injury update also highlights just how impressive Boston’s season was despite her physical limitations. She averaged a career-high 16.1 points per game during the 2026 regular season.
Even with a compromised right knee, her shooting efficiency remained impressive. Boston shot 52.8% from the field and a stellar 40.6% from three-point range during the regular season, improving those figures to 58.1% from the field and 45.5% from three-point range in the playoffs.
Perhaps the most optimistic takeaway is that Boston could enter the 2027 season healthier and better prepared to perform at her best. If her production during the 2026 campaign is any indication of what she can accomplish while dealing with an injury, a fully fit Boston could give the Fever an even greater presence in the frontcourt next season.