Drafted first total by the Indiana Fever in 2023, Aliyah Boston turns into the third South Carolina Gamecock in historical past to win the WNBA Rookie of the 12 months Award. Previous to the beginning of the season, Boston was the favored to win the award with +150 odds.
Aliyah Boston was a star on the College of South Carolina
2023 #WNBADraft
No. 1: Aliyah Boston (IND)No. 10: Zia Cooke (LA) No. 24: Brea Beal (MIN) pic.twitter.com/EqFXK5zbXP
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) April 11, 2023
Indiana Fever’s Aliyah Boston was named the 2023 WNBA Rookie of the 12 months this week. She is the primary participant to win the award unanimously since former South Carolina Gamecock A’ja Wilson, in 2018. A four-year collegiate participant, Boston was a 4x All-SEC First Workforce, 4x SEC Defensive Participant of the 12 months, and 2x Nationwide Participant of the 12 months. Beneath head coach Daybreak Staley, Boston helped South Carolina seize their first NCAA Championship since 2017. At South Carolina, she gained the Honda Cup Collegiate Athlete of the 12 months and leads the College in a number of statistical classes.
All through her illustrious collegiate profession, Boston is the chief in profession rebounds (1,493), each offensive (518) and defensive (975). Moreover, she holds the document for essentially the most triple-doubles (2), double-doubles (82), video games began (138), and consecutive video games began (138). In her four-years at South Carolina, the guy Gamecock broke a number of data within the SEC. She additionally retains the document for essentially the most rebounds in profession NCAA Match video games (199) and has essentially the most offensive rebounds in NCAA Profession Match video games (70). No. 4 was named the 2022 NCAA Last 4 Most Excellent Participant after defeating UConn 64-49 within the NCAA Girls’s Basketball Nationwide Championship Sport. One of many biggest ladies to ever play on the collegiate stage, Boston led the Gamecocks to a 129-9 document.
Aliyah turns into the third Gamecock to win the award, subsequent to A’ja Wilson and Allisha Grey.
Boston was chosen first total by the Indiana Fever
the primary choose within the 2023 @WNBA Draft, excessive expectations adopted Aliyah Boston the second she stepped foot in Indianapolis.
from day one, she delivered.
listed below are the moments that solidified Aliyah Boston because the 2023 @WNBA Rookie of the 12 months. pic.twitter.com/LhCeYNW9li
— Indiana Fever (@IndianaFever) October 2, 2023
Aliyah Boston was the No. 1 choose within the 2023 WNBA Draft, chosen by the Indiana Fever. As soon as Champions in 2012, the Fever have not made a put up season run because the 2016 season. In 2022, Indiana completed with a 5-31 win-loss document, and gained the 2023 WNBA Draft Lottery. Subsequent in line have been the Minnesota Lynx, Atlanta Dream, and Washington Mystics. The number of Aliyah Boston introduced a lot anticipation and optimism to Indiana.
The Fever have not had a sensational star since Tamika Catchings since her retirement in 2016. Indiana chosen Aliyah Boston with excessive expectations that the franchise would get a direct impression participant. With that stated, No. 4 definitely did not’ disappoint.
No. 4 was the favourite to win the 2023 WNBA Rookie of the 12 months Award
Extra WBB progress — that is the primary time in any season I’ve ever seen odds for WNBA Rookie of the 12 months pic.twitter.com/t9dX0kvg1J
— Calvin Wetzel (@cwetzel31) Could 4, 2023
Previous to the beginning of the WNBA season in Could, Aliyah Boston was favored to win the WNBA Rookie of the 12 months with +150 odds. 5 South Carolina Gamecocks have been chosen on draft night time, together with No. 8 Laeticia Amihere, No. 10 Zia Cooke, No. 24 Brea Beal, and No. 25 Victoria Saxton.
South Carolina joins Notre Dame and Tennessee as the one three applications to have 5 picks chosen in a draft night time. She is the second participant in Fever franchise historical past to win the award, subsequent to Tamika Catchings.
Boston shines in her rookie season
There have been excessive expectations for the ahead heading into the 2023 season, and for sure, she did not disappoint. By way of 40 video games, Boston averaged 14.5 factors per recreation, 8.4 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.3 steals. The Fever sensation shot 74.5 % from the free-throw line, and 57.8 % from the sphere. Boston completed No. 8, tied with Jonquel Jones for complete rebounds. Offensively, she was no. 2 within the WNBA in rebounds, and was barely outdoors the highest ten in defensive boards. As a rookie, Boston was seventh in effectivity, and once more was tied with Jones for blocks. No 4. lead the whole league in discipline purpose share at 57.8 %.
This season, Aliyah Boston led all rookies in discipline purpose share, minutes, all defensive classes, steals, blocks, effectivity, and complete factors. Moreover, the rookie was first in discipline objectives tried and made, together with free-throw makes an attempt and made.
Poised to be a bona fide star within the WNBA, Boston was chosen to her first All-Star recreation, and develop into the sixth rookie in historical past to start out. On the finish of the season, Boston was named to the WNBA’s all-rookie workforce, together with Dorka Juhász Diamond Miller, Li Meng, and Jordan Horston. Standing at 6 foot 5, 220 kilos, she has the scale and energy to be dominate repeatedly. Not one rookie got here near competing with Boston statistically and thru playstyle. Though the Indiana Fever completed 13-26, sixth within the Japanese Convention, Boston continued to have a historic rookie season. She was named Rookie of the Month 3 times and was named Participant of the Week in June.
Aliyah Boston is filled with gratitude after being named the 2023 @WNBA Rookie of the 12 months. ❤️
“It’s actually a blessing to have gained Rookie of the 12 months.” pic.twitter.com/0mGw17tVEP
— Indiana Fever (@IndianaFever) October 2, 2023
The long run is brilliant for the Indiana Fever
The Fever might have had one other dropping season; nonetheless, they maintain a prime lottery choose within the 2024 WNBA draft. The extraordinary stage of expertise, which incorporates Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers, Cameron Brink, and Angel Reese brings a stage of pleasure to the league. Along with the highest 4, there may be an array of expertise by way of twelve draft slots. Boston is the primary rookie in historical past to have over 500 factors and 300 rebounds. She acquired 60 unanimous votes, all from nationwide broadcasters and writers.
“It’s so particular, and it’s actually a blessing to have gained Rookie of the 12 months,” stated Boston in a clip featured on twitter. It is among the objectives that I set for myself at the start of the season, and to have the ability to accomplish it with God’s assist was wonderful. [I am] So grateful for my teammates, as a result of they’re actually in a position to put me within the place. Thanks to my coaches as a result of they encourage me, however that is actually such a blessing. I am tremendous excited.”
Tamika Catchings has handed the torch on to Aliyah Boston, who will proceed to thrive and develop within the WNBA. She is simply the fifth participant in historical past to win the award unanimously.
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Sara Jane Gamelli is a full-time Sportswriter at Ballislife, and a Sports activities Content material Creator on Twitch and TikTok. She has a concentrate on the NBA, WNBA, NCAA Basketball, and the NFL. Sara Jane at present resides in Connecticut together with her Cat and Canine. SJ has her undergraduate diploma from the College of Connecticut in Economics, with a minor in enterprise administration.
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