Editor’s Note: This story is part of a series from SB Nation profiling the 2025 WNBA All-Star teams. Today, let’s get to know Aliyah Boston.
When Fever head coach Stephanie White made it a priority coming into the season to have Aliyah Boston be the hub of the offense, she couldn’t have known how important a decision that would be.
“I think sometimes when we use the term hub, oftentimes they think passing all the time and it’s not. It’s using her to get into another action,” White said of Boston during the preseason. “I want her to be a little bit more selfish in that from that standpoint, but I think that’s going to come. It’s going to come when she gets more comfortable in her reads.”
A pair of injuries to Caitlin Clark has limited her to just 12 games in the first half of the season for the Fever, and will now hold her out of the All-Star game. In her place, Boston found that comfort and has become the engine that has kept the Fever churning along without their other No. 1 pick.
The third-year center is having a career year nearly across the board and while Indiana has had predictable speed bumps with Clark sidelined, Boston has been a central reason as to why the Fever have not only been able to keep hold of the rope, but thrive, even winning the Commissioner’s Cup without Clark.
After a slow start to her 2024 campaign, Boston has had a much quicker and more efficient start to 2025. She’s averaging a career-best 16 points per game while shooting 56.3% from the field, a mark that has her fourth in the league in field goal percentage.
While so much of her game last season was centered around the pick and roll with Clark, she’s still found a way to be productive without her running mate this year. In her 11 games prior to the All-Star break — five of which came with Clark on the sideline — Boston averaged 17.5 points and 7 rebounds while still shooting 53.3% on 12.5 shots per game.
That last mark is one of the key numbers as it’s one of the biggest indicators of her increased load without Clark. For her career, Boston averages 10.8 shots per game. But with Clark out, Boston has shouldered the load, even pouring in a career-high 31 points during the aforementioned stretch.
And as much as she’s helped the Fever steady the ship with her scoring, it’s been her playmaking that has been the biggest difference this season. When White spoke about Boston being the offensive hub in the preseason, her ability to be a playmaker was as much of a focus as any other aspect of Boston’s game.
That’s manifested itself in the ball being in her hands more than ever this season. Her usage rate (21.5%) and assist percentage (21.7%) are at career-high levels, while her turnover percentage (10.2%) is the lowest of her brief time in the WNBA.
In short, the Fever are asking more than ever from Boston and she’s answering the bell.
It’s been vital this season, too. One of the only consistent things about Indiana’s season has been Boston. Clark has moved in and out of the lineup and while fellow All-Star Kelsey Mitchell leads the team in scoring, her efficiency has wavered throughout the season.
DeWanna Bonner, brought in as the steadying veteran, lasted all of nine games before asking for her release from the team. Sophie Cunningham has similarly battled injuries this season, and Natasha Howard has oscillated between strong games — like winning the Commissioner’s Cup MVP — and quiet outings.
Amidst all the peaks and valleys, the metronome of all the Fever success this season has been Boston.
The hope for Indiana is that, whenever Clark can get back in the fold heading into the second half of the season, Boston’s strong season can be amplified alongside her running mate. In general, Indiana is looking for things to click into place after entering the year with expectations to contend for a title.
In a season in which they’ve searched for solutions for their many problems, the one thing the Fever have found is that Boston can be the engine that pushes them along.
