By Madie Chandler | FeverBasketball.com
Aliyah Boston, the WNBA’s most recent Eastern Conference Player of the Week, has found her groove.
The reigning Rookie of the Year and 2023 WNBA All-Star starter had a tough start to the season after leading the league in field goal percentage as a rookie. Her numbers dropped from 57.8 percent of her shots finding the bottom of the net last season to 43 percent through the first 10 games of the 2024 season as the Fever played a historically difficult schedule.
But that didn’t stop Boston from supporting her team in different ways.
“I’m just focusing on showing up each and every day,” Boston said. “Just continue to do what the team needs and I think it’s going to fall…It’s been a rough start but [I’m] blessed that we have more games to go.”
The Fever are 4-2 in their last six games, and Boston’s field goal percentage in those contests is up to 55 percent – a 12 percent improvement from the first 10 contests of the season. Boston is putting up 12.9 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game for Indiana and she’s one of the WNBA’s top-13 rebounders and shot blockers per contest.
Boston’s commitment to her team and perseverance through the rocky start to her sophomore season led into a remarkable turnaround in her last few games. Over Indiana’s last four games, Boston is averaging 20.5 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game. Not only this, but Boston connected on 60.7 percent of her shots in those same four games.
Indiana’s latest outing – a win against Washington on Wednesday – saw Boston hit eight of her 11 shot attempts, good for a 72.7 percent shooting night. She continues to gel with rookie Caitlin Clark, and hopes to perfect the pick-and-roll game alongside her new point guard.
“Caitlin does a great job of finding me,” Boston said. “…I think that’s something that we just continue to build over games and practices and just continue to get a feel for each other. I’m super excited for where it’s at now.”
That connection between teammates has helped Boston seize confidence in Indiana’s recent matchups, and she shows no indication of slowing down.
“[I’m] just really happy with where she is and what she’s done our last few games,” coach Christie Sides said. “She’s been confident…and she’s taking ownership. And that’s what I need her to do.”
Though Boston’s 47.7 percent season success rate from the field is low by her own standards, she still finds herself 18th in the league by that mark.
Boston hopes to roll her recent on-court success into a return to the WNBA All-Star roster that will take on Team USA in July. If her latest numbers are any indication of the rest of the month of June, she deserves to take the court in Phoenix.
“When she (Boston) wasn’t playing well, she just was more concerned that she was letting the team down,” Sides said. “And so she just got in the gym…She went into business mode. And she’s just been business-like and doing what this team needs. She’s been a focal point. She’s knocking down shots, she’s shooting a high percentage.”
Boston is contributing on the defensive end too, as she leads the Fever in blocks per game with 1.2 nightly stuffs. Her ability to protect the rim lands Indiana at fifth in the WNBA in blocks per game – a mark the Fever hope to maintain as they ramp up defensive intensity.
Boston looks to extend her stretch of success on Friday as the Fever travel to Atlanta to take on the Dream. If she continues to produce with a business-like swagger, Boston should find herself suiting up against Team USA in July.