South Carolina basketball star Aliyah Boston goes No. 1 in WNBA Draft

Welcome to the pros, Aliyah Boston.

The Indiana Fever selected the star South Carolina forward first overall in Monday’s WNBA Draft, putting a bow on one of the most decorated careers in Gamecocks history and women’s college basketball at large.

Boston — a 6-foot-5 forward who appeared in three Final Fours, made three AP All-America first teams and won a 2022 national championship at USC — is the second No. 1 pick in school history. She joins Las Vegas Aces forward A’ja Wilson, who was picked first in 2018.

Widely considered the top prospect in her class months before the 2023 draft, Boston will be expected to provide an immediate offensive and defensive boost to the Fever, who were a league-worst 5-31 last season and haven’t made the WNBA playoffs since 2016. Boston told the ESPN broadcast after being drafted she was “very excited” for a professional career poised to start in just over a month with the Fever’s May 19 season opener.

“I mean, it’s really special,” Boston said. “I think a lot of people know my story, but my parents made a big sacrifice allowing me and my sister move away from home at (ages) 12 and 14. ... To see their hard work pay off, it’s just a blessing from God.”

Boston, who never missed a game in her South Carolina career, went 129-9 in four seasons with the Gamecocks while winning three SEC regular season and tournament championships apiece, appearing in three consecutive Final Fours and sweeping the national player of the year awards in 2022.

The former five-star recruit averaged 14.1 points, 10.8 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game for her career while accepting a reduced role during South Carolina’s 2022-23 season, which ended with a Final Four loss to national runner-up Iowa earlier this month.

Before that, USC had gone 36-0 and set a school record for single-season wins with Boston, the reigning national player of the year, scoring 13.0 points per game (her lowest since freshman year) and finishing just 21% of her team’s plays. That was the lowest usage rate by a No. 1 overall pick since UConn’s Sue Bird in 2001-02, per ESPN.

Speaking to reporters earlier this week, Indiana Fever general manager Lin Dunn raved about Boston’s game when asked about the qualities that would make her successful at the next level.

“I’ve watched her play very closely this year,” Dunn said. “Her size, her basketball IQ, her character, her leadership skills. She just brings an enormous amount to the table. And I really think she’s going to have, whether she’s picked first, second or third, she’s going to have an immediate impact on this league.”

Boston could have returned to South Carolina for a fifth and final “COVID year” of eligibility in 2022-23 and remained coy about her decision all season, telling reporters after USC’s March 31 Final Four loss to Iowa: “Haven’t decided as of yet.” She formally declared for the draft a day later.

Boston told reporters Monday the decision “took a lot of thought.”

“If I could go back to South Carolina again, I absolutely would because it was so much fun,” she said. “But I just knew I had to do what was best for me, and I definitely think (that was ) coming to the league. I say that just because I’ve always wanted to do this. I’ve always wanted to be a professional basketball player and I just felt like this moment was right.”

Boston is one of only 10 players in NCAA women’s history to be named a first-team AP All American in three separate seasons. She’s also the first player in SEC history to be named league defensive player of the year in four separate seasons and leaves USC holding 14 program career records.

In a post-draft interview, Boston also paid tribute to her family, friends and supporters in her hometown of St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands; dozens of them watched her draft selection from 1,600 miles away.

“I’m just really thankful for everybody at home,” an emotional Boston said before pausing to compose herself. “I’m ready to be that role model for you guys.”

Boston (who will reunite with former USC teammate Destanni Henderson with the Fever) became the 14th all-time South Carolina player drafted into the WNBA and 10th under longtime coach Dawn Staley.

“She’s helped a lot,” Boston said of Staley. “I think she’s just helped me be the player that I am right now. Over the past four years she has been able to help guide my steps into what it is to be a pro, guide my habits, and for her to be in the crowd with the rest of our South Carolina crew is just amazing.”

As for Boston’s next step?

“It feels really great to be in the league playing against the best women’s basketball players ever, and I really just hope to continue to grow the Fever basketball,” Boston said. “I think we’re going to do really great things this year, and I’m just super excited for it.”

WNBA rookie salary

As the No. 1 pick in the draft, Boston will make $74,305 in base salary in 2022-23, according to the most recent collective bargaining agreement between the WNBA and WNBA Players Association.

Under the league’s 2023 rookie pay scale, Boston’s salary will jump to $75,792 in the second year of her contract and $83,371 in her third. The Fever can pick up a fourth-year option for Boston a base salary of $94,470 in 2026.

Indiana Fever schedule

The WNBA season starts soon: Indiana has two preseason games May 7 and 13 and tips off the regular season Friday May 19 at home against the Connecticut Sun. The Fever will play closest to South Carolina when they travel to face the Atlanta Dream on Sunday, May 28.