In April, Aliyah Boston was the Indiana Fever’s first Incorrect. 1 draft select. Monday, she used to be named the franchise’s 2nd WNBA Rookie of the Date.
She is the 5th participant to win the dignity unanimously, becoming a member of A’ja Wilson (2018), Elena Delle Donne (2013), Tina Charles (2010) and Candace Parker (2008). Boston were given all 60 votes from a media panel.
She is the 3rd participant out of South Carolina to be named the league’s manage rookie, along side Wilson and Allisha Grey (2017). Boston used to be the 6th rookie to be selected an All-Superstar starter.
Boston led the WNBA’s all-rookie group, which additionally integrated Seattle Hurricane safe/ahead Jordan Horston (from Tennessee), Minnesota Lynx forwards Dorka Juhász (UConn) and Diamond Miller (Maryland), and Washington Mystics safe Li Meng (China).
Boston, a 6-foot-5 heart/ahead, began each recreation for the 13-27 Fever, averaging 14.5 issues, 8.4 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.3 prevented photographs. Her 57.8 taking pictures proportion from the grassland made her the primary rookie to govern the league in that division for a season. She completed with 11 double-doubles.
“I feel like over games, I was able to adjust, especially playing teams the second or third time around,” Boston mentioned. “I’m very proud of myself because as a rookie coming into this league, it is very hard.”
The Fever’s alternative Rookie of the Date used to be Tamika Catchings in 2002. She used to be drafted Incorrect. 3 in 2001 however didn’t play games that season because of a knee trauma that upfront ended her faculty occupation at Tennessee. Catchings went directly to have an excellent WNBA occupation for the Fever; they have got now not made the playoffs since she retired in 2016.
Below first-year tutor Christie Aspects, the Fever made advance this season, attaining double-digit wins for simply the second one occasion within the extreme seven years. Boston used to be a weighty a part of that and of the Fever’s past. They’ll be a draft lottery group in 2024, too, and feature the most productive odds of having the Incorrect. 1 select once more.
“Thinking about our future as a team, I just think we’re going to grow this franchise,” Boston mentioned. “We’re going to continue to build it up.”