NEW YORK — South Carolina Gamecocks great Aliyah Boston has been named the Kia WNBA Rookie of the Year.
The league announced the honor Monday morning for Boston, who plays for the league's Indiana Fever. The vote for the award was unanimous.
Boston, a 6'5" forward was also named to the WNBA All-Rookie Team. This follows the award she won a few weeks ago when she was named the Associated Press WNBA Rookie of the Year.
The No. 1 pick in the draft started every game for Indiana averaging 14.5 points, 8.4 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 1.3 blocks. She shot 57.8% from the field and became the first rookie to lead the league in that stat.
A 60-person national media panel made the choice. Boston became the first rookie to be chosen on every ballot since A'ja Wilson--another Gamecock-- did it in 2018. Boston became the second Fever player to ever win the award, joining Tamika Catchings.
The Fever won 13 games this past season — more than double what they did last year. Indiana missed out on the playoffs for the seventh consecutive year, but have the best chance at winning the draft lottery and getting the No. 1 pick again.
Boston played four years for South Carolina, where she was the National Player of the Year in 2022, the second Gamecock (Wilson) to receive that honor. She was also a three-time First Team All-American and a two-Team Naismith Defensive Player of the Year.
While a member of the Gamecocks, she helped lead the team to the 2022 National Championship, the second in school history. The Gamecocks also went to the Woman's Final Four three times, including last April.
