Aliyah Boston caught heat this week after a viral moment from the Indiana Fever’s matchup with the Minnesota Lynx.
In the third quarter, teammate Lexie Hull took a hard elbow to the face from Kayla McBride. Hull went down right away, and cameras caught Boston standing a few feet away with her hand over her mouth, visibly shocked but not moving toward her teammate. Clips of the scene spread fast, with plenty of fans ripping her for not stepping in.
Not everyone agreed with the backlash. Jason Whitlock, the veteran talk show host, defended her approach.
“Honestly, this is what I like and have come to respect about Aliyah Boston,” Whitlock said. “She’s a very good player who has maintained her femininity. She’s not an enforcer. She’s a young Christian woman. That’s her lane. She stays in it. #Respect.”
Boston has never been the type to jump into scuffles. Her game has always been about staying composed, even when things get heated. Hull managed to stay in after the foul, though she finished with just six points on 2-for-10 shooting. McBride, meanwhile, drew a technical but avoided ejection. It’s also worth noting Natasha Howard was closer to the play and didn’t step in either.
Historic night for Aliyah Boston and the Fever amid Caitlin Clark absence
On Tuesday, the narrative shifted. With Caitlin Clark sidelined due to injury, the Fever leaned on Boston in a key matchup against the Seattle Storm.
The game doubled as a promotional night for Clark’s new Nike logo, with every seat at Gainbridge Fieldhouse draped with a shirt featuring the design. But it was Boston who stole the show on the court, powering Indiana to a 95-75 win that pushed their record to 20-18.
Boston delivered 27 points, nine rebounds, and three assists — and etched her name into franchise history. According to the Fever, she became the youngest player in team history to reach 1,000 career rebounds.
Entering the night, the 2023 Rookie of the Year was averaging 15.2 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 3.6 assists, shooting nearly 55% from the field and close to 78% from the line. Tuesday’s milestone only reinforced her growing status as the Fever’s anchor.
For more basketball content, click on Hardwood Heroics. Sabel Reyes can be reached through sabelreyes22@gmail.com. Other websites under the Sports Heroics umbrella are Gridiron Heroics and Wisconsin Heroics.
Sabel has been working as a field reporter for People’s Television Network (PTV), mainly about the Philippine Basketball Association since 2016 and has been elevated to Executive Producer for sports in 2022. Aside from being on top of the Philippine sports scene, she is also a running enthusiast. You can also follow her on X at @SabelReyes2 and Instagram at @msabelreyes.
