Dawn Staley reveals what made Aliyah Boston so special

Legendary college basketball coach Dawn Staley had high praise for Aliyah Boston, one of her former players on the South Carolina Gamecocks. Staley has had the chance to coach multiple future stars, including A’ja Wilson, Kamilla Cardoso, and Tiffany Mitchell, to name a few. 

Boston, who led the Gamecocks to the national championship in the 2021-22 NCAA season, left a huge mark on her college coach from the beginning of their relationship. 

The 6-foot-five forward joined the Gamecocks from St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, ahead of the 2019-20 season. Boston made an instant impact on her squad, averaging 12.5 points, 9.4 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 1.3 steals, and 2.6 blocks per game during her freshman year.

While she was putting up solid performances on the court, Boston wasn’t the most vocal person on the roster, which prevented Staley from knowing how intelligent the future No. 1 overall pick was. 

Dawn Staley praises Aliyah Boston’s intelligence 

During a conversation with Boston and WNBA legend Candace Parker, Staley opened up about the forward’s freshman season in college. Staley recalled that Boston didn’t talk much since she was respectful of the senior players and only spoke to her when they talked in private. Those conversations helped Boston get better on the court. 

Aliyah Boston #7 of the Indiana Fever looks on against the Chicago Sky during the second half at the United Center on July 27, 2025.

“I think once we started having those conversations, she started just blossoming, like I mean, she is super smart,” Staley said. “Like she probably came in as the smartest player like ever in the history of our program.”

Boston left college in 2023, and she’s now blossoming into one of the best players in her position in the WNBA. While most people talk about Caitlin Clark, she’s also a pivotal part of the Indiana Fever’s future.