The Indiana Fever picked Aliyah Boston first overall in the WNBA Draft as the South Carolina Gamecocks made history with five players selected - including three in the first 10 picks.
The Fever spent their first No.1 draft pick in franchise history on the exceptional Boston, who led the Gamecocks to the National Championship in her junior year while she lost just nine games across her collegiate career. Boston was a three-time AP All-American and also the Player of the Year in her junior year.
In 2022, Boston swept all the National Player of the Year awards while she tallied 82 career double-doubles at South Carolina - the second-most in SEC history behind just Sylvia Fowles (86). The 21-year-old became the second top overall pick to come from the Gamecocks programme, joining two-time WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson after the Las Vegas Aces picked her in 2018.
“It’s really special, I’m thankful to God for putting me in this position,” Boston said. “Everyone in Indiana, they saw something in me, I’m ready to get there and get to work.”
Boston was one of three South Carolina stars taken in the first round as Laeticia Amihere went eighth overall to Atlanta Dream and the Los Angeles Sparks selected Zia Cooke 10th overall. It’s the 10th time that three players from the same team were drafted in the opening round - and the first since Oregon had three in 2020.
“It’s an amazing experience really, because this group of girls have been through life together,” Amihere said. “These four years haven’t been only about basketball.
“Being able to be with them on one of our biggest nights is an amazing experience.”
The trio were later joined by Brea Beal and Victaria Saxton, who were selected 24th and 25th overall by the Minnesota Lynx and Fever respectively as the Gamecocks enjoyed its best draft in history. South Carolina became the fourth programme to have at least five players selected in a single draft, joining Notre Dame (2019) and Tennessee (1999 and 2008).
Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley is one of the most decorated players and coaches in the sport’s history, and she was in attendance to witness the feat in New York on Monday night. Four of her players went 129-9 during their tenure with the programme and advanced to three successive Final Four appearances.
Boston was appreciative of the moment and praised the Gamecocks’ determination, adding: “Just the way that we compete and the way that we work. I think we have all just put in a lot of work. For us all to be at this draft is just something that's really special.”
