ESPN shocked fans when they learned that South Carolina basketball star Aliyah Boston wasn’t invited to the ESPYs on Wednesday night even though she’s nominated for the “Best College Athlete, Women’s Sports” award.
The network told The State that the reason the Naismith Player of the Year didn’t receive an invitation is because her award is not part of the televised schedule.
“We have the utmost respect for Aliyah Boston, Dawn Staley and the South Carolina Gamecocks,” ESPN said in a statement. “Due to both COVID restrictions and a new venue with much less seating capacity than previous shows, ‘The 2022 ESPYs’ prioritized athlete invitations to focus on specific awards that will be handed out during the broadcast.”
