Staley’s challenge to Indy.
Dawn Staley Puts Pressure on Indiana Over Fever All-Star originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The Indiana Fever enter Tuesday's matchup with the Connecticut Sun coming off back-to-back wins and a 4-2 record in July, including their first-ever Commissioner's Cup Championship on July 1, downing the top-ranked Minnesota Lynx 74-59.
Yet it was a more personal storyline that captured Boston-area headlines this week.
On Monday, at the Massachusetts State House, Governor Maura Healey and City Councilor Brian Worrell officially proclaimed it "Aliyah Boston Day," honoring the Fever’s 23‑year‑old forward/center for her journey from St. Thomas (U.S. Virgin Islands) to Massachusetts prep school standout and now WNBA All‑Star.
Boston starred at Worcester Academy after relocating at age 12, then dominated under coach Dawn Staley at South Carolina, winning back‑to‑back NCAA titles in 2022 and 2023.
The "Aliyah Boston Day" proclamation was followed by a social‑media call‑out from Staley herself, who posted on X, "WE ARE ALL WITNESSES OF @aa_boston GREATNESS!! Congrats AB! Columbia and Indy you’re on the clock!"
WE ARE ALL WITNESSES OF @aa_boston GREATNESS!! Congrats AB! Columbia and Indy you’re on the clock! https://t.co/a5QxFaOm7h
— dawnstaley (@dawnstaley) July 15, 2025
The No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 WNBA Draft, Boston won Rookie of the Year honors that season and has been selected to each All‑Star Game since entering the league. This year, she’s averaging 16.2 points, 7.9 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.1 blocks per game, leading the league in field goal percentage (58.3%).
Off the court, she’s joining Boston Legacy FC, a National Women’s Soccer League expansion team scheduled to kick off in 2026, as an investor alongside figures like Aly Raisman and Elizabeth Banks.
Staley’s post, urging both Boston’s college hometown of Columbia, South Carolina and her professional home of Indianapolis to similarly honor her with special days, adds a lighthearted pressure on city leadership to recognize a player whom Staley once called one of the best all‑around talents she's ever coached.
As the Fever resume play on Tuesday at TD Garden in Boston, fans will witness a special homecoming as Indiana continues its playoff push ahead of WNBA All-Star weekend.
Related: Lexie Hull Shares Honest Take on Playing Without Caitlin Clark
Related: New DeWanna Bonner Update Emerges After Release From Indiana Fever
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 15, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: Basketball
