It isn't Caitlin Clark.
Fever Coach Stephanie White Did Not Hesitate Naming Indiana's Underappreciated Player originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The Indiana Fever suffered a tough loss to the Los Angeles Sparks on Tuesday, 100-91, which saw their five-game winning streak come to an abrupt end.
Their defense turned out to be the big issue in Tuesday’s loss, as the Fever allowed four out of L.A.’s five starters to score at least 16 points in the game. Collectively, the Sparks shot 56.1% from the floor as they secured their eighth victory in the last 10 games.
Aliyah Boston Steps Up Against Sparks
Three-time All-Star Aliyah Boston did what she could for the Fever. It wasn’t exactly a mind-blowing performance from the 6-foot-5 forward-center, but it was a noteworthy effort nonetheless.
Boston finished the game with 15 points on 6-of-15 shooting, nine rebounds, four assists and a block in 34 minutes of action.
Boston’s performance, however, was overshadowed by Kelsey Mitchell’s incredible 34-point explosion. It was Mitchell who was the star of the show after her offensive onslaught, which, ultimately, was still put to waste as Indiana went home with the loss.
Stephanie White Praises Aliyah Boston
Caitlin Clark is the Fever’s cornerstone superstar. Mitchell, on the other hand, often grabs the attention of fans with her occasional scoring outbursts. In a way, it’s almost easy to overlook how much value Boston brings to the table for this squad.
Fever head coach Stephanie White definitely believes that Boston deserves more credit than she's being given. In a recent interview on ESPN’s “NBA Today” show, White did not hesitate in naming Boston after she was asked which player on the team she feels deserves a bigger spotlight.
"Aliyah Boston, for sure," White said. "She is our backbone. She really is the rock of our team. We utilize her in a different way than she's been utilized throughout the course of her career as a hub.
“She's been a player we can play through. She's been reliable, she's been consistent, she's high IQ. We've asked her to do more on the defensive end and she's stepped up to every single challenge.
“AB is a player who came into this league a low block-dominant player. Now we're putting the ball in her hands. We're utilizing her."
White has taken some criticism throughout the season for her coaching style. Based on the numbers, however, it is clear that Boston has benefited from White’s system.
Boston is currently averaging career-best numbers of 15.5 points and 3.8 assists per game. She’s doing that while logging 30.3 minutes per contest, the lowest of her three-year career.
White clearly has a lot of confidence in Boston, which means that she will very likely remain a centerpiece for Indiana on both ends of the floor, especially with Clark still on the mend.
Related: Caitlin Clark Left Confused by Fever's 'One-of-a-Kind Surprise' for Her Teammate
Related: Fever's Sophie Cunningham, Lexie Hull's New Swimsuit Video Is Blowing Up Online
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Aug 7, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: Basketball
