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Aliyah Boston’s been ready for her first WNBA All-Star Game

Aliyah Boston is announced as a starter for Team Wilson in her first WNBA All-Star Game. (Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)

LAS VEGAS — Aliyah Boston flipped her cascading pink and white braids. She hit the stanky leg and flashed a smile.

Then, the WNBA rookie scored the first bucket of the All-Star Game. Boston finished with six points and 11 rebounds in 19 minutes as her Team Wilson ultimately fell to Team Stewart, 143-127, on Saturday night.

Three months ago, Boston was in college. On Saturday, the Indiana Fever star looked at home as her name was announced among the All-Star starters to a cheering Las Vegas arena.

Boston was more than ready for this moment. Not just the All-Star Game, but the league in general.

She was ready when she was taken first overall in the 2023 draft. She was ready when opposing teams triple-teamed her throughout the 2022-23 college season just to attempt to slow her down. Boston was ready during her National Player of the Year campaign in 2021-22, and maybe even before.

The term “pro-ready” has been suctioned to Boston’s name for a long time, and for good reason.

“She was ready in college. And not just during her senior year, before that,” Stanford senior Cameron Brink said. “It doesn’t matter what level she’s playing at. She’s going to be dominant.”

In her rookie season with the Fever, Boston is averaging 15.4 points, 8.4 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.3 blocks and one steal while shooting 61% from the field. That shooting percentage is better than her career and season marks at South Carolina, an amazing feat when you consider the increase in talent from college to the WNBA.

Boston’s physical skills have lent themselves well to the WNBA, where she is able to use her strength to displace defenders and her touch to finish around the rim. It’s a skill set with which anyone who watched or played against Boston at South Carolina is familiar.

Boston has recognized the increased physicality in the WNBA, but it didn’t take the Fever forward long to adjust. Even in her first WNBA game, against the Sun on May 19, she had 15 points, nine rebounds and a block while shooting 60% from the field.

That stat line came against Brionna Jones, one of the league’s top post players, and Boston had no issues with the matchup.

“She is definitely the strongest player I’ve played against,” said Brink, who faced Boston in several high-profile NCAA games, including the 2021 Final Four. “She’s solid. She can will her way to the basket. She has great hands. She’s a great rebounder, and she has a midrange game as well. She’s the prototype low post, honestly.”

Then, there’s the defense. Boston was a two-time Defensive Player of the Year in college, known specifically for her rim protection. She made opposing guards think twice about driving the lane, and posts had to utilize extra creativity to get the ball to the rim.

Her shot-blocking has also translated to the WNBA level, where she averages 1.3 per game, tied for eighth overall in the league.

North Carolina guard Deja Kelly can’t help but laugh when she thinks about playing Boston during her sophomore season.

“I felt bad for my posts,” she said. “They could not move her. She was literally bullying them all game. And they’d laugh if they heard me say that. We were making fun of them.”

Kelly admits that she didn’t fare too well driving against Boston, either.

“She probably got a block or two off on me,” Kelly said. “Her presence is definitely felt when she’s on the court. When we played [South Carolina], our goal was not to drive the paint. I was getting to my midrange, shooting outside shots because I knew better.”

Boston’s seamless transition into the WNBA doesn’t stop with her game skills. The 21-year-old has the mindset of a pro, something that started in college while playing for three-time National Coach of the Year Dawn Staley. She made a point to learn everyone’s assignments on defense and studied aspects of the scouting report that didn’t even apply to her.

That hasn’t changed.

“Aliyah is special, man,” Fever coach Christie Sides said in May. “She wants to learn. She’s asking questions, good questions. She’s watching a lot of video. She’s doing extra work with the coaches.”

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Boston nearly recorded a double-double in her 2023 WNBA debut. (Michael Hickey/Getty Images)

Boston enjoyed her All-Star weekend, accompanied by her parents and older sister. She walked the Orange Carpet in an Adidas set and got her nails painted pink and white to match her hair. She even knocked down a halfcourt shot during practice on Friday.

But she also set out to learn. Surrounded by elite post players, including fellow South Carolina alum and All-Star teammate A’ja Wilson, Boston had role models aplenty.

“When you look at the level of intensity that all of these women play with, it is truly special,” she said. “I really look at all of them to see how I can improve my game, because they all have a lot of experience over me and it’s just nice to see where they’re at right now.”

While Boston looked up to an older generation of posts during All-Star weekend, current college players looked up to her. A few months ago, they were in the same league. Now, Boston is an All-Star starter.

Her success gives them something to aspire to.

“To already be an All-Star is insane,” Kelly said. “She’s out there getting 20 and 10 [in WNBA games], and it’s light work. I think it’s super dope.”

Eden Laase is a Staff Writer at Just Women’s Sports. Follow her on Twitter @eden_laase.

Phoenix Mercury, Golden State Valkyries Ride Upset Wins into the WNBA Weekend

Phoenix Mercury players including Satou Sabally huddle during a 2025 WNBA game against the New York Liberty.
Phoenix rose to No. 3 in the WNBA standings with Thursday's win over New York. (Catalina Fragoso/NBAE via Getty Images)

Two key upsets headlined Thursday's WNBA bill, sending the Phoenix Mercury soaring into third place in the league standings while the No. 6 Golden State Valkyries continued to outwit opponents.

The red-hot Mercury snagged their fourth straight win by taking down the No. 2 New York Liberty 89-81 on Thursday night, overcoming an 35-point performance from two-time MVP Breanna Stewart with five double-digit Phoenix scorers.

Meanwhile out West, the Valkyries stifled a surging No. 7 Fever, downing Indiana 88-77 in part by holding star guard Caitlin Clark to just 3-for-14 from the field — and 0-for-7 from behind the arc.

"We were being disruptive, we know that she doesn't like physicality, we know that she wants to get to that left step-back," Golden State head coach Natalie Nakase said about the Valkyries' strategy to effectively contain Clark.

Though the No. 1 Minnesota Lynx and 2024 WNBA champions New York still hold court atop the table, Thursday's actions proves that other squads are making some unexpected in-roads.

Putting together an impressive road record are the Mercury, who will ride a 4-2 away record into their Saturday matchup against the No. 11 Chicago Sky — the last stop on a four-game road trip that's been perfect for Phoenix thus far.

Already flipping the script on expectations is Golden State, with the 2025 expansion team rising despite relying on a hodgepodge roster as several players compete at EuroBasket 2025. The Valkyries will aim to keep their winning momentum in their Sunday clash with the No. 12 Connecticut Sun.

How to watch the Mercury, Valkyries this weekend

Both of Thursday's victors will be back in action this weekend, with Phoenix facing Chicago at 1 PM ET on Saturday, airing live on ABC.

Then on Sunday, Golden State will host Connecticut at 8:30 PM ET, with live coverage on WNBA League Pass.

Las Vegas Aces Aim to Stop Skid Ahead of Tough WNBA Weekend Matchups

Las Vegas's A'ja Wilson tries to defend a lay-up from Seattle's Gabby Williams during a 2025 WNBA game.
The Las Vegas Aces will face both Seattle and Indiana this weekend. (Rio Giancarlo/Getty Images)

In another weekend full of WNBA action, all eyes are on Las Vegas, as the No. 8 Aces will try to curb a two-game losing streak against two formidable opponents.

A successful weekend for Las Vegas could hinge on three-time WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson's potential return from injury, with the star forward recently upgraded to "questionable" after landing in concussion protocol last week.

Overall, the margin for error has narrowed in the middle of the WNBA pack, as talented teams continue to translate quality performances into consistency.

  • No. 5 Seattle Storm vs. No. 8 Las Vegas Aces, Friday at 10 PM ET (ION): The Aces will try to end their free fall in Friday's head-to-head battle with a Seattle side that can beat anybody at their best.
  • No. 7 Indiana Fever vs. No. 8 Las Vegas Aces, Sunday at 3 PM ET (ESPN): Las Vegas next faces a Fever team still smarting from Thursday's away loss to the Golden State Valkyries, with both teams narrowly clinging to positions above the playoff line.
  • No. 2 New York Liberty vs. No. 5 Seattle Storm, Sunday at 7 PM ET (WNBA League Pass): The Liberty have a comfortable hold on second place, but with two losses in their last three games, New York is flirting with danger entering their Sunday game with Seattle — particularly if star big Jonquel Jones is out after suffering a knock to the ankle on Thursday.

Ultimately, there's no rest for the weary in the WNBA, as a series of difficult matchups can see a single error quickly slide into a losing streak.

NWSL Kicks Off Final Gameday Slate Ahead of Summer Break

The San Diego Wave celebrate a goal by María Sánchez during a 2025 NWSL match.
The San Diego Wave will take on 2024 runners-up Washington on Sunday. (Marcus Ingram/Getty Images)

The final NWSL weekend heading into the league's six-week summer break has arrived, giving teams one more chance to prove themselves before regular-season play pauses to make way for major international tournaments.

With a five-point gap separating No. 1 Kansas City from No. 2 Orlando in the NWSL standings, the Current will enter the break as the 2025 Shield frontrunners regardless of this weekend's results.

Despite Kansas City's grip atop the table, there's still plenty of room for movement both above and below the postseason cutoff line, as clubs across the NWSL look to wrap their midseason finales on a high note:

  • No. 1 Kansas City Current vs. No. 10 Angel City FC, Friday at 8 PM ET (Prime): Angel City has a shot at launching themselves above the cutoff line on Friday, but they'll have to snap the Current's five-game winning streak to make it happen.
  • No. 8 Gotham FC vs. No. 9 Bay FC, Saturday at 7:30 PM ET (ION): Gotham and Bay FC enter the weekend tied on points while staring at each other from on opposite sides of the playoff line — meaning a Saturday win for either club could set the tone for the rest of the 2025 season.
  • No. 3 San Diego Wave FC vs. No. 4 Washington Spirit, Sunday at 10 PM ET (CBS Sports): The weekend's only top-table clash could see San Diego sprint back into second place — unless Washington leapfrogs the upstart Wave to claim the third-place spot.

KPMG Women’s PGA Championship Ups Purse to $12 Million, Ties LPGA Tour Record

Thailand's Jeeno Thitikul hits a shot during the 2025 KPMG Women's PGA Championship.
Thai golfer Jeeno Thitikul is in the lead after one round at the 2025 KPMG Women's PGA Championship. (Sam Hodde/Getty Images)

The LPGA Tour has turned its attention to Texas, with the 2025 KPMG Women's PGA Championship — the third major of the pro golf season — teeing off in Frisco to a flurry of first-round action on Thursday.

All of the sport's Top 100 athletes are participating in this week's event, including No. 1 Nelly Korda, who sits in a 14th-place tie with an even-par first-round performance, and surging US dark horse No. 50 Lexi Thompson, who tied for 10th in her Thursday return from a brief retirement.

However, leading the pack heading into Friday's second round is Thailand's world No. 2 Jeeno Thitikul, who finished the first day of competition atop the leaderboard with a score of 4-under-par.

Australia's No. 24 Minjee Lee also posted a strong start, capping Thursday at 3-under to sit in second place.

While the sport's best chase victory on the links, the 2025 KPMG Women's PGA Championship is already making history off the green.

Not only is it the first-ever women's major to tee off at Frisco's Fields Ranch East, the tournament also increased its purse to $12 million on Tuesday — nearly tripling the $4.5 million prize pool from just four years ago and tying the US Women's Open for the LPGA Tour's highest payout in the process.

How to watch the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship

The third LPGA Grand Slam of 2025 continues through Sunday.

Friday's second round will air live on the Golf Channel, while coverage of Saturday and Sunday's final rounds will air across NBC and Peacock.

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