November 22, 2025 • 7 mins
Former #1 pick in the 2023 WNBA Draft, and 3-time WNBA All-Star, 2-time SEC Player of the Year and current indiana Fever star player Aliyah Boston joins us to talk about wrapping up her third season in the WNBA, all her success in college playing at South Carolina, and achieving so much in here career at just age 23.
Aliyah also discusses her work with Lilly, the YMCA of Greater Indianapolis, and the Indiana Fever in supporting Lilly's The Court is Hers, a program dedicated to creating more opportunities for girls to play and thrive in basketball. Girls interested in joining the Winter YMCA Basketball League can learn more at indymca.org using the promo code HERCOURT at checkout, to ensure you’re not paying registration fees which are covered only at YMCA of Greater Indianapolis locations.
Aliyah also discusses her work with Lilly, the YMCA of Greater Indianapolis, and the Indiana Fever in supporting Lilly's The Court is Hers, a program dedicated to creating more opportunities for girls to play and thrive in basketball. Girls interested in joining the Winter YMCA Basketball League can learn more at indymca.org using the promo code HERCOURT at checkout, to ensure you’re not paying registration fees which are covered only at YMCA of Greater Indianapolis locations.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Roll alogue here and joining us right now. My goodness.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
I mean, the resume goes on and on and on.
One of the greatest basketball players in the world, I'll say,
three time WNBA All Star, named to the All WA Team,
All Defensive Team, was Rookie of the Year. She was
a two time at what SEC Player the Year, four
time first Team All see see, the resume goes on
and on. She joins us now remember the Indiana Fever,
(00:25):
proud South Carolina gamecockawm. She has a Leiah Boston Aliah.
Welcome in. Thanks so much for taking something.
Speaker 1 (00:29):
Thank you, thank you for having me.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Now you're doing some great work right now in your community.
Of course, the season, you know just said it not
too long ago, and you're working with Lily the court
is Hers. You're helping young girls play and thrive in basketball.
Uh we'll get to that in a second. But I
just ask, like, what are you doing right now? Season
wrapped up? Like, are you getting any downtime here?
Speaker 3 (00:49):
Yeah? I got about two weeks.
Speaker 4 (00:51):
I have about two weeks downtown down whoa, I got
about two weeks downtime. Took a little trip, visited my family,
but really I've just been in the gym working out.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
It's uh, it's gotta be a lot of fun to
I mean, look, you'll take deep playoff fronts right over early.
Speaker 1 (01:07):
I'll always take that so every time.
Speaker 2 (01:10):
Uh so you got to see your old squad last
week South Carolina. They took the other us.
Speaker 1 (01:17):
Thank you. How cool is that to see? I mean,
Down just keeps this thing rolling.
Speaker 3 (01:21):
She really does. I mean it's excited. I love going
to watch any type of game Cock games.
Speaker 4 (01:26):
I'm always going to be pro game Cocks, and so
anytime I get a chance to go see them, I'm
I'm down.
Speaker 1 (01:32):
Yeah, it's uh, it was good to see it. And
they pulled the way.
Speaker 2 (01:34):
And then I heard on your podcast with Candas Parker
you were talking mad trash.
Speaker 3 (01:37):
Huh oh, I was.
Speaker 4 (01:39):
That's my job when I'm on the sideline, my goal
is to just not get kicked out, but talk as
much trash as I can.
Speaker 3 (01:44):
And I think I accomplished both of those.
Speaker 1 (01:47):
I love that.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
I mean, look, you can't be you could be a
former player, but you're not gonna sew in your hands
and yeah, you got you gotta get into it. How
are you liking doing the podcast with Candor? Candace post
moves really really, I love it.
Speaker 3 (01:59):
I love it.
Speaker 4 (01:59):
I think it's just been such a great opportunity and
it's been pretty fun and I literally enjoy every episode.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
I think it's been so fun. You know, it's it's
I don't know what a other way to describe it.
Over the last seven to eight years, women's basketball on
the college front and in the WNBA front has just
had this I wouldn't even call it surge. It's just
surge of national excitement and attention and more and more
people are getting into it.
Speaker 1 (02:24):
Can you quantify or qualify why this is?
Speaker 2 (02:26):
I mean, we're it's quality basketball at both levels, star
players now more than ever. You can you explain why
this thing continues to blow up as big as it is.
Speaker 4 (02:35):
Yeah, I think you said it. Just the quality of
basketball is really great. There's just a lot of stars
in the game. And I think what's also helping is
that fans are one finding who they love watching play
and they actually tune in every single game, and they
talk about it on social media and they and they
follow them to the w And I think that's the
biggest thing is when you have a fan, when you're
a fan of someone, you don't just stop after they
(02:55):
leave the collegiate level. You follow them to the w
you watch them in the pros that they go overseas,
you're watching them, you're talking about them, And I think
that's honestly the biggest thing that's helped the league grow.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
What was it Take me back to your college days
real quick? What was it about Dawn? Did you just
you fell in love with her from the minute?
Speaker 1 (03:10):
You better from the jump?
Speaker 3 (03:12):
When I went on my visit, it was great.
Speaker 4 (03:13):
We built such a great relationship in the recruiting process,
but when I went on my visit, it just felt
like that was the right place to be and it
really was like I loved my entire career at South Carolina.
Speaker 3 (03:23):
I wouldn't have changed it for the world.
Speaker 2 (03:25):
It's look, it's it's always fun when she matches up
with Gino, and obviously it came up just short in
the championship last year. But to me, if I'm picking
one matchup that I love to watch is when she
takes on Kim Malkey.
Speaker 1 (03:37):
I mean the LSU South Carolina game. That thing's got it.
He got heated the last there it is.
Speaker 4 (03:41):
I think that's just like natural Conference, Natural Conference play,
especially LSU. I'm in South Carolina. Just being at the
top in the conference. I mean, there's no better competition
than that, and I seriously love it.
Speaker 3 (03:52):
I love watching it.
Speaker 1 (03:54):
Does any of that carry out?
Speaker 2 (03:55):
I mean, well, he's hear in the NFL players will
make bets from their college days. I mean, if you
if you take on Angel Reese or something, is there
is there still trash talk going on?
Speaker 4 (04:02):
No, yeah, I don't even I don't even do that.
I'm just I love to just watch. I don't say
anything because when we get to se play, I'm like, Okay,
take a breath, Take a breath.
Speaker 3 (04:13):
I don't don't talk too much smack, But I seriously
just love watching it.
Speaker 2 (04:18):
One other question from your college days, was there a
college football game you went to back in the day
you remember, and I'm thinking of one particularly the Tennessee game.
Speaker 1 (04:26):
Was that? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (04:28):
Yeah, that was That was such a great game. That
was such an insane game.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
Yeah, Tennessee was top five, Hendon Hooker all that, and
of course South Carolina goes and spoils their season.
Speaker 1 (04:38):
So but yeah, it's it's been so fun to watch.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
Obviously, South Carolina has been, uh, get a lot better
a little down this year. Shane Bamery is gonna get
back on track next year and uh and they will
get things righted. We're talking with the Leah Boston, UH,
talk about some of this great work you're doing in
the community, because I know you're getting a chance to
do a lot of stuff with helping young kids and
obviously get more interest into the game. And you're working
with the court is Hers program and work at the YMCA.
(05:02):
They're in Indianapolis. Tell us what you got going on there.
Speaker 3 (05:05):
Yeah, it's been great.
Speaker 4 (05:06):
We have the court is Hers Initiative with with Lily
and I'm just so excited about it. I think it
just it's such a great initiative, especially important for me
just being a girl in sport being able to encourage
the ones coming up, encourage them to allow them to like, listen,
this is this is for you. You can stay in sport,
you can continue to work. There's so much to dream
big and and set so many goals that you want
(05:27):
to achieve.
Speaker 2 (05:28):
It's it's really cool and it's cool to see, you know,
you get to go to some w NBA games around
the country and it's more and more young girls that
want to see it and want to get involved and
and and have role models like yourself that they can
aspire to be like, and and that sort of thing.
What was it like seeing that fan I mean that
fan base in Indiana. I mean it's there's some games now,
(05:49):
I mean it's like standing room only, Like you can't
even get a ticket to the games at times.
Speaker 1 (05:52):
So what was that?
Speaker 2 (05:54):
What was that like with this fan base kind of
really embracing all the excitement. I mean, you all got
star players left and right, but it looks like that
fan base has really come to embrace you guys and
make you their own.
Speaker 3 (06:04):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (06:04):
I mean the fans are awesome. They show up, they're loud,
they just continue to motivate us. And I feel like
that's why it's important for us to motivate the young kids,
Like when they come to our games and they see
us and they're like, WHOA, I love I love watching
the fever. I want to dream of being in the
w n B A And so it really all just
ties into each other, which is what I love the
most about just being in Indie.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
And by the way, any girls out there that are
interested in joining the Winter ymc At Basketball League, you
can learn more at Indie MCA dot com dot org
using the promo code her court at checkout. And that's
gonna make sure you're not paying registration fees, which are
covered only at YMC of Greater Indianapolis locations. So really
really cool stuff there, did I see? Also, you are
(06:45):
you're gonna do the unrivaled thing again this year.
Speaker 3 (06:47):
I am doing unrivaled.
Speaker 1 (06:48):
Yes, you don't want to just take some time off,
You're gonna keep just keeping that.
Speaker 3 (06:54):
Time off I took. I got about a month and
a half.
Speaker 2 (06:58):
It's it's non stop. You're you're walking double double out there,
and it just it just doesn't stop. Aliah, best of
luck with everything moving forward. You're I mean, it's wild
to me when I saw you're you're still only twenty three.
You have birthday coming up though, right it's December.
Speaker 3 (07:11):
So I'm twenty three and eleven months. Thank you.
Speaker 2 (07:14):
So you're gonna be twenty three that's crazy, twenty four,
twenty four okay, okay, but still it's it's crazy what
you've achieved already. We're so excited to see where this
is going to go and what other great things you're
gonna do down the road. Uh, She is Aliah, Boston,
thanks so much for the time, Eleah, thank you.
Roll alogue here and joining us right now. My goodness.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
I mean, the resume goes on and on and on.
One of the greatest basketball players in the world, I'll say,
three time WNBA All Star, named to the All WA Team,
All Defensive Team, was Rookie of the Year. She was
a two time at what SEC Player the Year, four
time first Team All see see, the resume goes on
and on. She joins us now remember the Indiana Fever,
(00:25):
proud South Carolina gamecockawm. She has a Leiah Boston Aliah.
Welcome in. Thanks so much for taking something.
Speaker 1 (00:29):
Thank you, thank you for having me.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Now you're doing some great work right now in your community.
Of course, the season, you know just said it not
too long ago, and you're working with Lily the court
is Hers. You're helping young girls play and thrive in basketball.
Uh we'll get to that in a second. But I
just ask, like, what are you doing right now? Season
wrapped up? Like, are you getting any downtime here?
Speaker 3 (00:49):
Yeah? I got about two weeks.
Speaker 4 (00:51):
I have about two weeks downtown down whoa, I got
about two weeks downtime. Took a little trip, visited my family,
but really I've just been in the gym working out.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
It's uh, it's gotta be a lot of fun to
I mean, look, you'll take deep playoff fronts right over early.
Speaker 1 (01:07):
I'll always take that so every time.
Speaker 2 (01:10):
Uh so you got to see your old squad last
week South Carolina. They took the other us.
Speaker 1 (01:17):
Thank you. How cool is that to see? I mean,
Down just keeps this thing rolling.
Speaker 3 (01:21):
She really does. I mean it's excited. I love going
to watch any type of game Cock games.
Speaker 4 (01:26):
I'm always going to be pro game Cocks, and so
anytime I get a chance to go see them, I'm
I'm down.
Speaker 1 (01:32):
Yeah, it's uh, it was good to see it. And
they pulled the way.
Speaker 2 (01:34):
And then I heard on your podcast with Candas Parker
you were talking mad trash.
Speaker 3 (01:37):
Huh oh, I was.
Speaker 4 (01:39):
That's my job when I'm on the sideline, my goal
is to just not get kicked out, but talk as
much trash as I can.
Speaker 3 (01:44):
And I think I accomplished both of those.
Speaker 1 (01:47):
I love that.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
I mean, look, you can't be you could be a
former player, but you're not gonna sew in your hands
and yeah, you got you gotta get into it. How
are you liking doing the podcast with Candor? Candace post
moves really really, I love it.
Speaker 3 (01:59):
I love it.
Speaker 4 (01:59):
I think it's just been such a great opportunity and
it's been pretty fun and I literally enjoy every episode.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
I think it's been so fun. You know, it's it's
I don't know what a other way to describe it.
Over the last seven to eight years, women's basketball on
the college front and in the WNBA front has just
had this I wouldn't even call it surge. It's just
surge of national excitement and attention and more and more
people are getting into it.
Speaker 1 (02:24):
Can you quantify or qualify why this is?
Speaker 2 (02:26):
I mean, we're it's quality basketball at both levels, star
players now more than ever. You can you explain why
this thing continues to blow up as big as it is.
Speaker 4 (02:35):
Yeah, I think you said it. Just the quality of
basketball is really great. There's just a lot of stars
in the game. And I think what's also helping is
that fans are one finding who they love watching play
and they actually tune in every single game, and they
talk about it on social media and they and they
follow them to the w And I think that's the
biggest thing is when you have a fan, when you're
a fan of someone, you don't just stop after they
(02:55):
leave the collegiate level. You follow them to the w
you watch them in the pros that they go overseas,
you're watching them, you're talking about them, And I think
that's honestly the biggest thing that's helped the league grow.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
What was it Take me back to your college days
real quick? What was it about Dawn? Did you just
you fell in love with her from the minute?
Speaker 1 (03:10):
You better from the jump?
Speaker 3 (03:12):
When I went on my visit, it was great.
Speaker 4 (03:13):
We built such a great relationship in the recruiting process,
but when I went on my visit, it just felt
like that was the right place to be and it
really was like I loved my entire career at South Carolina.
Speaker 3 (03:23):
I wouldn't have changed it for the world.
Speaker 2 (03:25):
It's look, it's it's always fun when she matches up
with Gino, and obviously it came up just short in
the championship last year. But to me, if I'm picking
one matchup that I love to watch is when she
takes on Kim Malkey.
Speaker 1 (03:37):
I mean the LSU South Carolina game. That thing's got it.
He got heated the last there it is.
Speaker 4 (03:41):
I think that's just like natural Conference, Natural Conference play,
especially LSU. I'm in South Carolina. Just being at the
top in the conference. I mean, there's no better competition
than that, and I seriously love it.
Speaker 3 (03:52):
I love watching it.
Speaker 1 (03:54):
Does any of that carry out?
Speaker 2 (03:55):
I mean, well, he's hear in the NFL players will
make bets from their college days. I mean, if you
if you take on Angel Reese or something, is there
is there still trash talk going on?
Speaker 4 (04:02):
No, yeah, I don't even I don't even do that.
I'm just I love to just watch. I don't say
anything because when we get to se play, I'm like, Okay,
take a breath, Take a breath.
Speaker 3 (04:13):
I don't don't talk too much smack, But I seriously
just love watching it.
Speaker 2 (04:18):
One other question from your college days, was there a
college football game you went to back in the day
you remember, and I'm thinking of one particularly the Tennessee game.
Speaker 1 (04:26):
Was that? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (04:28):
Yeah, that was That was such a great game. That
was such an insane game.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
Yeah, Tennessee was top five, Hendon Hooker all that, and
of course South Carolina goes and spoils their season.
Speaker 1 (04:38):
So but yeah, it's it's been so fun to watch.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
Obviously, South Carolina has been, uh, get a lot better
a little down this year. Shane Bamery is gonna get
back on track next year and uh and they will
get things righted. We're talking with the Leah Boston, UH,
talk about some of this great work you're doing in
the community, because I know you're getting a chance to
do a lot of stuff with helping young kids and
obviously get more interest into the game. And you're working
with the court is Hers program and work at the YMCA.
(05:02):
They're in Indianapolis. Tell us what you got going on there.
Speaker 3 (05:05):
Yeah, it's been great.
Speaker 4 (05:06):
We have the court is Hers Initiative with with Lily
and I'm just so excited about it. I think it
just it's such a great initiative, especially important for me
just being a girl in sport being able to encourage
the ones coming up, encourage them to allow them to like, listen,
this is this is for you. You can stay in sport,
you can continue to work. There's so much to dream
big and and set so many goals that you want
(05:27):
to achieve.
Speaker 2 (05:28):
It's it's really cool and it's cool to see, you know,
you get to go to some w NBA games around
the country and it's more and more young girls that
want to see it and want to get involved and
and and have role models like yourself that they can
aspire to be like, and and that sort of thing.
What was it like seeing that fan I mean that
fan base in Indiana. I mean it's there's some games now,
(05:49):
I mean it's like standing room only, Like you can't
even get a ticket to the games at times.
Speaker 1 (05:52):
So what was that?
Speaker 2 (05:54):
What was that like with this fan base kind of
really embracing all the excitement. I mean, you all got
star players left and right, but it looks like that
fan base has really come to embrace you guys and
make you their own.
Speaker 3 (06:04):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (06:04):
I mean the fans are awesome. They show up, they're loud,
they just continue to motivate us. And I feel like
that's why it's important for us to motivate the young kids,
Like when they come to our games and they see
us and they're like, WHOA, I love I love watching
the fever. I want to dream of being in the
w n B A And so it really all just
ties into each other, which is what I love the
most about just being in Indie.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
And by the way, any girls out there that are
interested in joining the Winter ymc At Basketball League, you
can learn more at Indie MCA dot com dot org
using the promo code her court at checkout. And that's
gonna make sure you're not paying registration fees, which are
covered only at YMC of Greater Indianapolis locations. So really
really cool stuff there, did I see? Also, you are
(06:45):
you're gonna do the unrivaled thing again this year.
Speaker 3 (06:47):
I am doing unrivaled.
Speaker 1 (06:48):
Yes, you don't want to just take some time off,
You're gonna keep just keeping that.
Speaker 3 (06:54):
Time off I took. I got about a month and
a half.
Speaker 2 (06:58):
It's it's non stop. You're you're walking double double out there,
and it just it just doesn't stop. Aliah, best of
luck with everything moving forward. You're I mean, it's wild
to me when I saw you're you're still only twenty three.
You have birthday coming up though, right it's December.
Speaker 3 (07:11):
So I'm twenty three and eleven months. Thank you.
Speaker 2 (07:14):
So you're gonna be twenty three that's crazy, twenty four,
twenty four okay, okay, but still it's it's crazy what
you've achieved already. We're so excited to see where this
is going to go and what other great things you're
gonna do down the road. Uh, She is Aliah, Boston,
thanks so much for the time, Eleah, thank you.
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