Indiana Fever center and three-time WNBA All-Star Aliyah Boston was honored at the Massachusetts State House on July 14. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu declared the date “Aliyah Boston Day” in Boston.
The recognition occurred before the Fever’s game against the Connecticut Sun at TD Garden on July 15. It celebrated Boston’s professional basketball accomplishments and leadership in advancing women’s sports.
The Worcester, MA., high school alumna spoke about the importance of continued growth and investment in the women’s game.
“I think being able to invest in women’s sports is so important because as a professional woman athlete, it is crucial that we have everything that we need,” Boston said.
The WNBA is experiencing significant expansion, adding three new teams between 2028 and 2030. The league’s newest franchise, the Golden State Valkyries, debuted in 2025 and has been received well so far, selling out multiples at home and on the road.
The Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire will join the WNBA by 2026. Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia are expected to follow, bringing the total number of WNBA teams to 18.
The three-time all-star also endorsed Boston as a future WNBA city.
“Growing up watching the Celtics play, or any of the professional sports teams, is amazing,” Boston said.
Boston said the locale is a great city for sports and often yields back-to-back sold-out games.
The Fever star, averaging a league-leading 58.3% field goal percentage and ranking third in points in the paint (11.7 per game) this season, is also set to play in the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game on July 19.
She will represent the Fever alongside teammates Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in downtown Indianapolis.
Contact Multi-Media & Senior Sports Reporter Noral Parham at 317-762-7846. Follow him on Facebook @HorsemenSportsMedia. For more sports, click here.
Noral Parham is the multi-media & senior sports reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder, one of the oldest Black publications in the country. Parham has worked with various leagues to provide a diverse perspective in sports, including the Big Ten, Big East, IHSAA, IndyCar, MLB, NHRA, NFL, NBA, WNBA, WWE and the Olympics. Prior to joining the Recorder, Parham served as the community advocate of the MLK Center in Indianapolis and senior copywriter for an e-commerce and marketing firm in Denver.
