Even though Indiana Fever star Aliyah Boston played off the bench for Team USA and had a rather limited role under head coach Kara Lawson, she still made her presence felt in the FIBA World Cup.
Over the course of six games, Boston put up 6.2 points, 3.2 rebounds, 0.8 steals and 0.5 blocks in 17.1 minutes per contest. She had the second-best plus-minus rating on the team at +17.3, behind only her Fever teammate Caitlin Clark (+20.2).
While Boston was fairly consistent throughout the competition, her best performance came in the quarterfinals against Hungary. The Fever center recorded eight points, four rebounds, three assists, three steals and one block, along with a personal-best +23 plus-minus rating.
In the final against France, the Fever star posted seven points, one rebound, one assist and one block in nearly 16 minutes on the court. She was a perfect 3-of-3 from the field, helping Team USA capture its fifth consecutive World Cup title.
Following the championship, Boston received a strong endorsement from Lawson herself.
Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images via Reuters Connect
Boston celebrated her World Cup title by sharing several photos of herself flexing with the championship trophy and her gold medal. She also posted pictures of her on-court moments during the tournament.
“WORLD CHAMPION,” Boston wrote. “God is great all the time!”
Lawson, for her part, commented on Boston’s post and shared what she thought about the Fever veteran’s performance for Team USA in the FIBA World Cup.
“AB, such a good tournament!” Lawson stated.
Boston is only 24 years old and will likely represent Team USA in the years to come. That being said, she will certainly work more with Lawson in future international competitions.
Clearly, Boston has made a strong impression on Lawson. It will definitely be interesting to see how her role with the national team evolves in the future.
