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'Take a bow': Dawn Staley praises Aliyah Boston's historic game in Fever's first home win

cydney henderson, usa today
·2 min read

No. 1 overall pick Aliyah Boston may have only been drafted by the Indiana Fever two months ago, but her name is already in the history books following her performance in the Fever's 87-66 win over the Washington Mystics.

The former South Carolina Gamecocks standout recorded a game-high 23 points, game-high 14 rebounds and a game-high six assists while shooting 78% from the field in the Fever's first home victory of the season on Tuesday. She's the first rookie in WNBA history to lead all players in points, rebounds and assists, according to Elias Sports Bureau.

Former coach Dawn Staley applauded Boston's efforts on Twitter, writing, "ALIYAH BOSTON. I said stand up and take a bow! By the way, you make me smile BIG!"

Indiana Fever's Aliyah Boston, left, goes to the basket against Phoenix Mercury's Michaela Onyenwere, front right, Sunday, June 11, 2023, in Indianapolis.
Indiana Fever's Aliyah Boston, left, goes to the basket against Phoenix Mercury's Michaela Onyenwere, front right, Sunday, June 11, 2023, in Indianapolis.

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The records don't stop there. Boston, 21, is the youngest player in WNBA history to register a 20 point, 10 rebound, 5 assist game while shooting 75% or better, according to ESPN Stats. She's also the first player in Fever history to do so.

Kelsey Mitchell scored 19 points, passing Katie Douglas (2,564) on Indiana’s all-time scoring list. (Tamika Catchings holds the record with 7,380 points.) NaLyssa Smith and fellow rookie Lexie Hull, a former Stanford Cardinal, each added 8 points.

Earlier this season, Mitchell said Boston is far from a rookie, although it's her first year in the pros.

"AB, she's not a rookie," Mitchell said on May 20 after the Fever's season-opening loss to the Connecticut Sun. "She's a player. She'll compete, and I wouldn't want anybody else on my side — actually, I'll have any of my teammates around me any time of day. But AB, I can go to any war with her because she's going to compete."

Boston has been a highlight in an otherwise slow start to the season for Indiana. The Fever are 3-6 entering Wednesday and currently sit in ninth place.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Aliyah Boston: Indiana Fever big makes history during first home win