The Indiana Fever selected Aliyah Boston as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 WNBA Draft, expecting her to make an immediate impact. The former South Carolina standout has fulfilled those expectations, earning All-Star honors in each of her first three seasons. Boston’s development has been notable as she has steadily improved her performance on the court.
This season, Boston has shown remarkable progress in key statistical areas. Over 30 games played, the 6-foot-5 center-forward is averaging a career-high 15.5 points and 3.8 assists per game. Additionally, she contributes 8.4 rebounds and 1.0 blocks per contest, while shooting an efficient 54.1% from the field. Remarkably, these numbers come despite Boston averaging the fewest minutes per game (30.3) in her WNBA career. A clear factor in her uptick appears to be the arrival of Stephanie White as the Fever’s head coach in the offseason.
Stephanie White Highlights Boston’s NBA Role Model
Stephanie White has praised Boston highly, describing her as an undervalued asset in the league. During a recent interview on ESPN’s <a href="https://www.buzzineintl.com/category/basketball/nba/”>NBA Today show, White emphasized that Boston deserves more recognition, citing her strong all-around game and consistent impact. White also shared a key detail about Boston’s offseason preparation, revealing which NBA player she encouraged Boston to study closely.
“In the offseason, I said, ‘I want you to watch Jokic,’”
White explained, recalling their conversation before the 2025 season began. The reference is to Nikola Jokic, the Denver Nuggets star and three-time NBA Most Valuable Player, whose unique skill set Boston has admired and used as inspiration.
ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne noted that Boston had already mentioned Jokic’s influence in her podcast with Candace Parker, Post Moves. White responded warmly,
“Yes, love that,”
confirming her support for Boston’s approach to learning from the NBA superstar.
The Impact of Emulating a Unique NBA Talent
While Boston’s playing style is not a direct copy of Jokic’s, selecting him as a role model holds strong value. Jokic’s rare combination of vision, scoring ability, and passing skills sets him apart as one of the greatest big men in basketball history. For Boston, modeling aspects of her game after Jokic seems to be driving positive results and encouraging her to broaden her playmaking and scoring repertoire.
Stephanie White’s guidance in steering Boston towards studying such a distinguished athlete demonstrates the Fever coach’s thoughtful approach to player development. Boston appears to be benefiting from this mentorship, leading to a promising outlook for both her career and Indiana’s future.
As Aliyah Boston continues to refine her skills and grow into a versatile force on the court, the influence of NBA superstar Nikola Jokic, coupled with Stephanie White’s leadership, signals a bright path ahead for the Fever and their rising star.