Even in the face of setbacks, Aliyah Boston found the 2025 WNBA season to be her favorite yet! It's a testament to the power of team spirit and resilience. The Indiana Fever's journey in 2025 was a rollercoaster. They clinched the Commissioner's Cup, a significant achievement, and battled their way to the playoff semifinals. However, the season was also marked by injuries that sidelined key players like Sophie Cunningham, Sydney Colson, Aari McDonald, and Caitlin Clark. Despite these challenges, the Fever, led by star forward Aliyah Boston, fought tooth and nail, even pushing their series against the eventual champion Aces to a nail-biting Game 5.
Boston, a driving force behind Indiana's success, shared her perspective with Sports Illustrated, speaking on behalf of The Court Is Hers, an initiative co-founded by the Fever and Lilly, aimed at boosting girls' participation in Indiana basketball. She explained why her third WNBA season stood out.
"I know when you look at it from a whole, it’s like, how could this have been so special, especially with all the injuries that we have?" Boston pondered. "But I think [it was] just the people that we had in the locker room. And it started with the entire coaching staff, they made it so exciting to come in and work, even when we came off losses. ... We continued to find different areas of where we wanted to grow, which I think excited me the most."
Boston emphasized the importance of the team's internal dynamics. She highlighted the unwavering enthusiasm and support within the team, which, in her opinion, was a critical factor in their ability to overcome adversity. This energy was palpable, even as the Fever's playoff run ended earlier than they had hoped. "Making it to Game 5 of the semis obviously didn’t end the way we wanted to,” she said, “but I think it showed us as individuals, you know, how we can continue to impact the game, regardless of who’s on the floor. [Those were] growing moments for us.”
And this is the part most people miss... Boston believes the team's secret weapon was simply having fun.
"It’s the way that we're able to communicate [and] the friendships and the relationships that we have with each other,” she mused, when asked about the most underrated piece of the Fever’s success. “It was just so natural, and it was [like that] off the court, as well. Anything off the court is only going to help that bond on the court, which I think we were able to accomplish and show.” The strong bonds fostered off the court translated into a cohesive and resilient team on the court.
Now in the offseason, Boston, like many WNBA players, is participating in Unrivaled, the 3v3 league co-founded by stars Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart. Looking ahead to her next WNBA campaign, Boston is already focused on improvement. She aims to "just continue to expand my game… and being a lot more consistent with it, and not allowing it to be here and there, depending on possession.”
In the meantime, she continues to shine in Unrivaled, where she is the Phantom's second-leading scorer and leads the team in rebounds, steals, and blocks. She also continues to inspire young girls through her platform and her work with The Court is Hers.
“I never take it for granted,” she said of influencing the next generation. “It’s an opportunity that I would never trade. ... Sometimes, I’m still in awe that I’m really at this level, but it's honestly such a great feeling.”
But here's where it gets controversial... Could the Fever have gone further with a fully healthy roster? What do you think contributed most to the Fever's success in 2025? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
