South Carolina Gamecocks phenomenon Aliyah Boston talks about her admiration for Dawn Staley and her dreams of growing the game for women and girls.
The South Carolina Gamecocks women’s basketball team made its debut 99 years ago in 1923, but the modern era of the game began in 1974. After all that time and twenty years in the SEC, Lady Gamecocks has finally become an insurmountable force. They won their first two NCAA Championships in five years.
Credit for the awesome program goes to everything head coach Dawn Staley has built in her 14 years as head coach of the Gamecocks. Credit, too, goes to the high-caliber players who tied up with South Carolina in hopes of winning a championship. In 2022, those hopes were fulfilled, and there was a key player contributing to this year’s win: Aliyah Boston.
Before March Madness took over the country, FanSided’s Ethan Lee predicted exactly why Gamecocks would win with Boston.
An extraordinarily talented 6-foot teenager, Boston is South Carolina’s leading scorer. With 16.8 points per game, he is definitely someone other teams should try and slow down.
However, Boston does more than collect points. Boston, which is also the scoring leader in South Carolina, also leads the Gamecocks in blocks (80), steals (40) and rebounds (371). Oh, it’s also worth noting that he had 60 assists per season. Boston does a little bit of everything and is not someone any team can overlook.”
It may be surprising, then, to learn that Aliyah Boston once played as the only girl on the basketball team.
Aliyah, St. Thomas, the U.S. Virgin Islands has very few basketball programs for teenage girls. When Aliyah saw her older sister, Alexis, adopt the game, she did, and Aliyah has graced the court since she was nine years old.
ESPN reported Aliyah in St. It will give Thomas a glimpse into his life on the island. While Aliyah’s family and friends have made it clear that she has always been a star, it’s also clear that it’s hard for a talent like Aliyah to thrive in the game and stay at home. As a teenager, Aliyah had to make a difficult choice: If she wanted to shine in basketball, she had to move to the United States and play for a larger audience and a bigger infrastructure to get her into the college hoops. Aliyah left home to live with her aunt in Massachusetts and eventually caught the eye of Dawn Staley. The rest is NCAA history.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – Apr 03: Aliyah Boston #4 of the South Carolina Gamecocks reacts during the national championship trophy presentation after defeating the UConn Huskies 64-49 in the 2022 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament National Championship game at Target Center on April 03, 2022 . Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo Andy Lyons / Getty Images)
“When the world hears her story and sees where she came from, we want them to know that there are so many more Aliyas on this island,” said Cleone Boston, Aliyah’s mother.
The UnderArmour believed Cleone’s message, and they believed Aliyah. That’s why she’s helping famed sports equipment company Aliyah bring girls’ basketball to the island like never before.
This year, the UA, St. He’s partnering with Aliyah Boston to launch the first UA Next women’s basketball camp in St. Thomas, VI. According to the company, “the camp will provide high school athletes with access to equipment, coaching and facilities later this summer.”
Aliyah wouldn’t be a budding basketball legend if it wasn’t for a basketball shoe made in his image, so he’s the face of UA’s Breakthru 3 Women’s Basketball Shoe, set to launch this fall. And this partnership is just the beginning: Aliyah will be involved in designing basketball apparel for the next generation of girls in the game.
Between college finals and changing the world, Aliyah talks about where she got her inspiration and how she learned about St. Thomas and beyond.
Sided: You proudly represent Aziz Yıldırım. Thomas and the U.S. Virgin Islands are cited as “the most decorated high school athlete from the Virgin Islands.” Your talent and passion for the game came with tremendous support from your family and community, but it came at a price: you had to leave the island to play competitively in the United States. When you think about your childhood, what does this UA Camp mean to you and to young girls who want to play in St.Petersburg? Thomas today?
Aliyah Boston: Being able to attend this camp with the help of UA means a lot. I hope young boys and girls who want to play in St.Petersburg. Thomas knows it takes a lot of work, but all of his goals are achievable. They must have faith in Allah, know that He will direct their steps, and continue to work.
Sided: Dawn Staley is an icon in women’s basketball and you caught your attention when she hired you to play in South Carolina. And just like you, Dawn faced challenges playing the game she loved. When he played at the top of the game in the 1990s, the WNBA didn’t exist: Dawn won the Olympic gold medal for Team USA in 1996 and didn’t get a chance to play in the league and be inducted into the Hall of Fame. What are some of the biggest lessons you’ve learned from Dawn when you look back on her illustrious career, both as a basketball coach?
Boston: As a basketball player and a black woman, I learned a lot from Coach Staley. Coach Staley has been very successful in his career on and off the court. As a player, she accomplished everything great basketball players wanted. She taught me how to be mentally stronger off the court, taught me how to be confident and proud to be a Black woman.
Sided: After winning the NCAA championship, I imagine there are many companies reaching out to you for partnership. What about Under Armor? Why did you decide to partner with them?
Boston: It’s a great honor to work with Under Armor. It’s very important to me because it’s a brand I’ve been wearing for years! I love rocking all kinds of UA apparel and sneakers, both for cross training and on the court. I am very excited to work with Under Armor to continue to build and grow the women’s basketball community. I really look forward to providing more young girls access to sports at the community level.
Sided: It is well known that female basketball players are treated differently from their male counterparts when it comes to equipment, travel, expenses and media coverage. During the pandemic, WNBA players documented their living conditions in the bubble, and it was completely different from that of NBA players.
You and Under Armor are launching the first ever UA Next women’s basketball camp in your hometown, and it will provide high school athletes with access to equipment, coaching and facilities. This is huge! But tell me: why was it important to you to bring this camp to your hometown, and in doing so, do you think you are doing your part to break this social cycle that treats women’s basketball differently than men?
Boston: This is very important to me because I am truly passionate about inspiring and helping the next generation achieve their athletic dreams. It starts by helping young athletes in underserved communities – offering coaching, courts, balls, teaching new drills, introducing young girls to others with similar interests, and more. via UA Next Camp, my hometown of St. This summer, Thomas.
Sided: IX. In the 50 years since the title, women’s basketball programs have grown exponentially and expanded to an NCAA March Madness Tournament dominated by the Gamecocks without question. Looking to the future, what do you think is important for the growth of women’s basketball at the youth, college and professional levels?
Boston: I want women’s basketball to be embraced, covered and valued as much as men’s basketball. I hope to help make this change happen by continuing to dominate the field and using my voice to encourage the next generation to play.
Sided: This UA partnership expresses something we all know: You are becoming one of the biggest faces in basketball. And thankfully, more and more companies are putting women’s basketball players front and center to represent their brands. Who are some of the women in the game you want to emulate as you progress in your career, both on the field and as an entrepreneur?
Boston: One of the women I look up to is Serena Williams. She has been very successful as an entrepreneur and has developed and ran multiple businesses while becoming one of the world’s top athletes.
Sided: What impact do you think your journey with Under Armor will have, both personally and for the girls and women attending your camp?
Boston: My work with Under Armor is what I want to encourage young female athletes to always trust their instincts and have fun; Surrounding them with people who will push them to be great and making sure they build on their support system, whether it’s belief, family, friends, coaches or teammates. Personally, I want to be seen and remembered as a role model for young female athletes. I want my legacy to be one of hope and change. When they hear my name, I want people to think, ‘Aliyah changed the game of Boston basketball’.
