Alia Boston of South Carolina announced Saturday that she is drafting for the WNBA.
Boston made the announcement on Twitter, thanking its teammates, family, fans, and coaching staff and calling its decision to come to South Carolina “the best decision of my life.”
“In this moment, I am feeling so upset that I am making the next best decision of my life,” she wrote. “I have decided to pursue my dream of declaring for the 2023 WNBA Draft.”
First place made its announcement the day after South Carolina lost to Iowa State in the Final Four. A three-time All-American and 2022 Player of the Year, he is expected to be a consensus #1 pick in the draft.
Boston had the option to return for a fifth season with additional eligibility granted to players whose 2019-2020 seasons were shortened with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The availability of NIL opportunities pushed some players who would turn pro to stay in college, but the allure of being a potential first pick in the draft won Boston over.
Boston said Saturday night that it has not yet decided to turn professional. She eventually made up her mind with the blessing of South Carolina coach Don Staley.
“I’ll tell her to go,” Staley said Saturday. “There are defenses being played against her that won’t let her play her game, and that’s hard to manage. So I would tell her to go. She’s great. She’s ready. She’s ready to see individual coverage. She’s ready to take the next step in the league.”
Boston joined South Carolina in 2019, two years after Staley coached the Gamecocks to the program’s first national championship. It anchored South Carolina’s lineup for four seasons as the program rose to more than dominated the game. South Carolina made three consecutive Final Four appearances with Boston starting at #1 and won the 2022 National Championship. She was the Final Four’s most outstanding player during the race to the title.
Boston continued its 2022 Player of the Year campaign with its third consecutive Associated Press unanimous All-America honor. The strength at both ends of the court was a difference-maker in the post in the WNBA, averaging 14.1 points, 10.8 rebounds, 2.4 blocks and 1 steal while shooting 54.6% over the course of her college career.
Indiana Fever has the No. 1 pick in the draft, which takes place on April 10th.
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