Aliyah Boston talks Women’s History Month, March Madness memories

Aliyah Boston's favorite memories are from March. So are the ones she'd like to redo. 

The former South Carolina star and current Indiana Fever centerpiece experienced the joys and heartbreak of March Madness as a student-athlete. She helped lead South Carolina to the 2022 Division I title, being named the NCAA tournament's Most Outstanding Player. Missing what would have been a game-winning shot at the buzzer in the 2021 Final Four against Stanford is equally fresh in her mind, though. 

Boston does her best to keep it all in perspective and take time for herself, which frequently looks like solo Netflix journeys — she's currently hooked on "The Tourist." The Virgin Islands native also tries to remind herself of those who've helped her along the way, whether it's soaking up amazing memories or learning from the painful ones. 

As part of Women's History Month, Boston spoke to the NCAA about what March means to her on and off the floor. (Note: This interview is condensed for brevity and clarity.)

What does Women's History Month mean to you?

Women's History Month means a lot to me just because I'm a woman living in today's world, especially a woman of color. So being able to understand those that came before me, everyone who has paved the way. And not just people who you would consider really important, but people like my mom, my family, those who have helped me grow up to be the woman I am is really important because I feel like being a woman in society can be hard. There's so many things that you're looking at, things that you're comparing yourself to, so it's just really important to be able to look back and see all those who have helped pave the way.

Who are some of the biggest influencers or supporters who have helped shape you during your journey?

I'd definitely say my family. My mom played a big role because from a young age, she just allowed my sister and I to be able to dream big and understand that anything we want, with God's help, can be accomplished. Another one I have to continue to give credit to is my aunt because my aunt made a huge sacrifice by allowing my sister and I to move in with her when we were 12 and 14 years old so that we could be able to have our basketball exposure that we moved to the States for. Those two women have really been important to me.

Basketball's been a love from an early age, but is there anything else you wanted to be when you grew up? Did you have any other dreams or aspirations outside of basketball?

I was convinced I was going to be a lawyer. As I grew up, I learned that I had to go to law school, and it kind of deterred me a little bit. I thought, "That's OK. I like to talk, so maybe I could be a therapist," and then I figured out I would have to go back to school again, so I took that one out. Now, I'm into broadcasting (for NBC Sports).

What were some of the biggest obstacles you faced as a student-athlete?

The first one, for me, is from a young age people who were around me who would try to put me in a box. I remember one time I was outside playing basketball, and I dreamt of going to play Division I and someone was like, "Well, you could go to a smaller school and shine," and I always think, "If that was a guy having those dreams, would you say that? You wouldn't." For me, I always feel like that doesn't matter because I know I'm going to go to school, come out debt-free and I'm going to be a professional athlete. That's the goals and dreams that I've had since I was 9 years old. For me, it's being able to understand that you can't let other people around you limit what your dreams are.

Have you come back to that conversation often during your career and remembered that moment as a driving fire?

I definitely do, because it's a story that's stuck with me, even though I was super young. It could've been a story that just got brushed off, but it's something that really stuck. I remember my mom, she was there with my sister and I, and she was like, "What God has for you is for you. You can't let other people tell you what your destiny is." It's just something that's always been there. I think it's been an important part because I feel like I'm always a competitor, but I really get to the next level when people tell me they don't think I can do something because I just always have to prove you wrong.

In a New York Times article, your former South Carolina head coach, Dawn Staley, said this about you: "She always seems aware of what she wants her legacy to be even from a very young age, and that's uncommon." What is that legacy you want?

First and foremost, I want people to know that I'm a child of God because I think being able to continue to put God first in everything that I do is the reason that I'm able to be here in this moment because of all of the doors that he's opened. I also want to be one of the greatest to ever play women's basketball, but also be someone who has helped encourage the youth, helped encourage the young women to understand that they can be who they want to be, that they can dream big … and just have confidence in themselves. I think that's one of the biggest things that I strive to do. There's so many things that can take away your confidence if you let them.

Your experience in college with COVID-19 was obviously unique. What were some of the lessons you learned during your time being a student-athlete to help you prepare for the transition to the WNBA?

Prioritizing is the first thing I feel like I learned in college. You have to prioritize your schoolwork, your recovery, being on the court, having a social life. Finding that balance is something that has helped me. Being a professional athlete has really opened the door because there's a lot more free time than you have in college, which is honestly one of my favorite things. I can come home and take a nap without setting an alarm. That is such a beautiful thing. In college I had so many alarms. Being able to find a balance is important because in college you're so occupied. Basketball or whatever sport it may be takes over. You're on a schedule, like class from 8-11, practice 12-3, study hall and then it's just a cycle. So just being able to understand and find that balance has helped me now as a professional athlete.

If you could pick one moment where you could have a do-over, something you would've handled differently knowing what you know now, what would it be?

I don't really handle losses well. Any loss that I've had. Honestly, I would say sophomore year Final Four when we lost at the buzzer (to Stanford). If I could just make that shot, all my problems would be solved (laughs). I would definitely do that one over. I know we lost senior year too, but the sophomore year one felt more like I owned that one. Like, why am I missing? It's literally right in front of the rim. These are the things that I went through after we lost because 90% of the time when I take that shot, it's going in. Here we are in one of the most important games of my career and, in that moment, I fold. How do you do that? We won the next year and our story was elite, so it's OK.

Can you talk about a time when you battled doubts and had to dig in deep for some extra courage or strength?

My junior year (before we won the NCAA title), this is also coming off a loss … we lost in the SEC championship to Kentucky. It was by a buzzer beater … and guess who contested it? You guessed it, me. I just remember we came back, and we had probably two days off before we had to get ready for March Madness. Coach Staley gave us those two days off, I know it's probably because she was livid. We came back and our next few practices heading into March Madness, it was not great. We couldn't do anything right. She was, like, "No, no, no." I'm sitting there, thinking, "Is this really what I want to do?" It's because, one, I hate losing, and then Coach Staley was pushing us to go to another level because she knew we could be there. She knew that coming into March Madness, yes, we lost in the SEC championship, but we had another chance at the big one. But going into the (NCAA) tournament, if you lose, you're done. I understood, but I remember talking to (Director of Player Development) Fred (Ready)… he was my road dog, so I called him crying and was, like, "I don't think this is for me." He was, like, "Aliyah, you're a junior. What are you talking about? It's too late to have doubts about this." I know that seems super simple, but when you want to win really bad and you want to see everyone around you be great and then you have moments like that where you're on a high because you are winning, you're undefeated or you might only have one loss and you take a loss like that … whoa, that shakes you up.

What advice do you have about maintaining good balance in life, and what are some tactics that you lean in on your own life? 

I think being OK with isolation. Sometimes we are so caught up with what's happening in the world, whether that's what's happening with us, what's happening with family, being the friend that people can call on and be, like, "Hey, I'm really going through it," but sometimes it's OK to just be by yourself. I think that's something that I have gotten used to. Sometimes I have to protect my peace, and that is literally sitting in my room watching a Netflix show or just something that makes me feel like I'm relaxed. I feel like we're always on go no matter what, whether that's work, your family, and you never have the time to just exhale and understand that you don't have to do everything. I think that's a big part, understanding that it's OK to not do anything. It's OK. Protect your peace. I'm big on that. I've been so caught up with basketball and making sure everyone around me is OK, that there's been a lot of times where I've forgotten about me, and I learned that just being by myself is good enough for me.

What do you consider your proudest accomplishments? 

I have a few. Winning a national championship, being drafted No. 1, winning rookie of the year. I would also say having faith in God at a young age that allowed me to be comfortable moving. I moved to Massachusetts when I was 12 years old, but the way I moved was I originally came up to Massachusetts for a camp. All of a sudden, we didn't go back home. My mom was, like, "Do you guys want to stay?" We were like, "Sure!" I think that's a big accomplishment, even though we were young because we felt comfortable enough to say, "It's OK, we're going to follow our dreams at the age of 12 and 14," and that honestly has been the biggest blessing that we have had, the biggest door that God has opened because that allowed for so much. Finding AAU teams. Getting recruited. And here we are.