‘It’s really a coach’s dream’: Worcester Academy grad picked No. 1 in WNBA draft

WORCESTER, Mass — On Monday, April 11, Worcester Academy grad Aliyah Boston was the No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft, going to the Indiana Fever.

“It’s really special, I’m thankful to God for putting me in this position,” said the 21-year-old Boston, from the U.S. Virgin Islands. “Everyone in Indiana, they saw something in me, I’m ready to get there and get to work.”

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

March Madness in college basketball is over, but the excitement is just beginning for one famous Worcester Academy Graduate. All-American Aliyah Boston is expected to go number one in Monday’s WNBA draft.

“It is really a coach’s dream to coach someone like Aliyah Boston,” says Worcester Academy Coach Sherry Levin.

In the world of women’s college basketball, it doesn’t get much bigger than the University of South Carolina’s Aliyah Boston. She’s won practically every award imaginable in the sport. None of it surprises her Worcester Academy Basketball Coach Sherry Levin.

“I used to say to her when you are in the WNBA, will you get me front row tickets and she would laugh, and she would point up to where the rafters would be, and she would say ‘I’ll get you a ticket way up there coach’ and ‘I would say ‘thanks’” says Levin.

Boston, who is originally from Saint Thomas, chose to play high school basketball at Worcester Academy near where her aunt lived. Boston and her family felt the move would help her grow as a player. While at Worcester Academy, she won two New England championships while also winning McDonald’s All-American.

“We would do drills and very early on I realized what a competitor she is. I would say the best that anyone had gotten would be 32 in this drill and she would get 30 and she would say ‘no I have to do it again,’” says Levin.

The pursuit to perfection helped land her a scholarship to play for legendary Coach Dawn Staley at the University of South Carolina. Her career there included a national championship her junior year and a trip to the Final Four her senior year where the team fell short to the University of Iowa. Coach Levin was in the stands cheering her on.

“I watched Aliyah, and I watched her teammates as they walked off and nothing but pride in the sense in the way that they conducted themselves,” says Coach Levin.

After a stellar college basketball career, it’s time for the next quarter in Aliyah’s life…. the pros. She’s predicted to be taken number one in the WNBA Draft by the Indiana Fever.

“So happy that I did have 3 years to coach her and continue to be a presence in her life. I will be calling her when Indiana comes to Connecticut and I will be asking her for that ticket and hopefully, I won’t be sitting in the 300′s hopefully I will be close behind the bench,” says Levin.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW

©2023 Cox Media Group