Aliyah Boston Leaves Lasting Legacy At South Carolina

South Carolina's Women's Basketball star Aliyah Boston has played her final collegiate game, and leaves a multi-faceted legacy both on and off the floor.

When A'ja Wilson played her final game for the Gamecocks on March 26th, 2018, in an Elite Eight loss to the UConn Huskies, the majority of people who were associated with South Carolina's Women's Basketball program, or followed it closely, likely believed that they would never see a player of Wilson's makeup ever again. Players like A'ja are a once-in-a-generation talent that most programs never have the luxury of seeing wear their respective uniforms. For programs that see an athlete of Wilson's caliber, it's usually a one-time deal where everyone understands it'll probably never happen again.

For South Carolina, although Dawn Staley has built the program into one of the biggest powerhouses in the sport of women's college basketball, they too had the same collective thought until a prospect by the name of Aliyah Boston, a native of the U.S Virgin Islands, became a part of the 2019 recruiting class. Boston's freshman season was full of glimpses of her superstar predecessor that left Gamecock fans believing they had the sport's next big star, as Boston recorded 13 double-doubles en route to SEC Defensive Player of the Year, second-team All-American, and National Freshman of the Year honors.

After her first season was cut short due to Covid-19, Boston would then go on a run over the next three seasons that would see her average a double-double as a sophomore and a junior, win National Player and National Defensive Player of the Year Honors, and lead the Gamecocks to three straight Final Fours, including a national title in 2022. While her play on the court warrants enough recognition from everyone who watched her career unfold, the way Boston represented her school and the sport deserves just as much praise.

Aliyah was a player who handled her rise in popularity with the utmost class and has stayed true to herself despite the drastic changes her stardom in the sport has likely brought upon her life. She's embodied the word "sacrifice" for the good of her team, always looking to show love for her respective teammates, whom she knew played vital roles in the program. 

She did all of this when she could've easily taken a different route, and for that reason, Aliyah Boston is a role model for every young girl who wishes to make an impact in their community and worldwide.

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