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top-plays-of-the-day-05-09-2026

Top Plays of the Day, 05/09/2026

final-0330-wild-ending-indiana-fever-vs-dallas-wings-05-09-2026

Final 03:30 WILD ENDING Indiana Fever vs. Dallas Wings 05/09/2026

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The following is a press release from the Indiana Fever:
Four-year pro agrees to restructured multi-year contract with the Indiana Fever
INDIANAPOLIS (April 17, 2026) — The Indiana Fever and Aliyah Boston have agreed to a new contract, with the center signing a new, multiyear agreement through the 2029 WNBA season. With the agreement, Boston becomes the first player in WNBA history to sign a deal under the newly-created Exceptional Performance on Initial Contract (EPIC) provision.
“Entering just her fourth season, Aliyah is already one of the best players in the WNBA. She’s been a foundational piece of the Indiana Fever since she was drafted here in 2023. We’re thrilled to be able to reward her with this new contract and make history, and most importantly, lock her in as a cornerstone of the Fever for years to come,” Indiana Fever COO and General Manager Amber Cox said. “Despite already being an All-WNBA caliber player, Aliyah has just scratched the surface in terms of the player she can become. In addition, her intangibles are unmatched. She is a leader, a connector and consistent contributor to our community. There is not a better person to go down in history as the first recipient of this type of groundbreaking agreement.”
“I’m super blessed and grateful for this opportunity and to continue my journey here with the Fever. God is good!” Boston said. “I’m excited for the future ahead for both myself and for our team, and I can’t wait to keep building upon everything we have accomplished so far. Go Fever!”
As part of the league’s new Collective Bargaining Agreement, the EPIC provision enables top-performing players on rookie contracts to renegotiate the final year of their rookie contract as part of a multi-year extension, contingent upon being named to either the All-WNBA First or Second Team, or named Most Valuable Player within their first three years of play. Boston, who was entering the 2026 season on the fourth, and final, year of her rookie contract, was named to the All-WNBA Second Team in 2025.
Over her first three seasons in the WNBA, the University of South Carolina product has compiled one of the most decorated resumes during that time. In addition to her 2025 All-WNBA Second
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indiana-fever-re-sign-aliyah-boston

Aliyah Boston Makes History, Signing WNBA’s First-Ever EPIC Provision Agreement

Draft 2026

Which collegiate program has produced the most players drafted into the WNBA over the league’s 30 years? What about first-round picks? What about No. 1 overall picks? What about players who went on to become league MVPs? How about Finals MVPs?
If you ever see any of those trivia questions, don’t worry. We have the answers to all of them and more!
<hr />
<h3 style="text-align: center">Schools that have produced the most overall WNBA Draft picks</h3>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-183309 aligncenter" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2022/03/Geno-1.png" alt="" width="960" height="688" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2022/03/Geno-1.png 960w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2022/03/Geno-1-300x215.png 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2022/03/Geno-1-768x550.png 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />
The two schools at the top of this list should come as no surprise as they have been the preeminent collegiate programs over the 30-year history of the WNBA – the University of Connecticut and the University of Tennessee each with over 45 players drafted into the WNBA.
Geno Auriemma has been at the helm at UConn for the entirety of the WNBA’s existence, beginning his tenure in 1985 and leading the Huskies to 12 NCAA championships. The Connecticut program has sent 52 players to the league and produced some of the best players in WNBA history, highlighted by No. 1 overall draft picks Sue Bird (2002), Diana Taurasi (2004), Tina Charles (2010), Maya Moore (2011), and Breanna Stewart (2016).
The late Pat Summitt led Tennessee until 2012, winning eight national championships and sending plenty of Lady Volunteers to the WNBA. Of the 46 WNBA players drafted out of Tennessee, 29 came during Summitt’s tenure, including a pair of No. 1 overall picks in Chamique Holdsclaw (1999) and Candace Parker (2008).
Below is the list of the top nine schools and one country that have sent the most players to the WNBA via the draft (excluding the 1997 WNBA Elite Draft.)
<ul>
<li>UConn: 52 players</li>
<li>Tennessee: 46 players</li>
<li>Stanford: 31 players</li>
<li>Duke: 28 players</li>
<li>Baylor: 26 players</li>
<li>Australia: 26 players</li>
<li>South Carolina: 25 players</li>
<li>LSU: 25 players</li>
<li>Notre Dame: 24 players</li>
<li>Georgia: 24 players</li>
</ul>
<hr />
<h3 style="text-align: center">Schools producing the most first-round draft picks</h3>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-258773" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/GettyImages-2270764897-1-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="640" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/GettyImages-2270764897-1-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/GettyImages-2270764897-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/GettyImages-2270764897-1-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/GettyImages-2270764897-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/GettyImages-2270764897-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/GettyImages-2270764897-1-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />
When looking at schools that have delivered the most first-round draft picks, there&#8217;s a change from the list of most overall draft picks.
UConn, Tennessee and Stanford remain in first, second and third place, respectively. South Carolina enters the conversation after touting two players in the first round of the 2026 WNBA Draft, bringing their total to 15 to round out the top four. Duke and Baylor are tied for fifth place with 11 players.
<ul>
<li>Connecticut: 29 players (last in 2026 – Azzi Fudd, No. 1, DAL)</li>
<li>Tennessee: 21 players (last in 2024 – Rickea Jackson, No. 4, LAS)</li>
<li>Stanford: 15 players (last in 2024 – Cameron Brink, No. 2, LAS)</li>
<li>South Carolina: 15 players (last in 2026 – Madina Okot, No. 13, ATL)</li>
<li>Duke: 11 players (last in 2018 – Lexie Brown, No. 9, CON)</li>
<li>Baylor: 11 players (last in 2022 – Queen Egbo, No. 10, IND)</li>
</ul>
<hr />
<h3 style="text-align: center">Schools producing the most No. 1 overall picks</h3>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-183311 size-full" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2022/03/Top-picks-1.png" alt="Maya Moore, Breanna Stewart, Tina Charles, Diana Taurasi and Sue Bird pictured during a WNBA All-Star game" width="940" height="640" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2022/03/Top-picks-1.png 940w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2022/03/Top-picks-1-300x204.png 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2022/03/Top-picks-1-768x523.png 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 940px) 100vw, 940px" />
UConn holds a commanding lead with seven first-overall picks. South Carolina joins Notre Dame, Stanford, and Tennessee, with two players going first overall and holding a four-way tie for second place.
<table style="height: 120px;width: 100%;border-collapse: collapse" border="1">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 24px">
<td style="width: 19.9782%;height: 24px;text-align: center">SCHOOL</td>
<td style="width: 7.20528%;height: 24px;text-align: center">NO.</td>
<td style="width: 34.4978%;height: 24px;text-align: center">NAME</td>
<td style="width: 18.2314%;height: 24px;text-align: center">YEAR</td>
<td style="width: 19.9782%;height: 24px;text-align: center">TEAM</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px">
<td style="width: 19.9782%;height: 24px">UConn</td>
<td style="width: 7.20528%;height: 24px">7</td>
<td style="width: 34.4978%;height: 24px">Sue Bird 
Diana Taurasi 
Tina Charles 
Maya Moore 
Breanna Stewart 
Paige Bueckers 
Azzi Fudd</td>
<td style="width: 18.2314%;height: 24px">2002 
2004 
2010 
2011 
2016 
2025 
2026</td>
<td style="width: 19.9782%;height: 24px">Seattle 
Phoenix 
Connecticut 
Minnesota 
Seattle 
Dallas 
Dallas</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 19.9782%">South Carolina</td>
<td style="width: 7.20528%">2</td>
<td style="width: 34.4978%">Aliyah Boston 
A&#8217;ja Wilson</td>
<td style="width: 18.2314%">2023 
2018</td>
<td style="width: 19.9782%">Indiana 
Las Vegas</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px">
<td style="width: 19.9782%;height: 24px">Notre Dame</td>
<td style="width: 7.20528%;height: 24px">2</td>
<td style="width: 34.4978%;height: 24px">Jewell Loyd 
Jackie Young</td>
<td style="width: 18.2314%;height: 24px">2015 
2019</td>
<td style="width: 19.9782%;height: 24px">Seattle 
Las Vegas</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px">
<td style="width: 19.9782%;height: 24px">Stanford</td>
<td style="width: 7.20528%;height: 24px">2</td>
<td style="width: 34.4978%;height: 24px">Nneka Ogwumike 
Chiney Ogwumike</td>
<td style="width: 18.2314%;height: 24px">2012 
2014</td>
<td style="width: 19.9782%;height: 24px">Los Angeles 
Connecticut</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px">
<td style="width: 19.9782%;height: 24px">Tennessee</td>
<td style="width: 7.20528%;height: 24px">2</td>
<td style="width: 34.4978%;height: 24px">Chamique Holdsclaw 
Candace Parker</td>
<td style="width: 18.2314%;height: 24px">1999 
2008</td>
<td style="width: 19.9782%;height: 24px">Washington 
Los Angeles</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<hr />
<h3 style="text-align: center">Schools with multiple players selected in the first round</h3>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-258740" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/GettyImages-2271210009-1-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="642" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/GettyImages-2271210009-1-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/GettyImages-2271210009-1-300x201.jpg 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/GettyImages-2271210009-1-1024x685.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/GettyImages-2271210009-1-768x514.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/GettyImages-2271210009-1-1536x1027.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/GettyImages-2271210009-1-2048x1369.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />
Back to trivia time. What was the only occasion in which a school had three players taken with the first three overall picks (1-2-3) in the WNBA Draft?
The answer is the 2016 Draft when UConn teammates Breanna Stewart (No. 1, Seattle), Moriah Jefferson (No. 2, San Antonio), and Morgan Tuck (No. 3, Connecticut) were the first three names called to the stage that night.
There have been four occasions in which the first two players selected came from the same school:
<ul>
<li>USC (1997): Tina Thompson (1 / Houston), Pam McGee (2 / Sacramento)</li>
<li>UConn (2002): Sue Bird (1 / Seattle), Swin Cash (2 / Detroit)</li>
<li>UConn (2016): Breanna Stewart (1 / Seattle), Moriah Jefferson (2 / San Antonio)</li>
<li>Oregon (2020): Sabrina Ionescu (1 / New York), Satou Sabally (2 / Dallas)</li>
</ul>
Just a week after winning the program&#8217;s first National Championship, UCLA made history in the 2026 WNBA Draft as the first team to have five first-round selections, and the first with six players selected in one draft. Lauren Betts (No. 4), Gabriela Jaquez (No. 5) and Kiki Rice (No. 6) were taken in a three-pick run, with Gianna Kneepkens (No. 15) closing out the First Round and Charlise Leger-Walker (No. 18) rounding out the Lady Bruins&#8217; six selections in the Second Round.
In 2002, UConn produced four first-round picks when Sue Bird led four Huskies selected with the first six picks in the draft – Bird (No. 1, Seattle), Swin Cash (No. 2, Detroit), Asjha Jones (No. 4, Washington) and Tamika Williams (No. 6, Minnesota).
Seven schools and one country have seen three players selected in the first round of a single WNBA Draft. UConn and South Carolina have seen three players drafted in the first round twice.
<ul>
<li>South Carolina
<ul>
<li> (2023) Aliyah Boston (No. 1, Indiana), Laeticia Amihere (No. 8, Atlanta), Zia Cooke (No. 11, Los Angeles)</li>
<li>(2017) Alaina Coates (No. 2, Chicago), Allisha Davis (No. 4, Dallas), Kaela Davis (No. 10, Dallas)</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Oregon 
<ul>
<li>(2020): Sabrina Ionescu (No. 1, New York), Satou Sabally (No. 2, Dallas), Ruthy Hebard (No. 8, Chicago)</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Notre Dame 
<ul>
<li>(2019): Jackie Young (No. 1, Las Vegas), Arike Ogunbowale (No. 5, Dallas), Brianna Turner (No. 11, Atlanta)</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>UConn:
<ul>
<li>(2018): Gabby Williams (No. 4, Chicago), Azurá Stevens (No. 6, Dallas), Kia Nurse (No. 10, New York)</li>
<li> (2016): Breanna Stewart (No. 1, Seattle), Moriah Jefferson (No. 2, San Antonio), Morgan Tuck (No. 3, Connecticut)</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Tennessee 
<ul>
<li>(2012): Shekinna Stricklen (No. 2, Seattle), Glory Johnson (No. 4, Tulsa), Kelly Cain (No. 7, New York)</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Oklahoma 
<ul>
<li>(2002): Stacey Dales-Schuman (No. 3, Washington), LaNeishea Caufield (No. 14, Utah), Rosalind Ross (No. 16, Los Angeles)</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Australia 
<ul>
<li>(2001): Lauren Jackson (No. 1, Seattle), Penny Taylor (No. 11, Cleveland), Kristen Veal (No. 13, Phoenix)</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Georgia 
<ul>
<li>(2001): Kelly Miller (No. 2, Charlotte), Deanna Nolan (No. 6, Detroit), Coco Miller (No. 9, Washington)</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<hr />
<h3 style="text-align: center">The NCAA Title / No. 1 WNBA Pick Double</h3>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-258772" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/GettyImages-2209779457-3-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="640" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/GettyImages-2209779457-3-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/GettyImages-2209779457-3-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/GettyImages-2209779457-3-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/GettyImages-2209779457-3-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/GettyImages-2209779457-3-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/GettyImages-2209779457-3-2048x1366.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />
With the WNBA Draft being held just days after the conclusion of the NCAA Basketball Tournament, prospects have a chance to pull off an incredible double – finish their collegiate career by winning the NCAA national championship, then begin their professional career as the No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA Draft.
That feat has been accomplished six times in WNBA history, most recently by Paige Bueckers, who won her collegiate championship at Connecticut on April 6, 2025, and was drafted first overall by the Dallas Wings just eight days later.
<ul>
<li>Sue Bird (UConn, 2002) – drafted first overall by Seattle</li>
<li>Diana Taurasi (UConn, 2004) – drafted first overall by Phoenix</li>
<li>Candace Parker (Tennessee, 2008) – drafted first overall by Los Angeles</li>
<li>Tina Charles (UConn, 2010) – drafted first overall by Connecticut</li>
<li>Breanna Stewart (UConn, 2016) – drafted first overall by Seattle</li>
<li>Paige Bueckers (UConn, 2025) – drafted first overall by Dallas</li>
</ul>
<hr />
<h3 style="text-align: center">Schools that have produced the most WNBA league MVPs</h3>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-183314 size-full" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2022/03/Lisa.png" alt="three-time WNBA MVP Lisa Leslie representing USC" width="940" height="640" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2022/03/Lisa.png 940w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2022/03/Lisa-300x204.png 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2022/03/Lisa-768x523.png 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 940px) 100vw, 940px" />
Three schools have produced multiple players to win the WNBA League Most Valuable Player honors. Connecticut leads the way with four players winning MVP, but UConn and USC are tied with 5 total MVP awards.
<ul>
<li>USC: 2 players, 5 MVPs – Cynthia Cooper (1997, 1998), Lisa Leslie (2001, 2004, 2006)</li>
<li>Connecticut: 4 players, 5 MVPs – Diana Taurasi (2009), Tina Charles (2012), Maya Moore (2014), Breanna Stewart (2018, 2023)</li>
<li>Tennessee: 2 players, 3 MVPs – Candace Parker (2008, 2013), Tamika Catchings (2011)</li>
<li>South Carolina: 1 player, 4 MVPs &#8211; A&#8217;ja Wilson (2020, 2022, 2024, 2025)</li>
</ul>
<hr />
<h3 style="text-align: center">Schools that have produced the most WNBA Finals MVPs</h3>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-183317 size-full" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2022/03/FMVP.png" alt="2x WNBA Finals MVP Lisa Leslie representing USC" width="960" height="640" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2022/03/FMVP.png 960w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2022/03/FMVP-300x200.png 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2022/03/FMVP-768x512.png 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />
USC, UConn, and Tennessee are all represented on this list of MVPs as well, but they get some company from LSU and Rutgers, who each produced a pair of Finals MVPs. USC holds the mark for the most Finals MVPs as Cynthia Cooper (1997-2000) and Lisa Leslie (2001-02) combined to win the first six in WNBA history.
<ul>
<li>USC: 2 players, 6 Finals MVPs – Cynthia Cooper (1997-2000), Lisa Leslie (2001-02)</li>
<li>Connecticut: 3 players, 5 Finals MVPs – Diana Taurasi (2009, 2014), Maya Moore (2013), Breanna Stewart (2018, 2020)</li>
<li>LSU: 2 players, 3 Finals MVPs – Seimone Augustus (2011), Sylvia Fowles (2015, 2017)</li>
<li>Tennessee: 2 players, 2 Finals MVPs – Tamika Catchings (2012), Candace Parker (2016)</li>
<li>Rutgers: 2 players, 2 Finals MVPs – Cappie Pondexter (2007), Kahleah Copper (2021)</li>
<li>South Carolina: 1 player, 2 Finals MVPs – A&#8217;ja Wilson (2023, 2025)</li>
</ul>

WNBA_DRAFT_2026_logo_specialapplication_logowoman_white

college-draft-pick-history-2026

From College to the W: Which Schools Make History in the League?

Player News

A’ja Wilson and Aliyah Boston cemented South Carolina as a national powerhouse, each leading the Gamecocks to an NCAA Championship and earning multiple National Player of the Year honors during their respective tenures.
As the only two players in program history to be selected No. 1 overall in the WNBA Draft, their combined dominance in the paint redefined the standard of excellence. Take a look back at Boston and Wilson&#8217;s runs at South Carolina.
<hr />
<h2>A&#8217;ja Wilson (2014-2018)</h2>
<div id="attachment_257505" style="width: 970px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-257505" class="wp-image-257505" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-663891584-1-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="640" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-663891584-1-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-663891584-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-663891584-1-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-663891584-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-663891584-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-663891584-1-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />A&#8217;ja Wilson #22 of the South Carolina Gamecocks holds the NCAA trophy and celebrates with her team after winning the championship game against the Mississippi State Lady Bulldogs of the 2017 NCAA Women&#8217;s Final Four</div>
A’ja Wilson’s collegiate career at South Carolina was lamented with accolades, including being a 4x First Team All-SEC selection and a 3x SEC Player of the Year from 2016 to 2018. During that same period, she was named to the SEC All-Defensive Team three times and earned SEC Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2016 and 2018.
In 2017, Wilson led the program to the NCAA Championship and was named the NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player in the win over Mississippi State. By 2018, she received the Naismith College Player of the Year, the AP National Player of the Year, and the John R. Wooden Award. 
Wilson&#8217;s No. 22 jersey was subsequently retired by the South Carolina Gamecocks in 2025.
Collegiate performance spotlight:
2017 Sweet 16: 24 PTS, 4 REB, 3 STL
2017 National Championship:  23 PTS, 10 REB, 4 BLK
2018 Round of 32: 25 PTS, 11 REB, 3 BLK
2018 Sweet 16: 20 PTS, 13 REB, 3 BLK
<hr />
<h2>Aliyah Boston (2019-2023)</h2>
<div id="attachment_257492" style="width: 970px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-257492" class="wp-image-257492" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-1389403314-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="640" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-1389403314-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-1389403314-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-1389403314-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-1389403314-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-1389403314-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-1389403314-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />Aliyah Boston #4 of the South Carolina Gamecocks holds a national champions sign after defeating the UConn Huskies 64-49 during the 2022 NCAA Women&#8217;s Basketball Tournament National Championship game</div>
Aliyah Boston’s career at South Carolina was marked by consistent statistical production and defensive output. She hit the ground running as she posted the first triple-double by a freshman in program history and the first by any NCAA Division I player in her debut with the Gamecocks in 2019.
In 2022, Boston was the recipient of the John R. Wooden Award and the AP Player of the Year award. During that same postseason, she led the program to the 2022 NCAA Championship and was named the NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player after South Carolina&#8217;s win over Connecticut.
From 2020 to 2023, she was a 4x AP All-American, a 4x First-team All-SEC selection, and a 4x SEC All-Defensive Team member.
Collegiate performance spotlight:
2022 Sweet 16: 28 PTS, 22 REB, 2 AST
2022 Final Four:  23 PTS, 18 REB, 4 AST
2022 National Championship: 11 PTS, 16 REB, 3 AST
2023 Elite Eight: 22 PTS, 10 REB, 5 AST

collegiate-spotlight-south-carolina

Collegiate Spotlight: University of South Carolina

Season Preview

The stage is set for the league’s 30th season! 
Following a historic 2025 season highlighted by the Golden State Valkyries’ debut, A’ja Wilson’s KIA MVP run and the Las Vegas Aces’ third WNBA title in four years, Season 30 is set to tip off on Friday, May 8, 2026.  
With the 2026 WNBA Draft (tune in to ESPN on April 13 at 7:30 pm ET!) and the debut of two additional expansion teams on the horizon, the momentum is high. Check out some of the early storylines and key dates to look out for in the action-packed 2026 WNBA Schedule.  
<hr />
<h2>Season 30 Tips Off  </h2>
The WNBA enters its landmark 30th season with WNBA Tip-Off 2026 presented by CarMax on Friday, May 8, with a three-game slate. The action continues through the weekend with an additional three games on Saturday, May 9 and five games on Sunday, May 10, to kick off the 44-game regular season. 
Full weekend schedule: 
Friday, May 8 (3 games) 
<ul>
<li data-ccp-border-top="0px none " data-ccp-padding-top="0px" data-ccp-border-bottom="1px solid #000000" data-ccp-padding-bottom="1.3333333333333333px">7:30 pm ET: Connecticut Sun vs. New York Liberty </li>
<li data-ccp-border-top="0px none " data-ccp-padding-top="0px" data-ccp-border-bottom="1px solid #000000" data-ccp-padding-bottom="1.3333333333333333px">7:30 pm ET: Washington Mystics vs. Toronto Tempo </li>
<li data-ccp-border-top="0px none " data-ccp-padding-top="0px" data-ccp-border-bottom="1px solid #000000" data-ccp-padding-bottom="1.3333333333333333px">10 pm ET: Golden State Valkyries vs. Seattle Storm </li>
</ul>
Saturday, May 9 (3 games) 
<ul>
<li data-ccp-border-top="0px none " data-ccp-padding-top="0px" data-ccp-border-bottom="1px solid #000000" data-ccp-padding-bottom="1.3333333333333333px">1 pm ET: Dallas Wings vs. Indiana Fever </li>
<li data-ccp-border-top="0px none " data-ccp-padding-top="0px" data-ccp-border-bottom="1px solid #000000" data-ccp-padding-bottom="1.3333333333333333px">3:30 pm ET: Phoenix Mercury vs. Las Vegas Aces </li>
<li data-ccp-border-top="0px none " data-ccp-padding-top="0px" data-ccp-border-bottom="1px solid #000000" data-ccp-padding-bottom="1.3333333333333333px">9 pm ET: Chicago Sky vs. Portland Fire </li>
</ul>
Sunday, May 10 (5 games) 
<ul>
<li data-ccp-border-top="0px none " data-ccp-padding-top="0px" data-ccp-border-bottom="1px solid #000000" data-ccp-padding-bottom="1.3333333333333333px">1 PM ET: Seattle Storm vs. Connecticut Sun </li>
<li data-ccp-border-top="0px none " data-ccp-padding-top="0px" data-ccp-border-bottom="1px solid #000000" data-ccp-padding-bottom="1.3333333333333333px">3 PM ET: New York Liberty vs. Washington Mystics </li>
<li data-ccp-border-top="0px none " data-ccp-padding-top="0px" data-ccp-border-bottom="1px solid #000000" data-ccp-padding-bottom="1.3333333333333333px">7 PM ET: Las Vegas Aces vs. Los Angeles Sparks </li>
<li data-ccp-border-top="0px none " data-ccp-padding-top="0px" data-ccp-border-bottom="1px solid #000000" data-ccp-padding-bottom="1.3333333333333333px">7 PM ET: Atlanta Dream vs. Minnesota Lynx </li>
<li data-ccp-border-top="0px none " data-ccp-padding-top="0px" data-ccp-border-bottom="1px solid #000000" data-ccp-padding-bottom="1.3333333333333333px">8:30 PM ET: Phoenix Mercury vs. Golden State Valkyries </li>
</ul>
Season 30 is also highlighted with a rematch of the league’s inaugural game in 1997, with the Los Angeles Sparks hosting the New York Liberty on Sunday, June 21, on the anniversary of the original matchup.
<hr />
<h2>The Home Debuts: Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo </h2>
The league is expanding to a 15-team field with the highly anticipated debut of the Toronto Tempo and the Portland Fire. Each team will make their home debut during the weekend of WNBA Tip-Off 2026 presented by CarMax. 
Toronto: Friday, May 8 at 7:30 pm ET vs. Washington Mystics 
Portland: Saturday, May 9 at 9 pm ET vs. Chicago Sky 
<hr />
<h2>Aces Begin Back-to-Back Campaign, Revenge for the Mercury </h2>
The 2025 WNBA Champion Las Vegas Aces will begin their campaign for another back-to-back title (previously taking home the chip in 2022 and 2023) with their first home game on Saturday, May 9, hosting a 2025 WNBA Finals rematch against the Phoenix Mercury. The teams will face-off four times this season: 
Las Vegas Aces vs. Phoenix Mercury matchups: 
<ul>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1">Saturday, May 9 at 3:30 pm ET (@ Las Vegas) </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" data-aria-posinset="2" data-aria-level="1">Wednesday, June 17 at 10 pm ET (@ Phoenix) </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" data-aria-posinset="3" data-aria-level="1">Saturday, July 11 at 4 pm ET (@ Las Vegas) </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" data-aria-posinset="4" data-aria-level="1">Thursday, September 24 at 10 pm ET (@ Phoenix) </li>
</ul>
<hr />
<h2>Battle of the No. 1 Picks </h2>
2023 and 2024 No. 1 overall picks Aliyah Boston and Caitlin Clark are the Indiana Fever’s dynamic duo. Soon, the newest top selection in the 2026 WNBA Draft will join the Dallas Wings and team up with the 2025 No. 1 overall pick, Paige Bueckers. The rookie duos will match up three times, with the first game coming Saturday, May 9. 
Dallas Wings vs. Indiana Fever matchups: 
<ul>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="2" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1">Saturday, May 9 at 2 pm ET (@ Dallas) </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="2" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" data-aria-posinset="2" data-aria-level="1">Friday, August 14 at 7:30 pm ET (@ Indiana) </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="2" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" data-aria-posinset="3" data-aria-level="1">Thursday, August 20 at 8 pm ET (@ Dallas) </li>
</ul>
<hr />
<h2>Commissioner&#8217;s Cup Presented by Coinbase</h2>
The sixth annual WNBA Commissioner’s Cup presented by Coinbase in-season tournament will take place Monday, June 1 through Wednesday, June 17. The Dallas Wings will kick off the two-game slate on opening night hosting the inaugural cup champions, the Seattle Storm. Following cup play, the top teams from the Eastern Conference and the Western Conference will go head-to-head in the 2026 WNBA Commissioner’s Cup Championship. Who will be crowned the next Cup champion? 
<hr />
<h2 data-ccp-border-bottom="1px solid #000000" data-ccp-padding-bottom="1.3333333333333333px">AT&amp;T WNBA All-Star 2026 takes Chicago<span data-ccp-props="{&quot;335572071&quot;:6,&quot;335572072&quot;:1,&quot;335572073&quot;:0,&quot;335572079&quot;:6,&quot;335572080&quot;:1,&quot;335572081&quot;:0,&quot;469789798&quot;:&quot;single&quot;,&quot;469789806&quot;:&quot;single&quot;}"> </h2>
The W is heading back to the Windy City! AT&amp;T WNBA All-Star 2026 will take place Friday, July 24 and Saturday, July 25, hosted by the Chicago Sky.<span data-ccp-props="{&quot;335572071&quot;:6,&quot;335572072&quot;:1,&quot;335572073&quot;:0,&quot;335572079&quot;:6,&quot;335572080&quot;:1,&quot;335572081&quot;:0,&quot;469789798&quot;:&quot;single&quot;,&quot;469789806&quot;:&quot;single&quot;}"> 
<hr />
<h2>Additional Key Dates: </h2>
Monday, August 31 – Wednesday, September 16: FIBA break 
Thursday, September 24: Last day of regular season 
Stay tuned for more updates around WNBA Rivals Week presented by Ally, the 2026 WNBA Playoffs presented by Google Pixel and WNBA Finals dates!

2026-regular-season-key-dates

2026 WNBA Schedule Release: Key Dates and What to Know 

Awards

– Wilson and Collier Joined on First Team by Alyssa Thomas, Allisha Gray and Kelsey Mitchell – 
– Eight-Time All-WNBA Team Selection Nneka Ogwumike Leads Second Team, Which Also Features 
Jackie Young, Sabrina Ionescu, Aliyah Boston and Paige Bueckers – 
– Gray, Mitchell, Boston and Bueckers Make Their All-WNBA Team Debuts –
NEW YORK, Oct. 10, 2025 – Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson, the 2025 Kia WNBA Most Valuable Player and Kia WNBA Co-Defensive Player of the Year, and Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier have been unanimously selected to the 2025 All-WNBA First Team, the WNBA announced today.
Wilson and Collier, the runner-up for the 2025 Kia WNBA Most Valuable Player Award, were named to the All-WNBA First Team on all 72 ballots in voting by a national panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. Wilson earned a spot on the First Team for the fourth consecutive season and is an All-WNBA pick for the sifth time overall. Collier, a four-time All-WNBA Team selection, was voted to the First Team for the third straight season.
Joining Wilson and Collier (360 points each) on the 2025 All-WNBA First Team are Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas (358), Atlanta Dream guard Allisha Gray (341) and Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell (320).
This is the fourth All-WNBA Team selection for Thomas, who makes her third consecutive appearance on the First Team. Gray and Mitchell are All-WNBA Team selections for the first time.
The 2025 All-WNBA Second Team consists of Seattle Storm forward Nneka Ogwumike (185 points), Aces guard Jackie Young (148), Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu (125), Fever center Aliyah Boston (112) and Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers (112).
Ogwumike is an All-WNBA Team choice for the eighth time, Ionescu for the fourth time and Young for the second time. Boston makes her debut on the All-WNBA Team. Bueckers’ selection marks the second straight season a rookie was selected to the All-WNBA Team (Indiana’s Caitlin Clark was a First Team choice in 2024).
Voting for the All-WNBA Team was conducted at the conclusion of the regular season. Players were selected without regard to position and received five points for each First Team vote and three points for each Second Team vote.
2025 All-WNBA First Team 
A’ja Wilson, Aces: In her eighth WNBA season, Wilson earned a record fourth Kia WNBA MVP Award – her second consecutive MVP honor – and was a co-winner of the Kia WNBA Defensive Player of the Year Award along with Minnesota’s Alanna Smith. The 6-4 Wilson averaged 23.4 points, 10.2 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 2.3 blocked shots and 1.6 steals – all the second-best per-game marks of her career. She led the league in points per game for the second straight season and in blocks per game for the fifth time. Wilson also scored the most points (937) and had the highest efficiency rating (29.2) in the WNBA.
Napheesa Collier, Lynx: Collier, the runner-up to Wilson as the Kia WNBA MVP in 2024 and 2025, was the Kia WNBA Western Conference Player of the Month for May, June and July. She was selected to the WNBA All-Defensive Team for the fourth time. The 6-1 forward ranked second in the league in scoring with a career-high 22.9 points per game. In addition, Collier ranked 11th in rebounds per game (7.3) and third in steals per game (1.6). Behind Collier, the Lynx finished the regular season with the league’s best record (34-10).
Alyssa Thomas, Mercury: The 6-2 Thomas finished third in voting for the Kia WNBA MVP Award after setting a WNBA regular-season record with eight triple-doubles, extending her WNBA career-leading mark to 19. In addition, Thomas led the league in assists per game (9.2) and recorded a league record for total assists (357). She also finished third in the league in rebounds per game (8.8). Thomas was selected to the WNBA All-Defensive Team for the seventh time.
Allisha Gray, Dream: In her ninth WNBA season, Gray earned her third straight All-Star selection and was an All-Star starter for the first time. The 6-0 guard was named the Kia WNBA Eastern Conference Player of the Month for May, June and August and finished fourth in voting for the Kia WNBA MVP Award. Gray ranked seventh in the league in scoring with a career-high 18.4 points per game. She also set career highs in rebounds (5.3) and assists per game (3.5) and ranked sixth in the WNBA in three-point field goals made (98).
Kelsey Mitchell, Fever: Mitchell ranked third in the WNBA in scoring with a career-high 20.2 points per game and made a league-leading 111 three-point field goals. In her eighth WNBA season, Mitchell was an All-Star selection for the third consecutive season and finished fifth in the voting for the Kia WNBA MVP Award. The 6-0 guard also contributed 3.4 assists per game.
2025 All-WNBA Second Team 
Nneka Ogwumike, Storm: In her 14th WNBA season, Ogwumike started all 44 regular season games and earned her 10th All-Star selection. The 6-2 forward ranked ninth in the WNBA in points per game (18.3), 13th in rebounds per game (7.0) and 11th in field goal percentage (51.9). Ogwumike also became the sixth player in league history to reach 7,000 career points and the only one to do so while shooting at least 50 percent from the field.
Jackie Young, Aces: The No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 WNBA Draft presented by State Farm and a two-time WNBA champion with Las Vegas, Young was an All-Star selection for the fourth season in a row. The 6-0 guard finished 12th in the league in scoring (16.5 points per game) and 11th in assists (5.1 apg), ranking second among Aces players in both categories while posting the second-best figure of her career in each.
Sabrina Ionescu, Liberty: The 5-11 guard ranked 10th in the WNBA in points per game (18.2) and sixth in assists per game (5.7). She also led the league in free throw percentage (93.3) and finished ninth in three-point field goals made (81). In addition, she contributed 4.9 rebounds and a career-high 1.3 steals per game. In her sixth WNBA season, Ionescu was selected as an All-Star for the fourth consecutive season.
Aliyah Boston, Fever: The unanimous 2023 Kia WNBA Rookie of the Year and an All-Star in all of her three WNBA seasons, Boston helped lead the Fever to a spot in the WNBA Semifinals and was named to the WNBA All-Defensive Second Team. The 6-5 center-forward averaged career highs of 15.0 points and 3.7 assists per game. She finished sixth among WNBA players in rebounds per game (8.2), fourth in total rebounds (361) and fifth in field goal percentage (53.8).
Paige Bueckers, Wings: The 2025 Kia WNBA Rookie of the Year led all rookies in total points (692), points per game (19.2), total assists (194) and assists per game (5.4). Among all players, Bueckers ranked fifth in scoring average, sixth in steals per game (1.6) and ninth in assists per game. The 6-0 guard, who was voted as a starter for the 2025 AT&amp;T WNBA All-Star Game, set a WNBA single-game scoring record for rookies with 44 points at the Los Angeles Sparks on Aug. 20.
In honor of their accomplishments, each member of the All-WNBA First Team will receive $10,300 and each member of the Second Team will receive $5,150.
Below are the voting results for the 2025 All-WNBA Team.
2025 ALL-WNBA FIRST TEAM 
<table style="border-collapse: collapse;width: 100%">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 25%">
Player, Team 
</td>
<td style="width: 25%">
1st Team Votes 
</td>
<td style="width: 25%">
2nd Team Votes 
</td>
<td style="width: 25%">
Total Points 
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 25%">
Napheesa Collier, Minnesota Lynx
</td>
<td style="width: 25%">72</td>
<td style="width: 25%">0</td>
<td style="width: 25%">360</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 25%">
A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces
</td>
<td style="width: 25%">72</td>
<td style="width: 25%">0</td>
<td style="width: 25%">360</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 25%">
Alyssa Thomas, Phoenix Mercury
</td>
<td style="width: 25%">71</td>
<td style="width: 25%">1</td>
<td style="width: 25%">358</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 25%">
Allisha Gray, Atlanta Dream
</td>
<td style="width: 25%">67</td>
<td style="width: 25%">2</td>
<td style="width: 25%">341</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 25%">
Kelsey Mitchell, Indiana Fever
</td>
<td style="width: 25%">58</td>
<td style="width: 25%">10</td>
<td style="width: 25%">320</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
&nbsp;
2025 ALL-WNBA SECOND TEAM
<table style="border-collapse: collapse;width: 100%;height: 176px">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 56px">
<td style="width: 25%;height: 56px">
Player, Team
</td>
<td style="width: 25%;height: 56px">1st Team Votes</td>
<td style="width: 25%;height: 56px">
2nd Team Votes 
</td>
<td style="width: 25%;height: 56px">Total Points</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px">
<td style="width: 25%;height: 24px">
Nneka Ogwumike, Seattle Storm
</td>
<td style="width: 25%;height: 24px">1</td>
<td style="width: 25%;height: 24px">60</td>
<td style="width: 25%;height: 24px">185</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px">
<td style="width: 25%;height: 24px">
Jackie Young, Las Vegas Aces
</td>
<td style="width: 25%;height: 24px">5</td>
<td style="width: 25%;height: 24px">41</td>
<td style="width: 25%;height: 24px">148</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px">
<td style="width: 25%;height: 24px">
Sabrina Ionescu, New York Liberty
</td>
<td style="width: 25%;height: 24px">1</td>
<td style="width: 25%;height: 24px">40</td>
<td style="width: 25%;height: 24px">125</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px">
<td style="width: 25%;height: 24px">
Aliyah Boston, Indiana Fever
</td>
<td style="width: 25%;height: 24px">2</td>
<td style="width: 25%;height: 24px">34</td>
<td style="width: 25%;height: 24px">112</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px">
<td style="width: 25%;height: 24px">
Paige Bueckers, Dallas Wings
</td>
<td style="width: 25%;height: 24px">2</td>
<td style="width: 25%;height: 24px">34</td>
<td style="width: 25%;height: 24px">
112
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
Players were selected without regard for position. Players received five points for each First Team vote and three points for each Second Team vote.
# # #

2025-all-wnba-teams

A’ja Wilson and Napheesa Collier Unanimously Selected to 2025 All-WNBA First Team

AP Recap

LAS VEGAS (AP) — The Fever, with about half their roster in street clothes, weren’t supposed to be this kind of challenge for the Aces.
And then when <a class="Link AnClick-LinkEnhancement" href="https://apnews.com/article/mitchell-fever-aces-injury-70d9e64f22798b0ca71944597d93ec7a" data-gtm-enhancement-style="LinkEnhancementA">Kelsey Mitchell left Game 5</a> on Tuesday night because of severe leg cramping, victory seemed assured for Las Vegas — only to have Indiana keep fighting back.
But the Aces, pushed to the brink for the second postseason series in a row, survived 107-98 in overtime to advance to the WNBA Finals for the third time in four years. A’ja Wilson, with 35 points, and Jackie Young, with 32, became the first teammates to score more than 30 points in a playoff game.
The second-seeded Aces, who won the league title in 2022 and 2023, will host the fourth-seeded Phoenix Mercury on Friday in the opener of the best-of-seven championship series.
Las Vegas went on a 16-game winning streak to end the regular season, but was pushed to the edge by Seattle in the first round and then Indiana.
“I think that streak we went on prepared us for moments like this, how to fight through the highs and lows of the game,” Wilson said. “It allows us to never take our foot off the gas.”
Indiana made Las Vegas work for it even though the sixth-seeded Fever have been decimated by injuries, with Mitchell added to that list that includes Caitlin Clark and Sophie Cunningham. Coach Stephanie White somehow not only kept the team together, the Fever reached the doorstep of their first Finals appearance since 2015.
“They have been an absolute joy to coach,” White said. “It’s an incredible group of women, an incredibly connected group. They’re a great example to everybody to what it means to just put one foot in front of the other to persevere, to welcome people into the fold, to not give in to circumstance.”
Mitchell had scored a team-high 15 points at the time of her injury. Six Fever players reached double digits, including Odyssey Sims with 27 points and Natasha Howard with 16. Aliyah Boston finished with 11 points and 16 rebounds, but fouled out with 27 seconds left in regulation.
The Aces were closer to a three-woman show, with Wilson coming within three points of her playoff career high. Young, whose <a class="Link AnClick-LinkEnhancement" href="https://apnews.com/article/storm-aces-playoffs-score-5e8e1bc7bbe8868fc54d58086556e4d6" data-gtm-enhancement-style="LinkEnhancementA">putback basket</a> in the opening round against Seattle allowed Las Vegas to advance to this round, had a playoff career-high 10 assists.
Chelsea Gray — who briefly went into the locker room in early in the third quarter with an apparent right leg injury — scored 17 points, including eight in overtime.
Las Vegas needed every one of those points because the Fever challenged the Aces throughout, including after Mitchell got hurt. Rather than fade away and concede the playoff series to the home team, the Fever battled to tie the game at 84 on two Sims free throws with 52 seconds left.
After Young made two free throws with 27.1 seconds remaining, Sims answered with a drive down the lane for a layup with 22.5 seconds to go to again tie the game. Young missed a layup in the closing seconds and Jewell Loyd the follow to send the game to overtime.
The Aces then took the lead early in OT and didn’t give it up.
“They would just not go away,” Aces coach Becky Hammon said of the Fever. “The resiliency of (White’s) group. They went through a lot of adversity this year and for Steph to keep everybody onboard &#8230; I thought they did an unbelievable job all the way around. They just gas-pedaled the whole time, and it was tough for us.”

WNBA_Playoffs_2025_Google_white

2025-playoffs-aces-fever-game-5-recap

Game Recap: Indiana Fever vs. Las Vegas Aces (Semi-Finals, Game 5)

Semis Game Recap

WNBA_Finals_2025_YTTV_Primary_white

game-recap-fever-vs-aces-9-30-25

Game Recap: Fever vs. Aces (9/30/25)

aliyah-boston-posts-11-points-16-rebounds-vs-las-vegas-aces

Aliyah Boston Posts 11 points & 16 rebounds vs. Las Vegas Aces

Latest

Aliyah Boston

<div class="ewa-rteLine">No. 1 pick in the 2023 WNBA Draft. South Carolina in 2023 became one of three programs to have at least five selections in a single draft (Notre Dame 2019 and Tennessee 2008, 1999).</div>
<div class="ewa-rteLine">Finished her college career with South Carolina from 2019-23 as the program’s all-time leader in: Consecutive games started (138), Rebounds (1,493), Offensive rebounds (518), Offensive rebounds in SEC games (244), Defensive rebounds (975), Defensive rebounds in SEC games (485), Rebounds in SEC games (729), Blocked shots in SEC games (165), Double-doubles (82), Double-doubles in SEC games (42), Triple-doubles (2).</div>
<div class="ewa-rteLine">Four-time All-America recipient, four-time Lisa Leslie Center of the Year, four-time SEC Defensive Player of the Year, two-time National Player of the Year, two-time Naismith Defensive Player of the Year, two-time SEC Player of the Year and was also the 2022 NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player guiding the Gamecocks to a national championship.</div>
<div class="ewa-rteLine">As a part of USA Basketball, has earned four gold medals and was named MVP of the 2017 FIBA U16 Americas Cup</div>

Aliyah Boston signed a Contract Extension with the Indiana Fever.

Productive on both ends in loss

Dishes six dimes vs. Nigeria

Off injury report

Ruled out for Thursday

Won't play Saturday

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