Aliyah Boston is having the best scoring season of her four-year WNBA career, averaging a career-high mark near 17 points a game for the Indiana Fever. Her strong season continued into this week even though the team’s five-game winning streak came to an end.
Key facts
- Final score: Dallas Wings 91, Indiana Fever 85 (Thursday, August 20, 2026, at American Airlines Center)
- Boston’s line: 14 points, 9 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, 1 block in 29 minutes
- Kelsey Mitchell: 37 points; set a WNBA record with a 21st straight 20-plus-point game
- Caitlin Clark: 10 points, 9 assists
- Fever’s reported standing: The team’s site listed Indiana at 22-12, first in the Eastern Conference and fourth overall; other standings snapshots conflict, so the exact current record and seed were not settled.
- Boston’s season averages: near 17 points, about 8 rebounds, just under 3 assists a game on close to 53% shooting, with 10 double-doubles
- New-contract report: A single aggregator source reported that Boston and the Fever had discussed a $6.3 million extension through the 2029 season under the WNBA’s EPIC provision; the claim was not independently corroborated.
Dallas hands the Fever their first loss in six games
The Fever lost to the Dallas Wings 91-85 on the road at Dallas’s American Airlines Center on Thursday, August 20, 2026. Boston finished with 14 points on 5-of-11 shooting, 9 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals and 1 block in 29 minutes. Teammate Kelsey Mitchell scored 37 points and set a WNBA record by reaching 20 or more points for the 21st straight game; Caitlin Clark added 10 points and 9 assists. Dallas got a season-high 32 points from Arike Ogunbowale and a career-best 26 from Jessica Shepard in the win.
From South Carolina champion to No. 1 pick
Boston, a center, was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 WNBA Draft out of the University of South Carolina, where she led the Gamecocks to a national championship and was named NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player. She went on to win 2023 WNBA Rookie of the Year unanimously — all 60 first-place votes — and has made the All-Star team in each of her four pro seasons, plus a spot on the 2025 All-WNBA Team.
A career-high scoring season by the numbers
This season she’s shooting close to 53% from the field, grabbing about 8 rebounds and dishing just under 3 assists a game, and has recorded 10 double-doubles. She was especially hot in the run-up to Thursday’s loss, averaging close to 17 points and roughly 10 rebounds a game over her previous five outings.
Recent hot streak
- August 14: Fever beat Dallas 98-87; Boston had 16 points and 10 rebounds
- August 16: Boston had 18 points and 14 rebounds in a 95-91 overtime win over the Atlanta Dream
- August 18: Fever beat the Toronto Tempo 101-95; Boston had 16 points and 6 rebounds
- August 20: Fever lost to Dallas 91-85, snapping the five-game winning streak
An earlier right lower-leg issue
Boston has dealt with a right lower-leg issue at multiple points this season. Against the Seattle Storm, she left a win in the second quarter after tripping over a teammate’s foot and appearing to land hard on her right knee; Fever coach Stephanie White described the situation afterward as more of a precaution than a serious injury. She was later listed as probable before a subsequent game, but has since played in every Fever game from mid-August through Thursday’s loss to Dallas without missing further time. Her exact status heading into the next game was not confirmed.
A reported EPIC contract extension
Off the court, a single aggregator source reported in April that Boston and the Fever had discussed a $6.3 million extension through the 2029 season under a new WNBA mechanism called the EPIC (Exceptional Performance on Initial Contract) provision. The report was not independently corroborated, so the contract’s exact terms and status remain unconfirmed.
Where the Fever stand entering the stretch run
With the regular season entering its final stretch, the Fever were reported by the team’s own site to hold a 22-12 record and sole possession of first place in the Eastern Conference — fourth overall in the league, behind the Minnesota Lynx, Golden State Valkyries and Las Vegas Aces — leaving them well positioned for the playoffs despite Thursday’s loss, which ended their five-game winning streak.
Sources and further reading
- 2026 Playoff Picture
- Fever’s Aliyah Boston named 2023 Kia WNBA Rookie of the Year
- Aliyah Boston Named 2023 WNBA Rookie of the Year
- Game Recap: Strong Fourth Quarter Lifts Indiana Fever Over Dallas Wings
- 2026 AT&T WNBA All-Star Game Starters Announced
- Fever’s Aliyah Boston named 2023 Kia WNBA Rookie of the Year
- Indiana Fever vs Dallas Wings Aug 20, 2026 Box Scores