Aliyah Boston left Friday’s game between the Indiana Fever and Washington Mystics with a lower leg injury. The Fever All-Star had entered the season with the ailment lingering after she initially sustained it in Unrivaled in February. Boston was on a minute restriction to start the 2026 season.
She ended the opening two games healthy, but that wasn’t the case on Friday. Fever coach Stephanie White addressed Boston’s injury, but said she had no updates on the center’s status. The Fever have historically been private about releasing prompt injury updates on their stars, including Caitlin Clark last year.
After Boston’s injury and uncertain return for the next game, Fever fans’ anger with White and Indiana’s front office only grew, initially stemming from the team’s refusal to sign more frontcourt players.
“F*k steph white. They knew we needed a back up big for AB. Yet we signed 8 dumbass guards,” one fan wrote.
“we failed to obtain a competent center through FA and the draft, and AB needs to properly rehab her injury without our lack luster medical staff rushing her. so we’re pretty much food for everyone. dantas and MHA won’t cut it lol,” another wrote.
“Aliyah got hurt in Unrivaled. She was not healthy until 2 weeks ago. She is now hurt again Instead of getting a backup, they prioritised signing Caitlin’s backups backup backup and ended up resigning a player who can’t run, rebound, defend, pass or catch the ball as her backup,” one fan added.
“Front office is a joke,” another said.
“CALL LIZ CAMBAGE,” a fan proposed.
In the offseason, the Fever drafted guard Raven Johnson with the No. 10 pick. They signed four other guards, while also retaining Clark, Kelsey Mitchell, Lexie Hull and Sophie Cunningham.
Indiana’s only three additions to the frontcourt were Monique Billings, Myisha Hines-Allen and Damiris Dantas. Neither provides the same rim protection Aliyah Boston offers. It has been one of the crucial reasons behind the Fever’s defensive struggles in three games.
On Friday, they couldn’t contain the Mystics’ drives to the rim after Boston went down and lost 104-102 in overtime despite a vintage Caitlin Clark performance.
Stephanie White scrutinized for questionable decision-making after Aliyah Boston’s injury
Stephanie White made questionable decisions after Aliyah Boston’s injury on Friday. Despite Kiki Iriafen and Shakira Austin dominating the offensive glass, White didn’t offer enough minutes to second-year forward Makayla Timpson. She played only four minutes. Meanwhile, Myisha Hines-Allen played 21 and only had two rebounds.
Iriafen and Austin combined for 22 rebounds among them, just seven short of the Fever’s total as a team. The Mystics outrebounded the Fever 44-29. Before going down with an injury, Aliyah Boston did a great job of keeping Iriafen and Austin at bay with her nine-point, four-rebound effort in 20 minutes.
The Fever struggled with their new signings last year, too. It was injuries that ironically nudged them in the right direction as they acquired hardship contract players who fit better than their offseason signings. Indiana will hope for that kind of luck again after Boston’s injury.
