A’ja Wilson says to stop comparing Aliyah Boston to her: ‘Give Aliyah her own lane’
The comparisons have been made for more than a year now. And with a statue installed outside Colonial Life Arena, they’re unlikely to stop anytime soon — just how good is current South Carolina women’s basketball star Aliyah Boston when held up against the program’s all-time great, A’ja Wilson?
But ask Wilson herself, and she doesn’t feel there should be any comparisons made at all.
“A lot of people compare her back to myself,” Wilson said during a USA Basketball minicamp Thursday. “And I just want to tell everyone, stop doing that, please give Aliyah her own lane, because that’s who she is, she’s worked so hard to get to just be Aliyah Boston. Just stop comparing her to Alaina (Coates), to myself ... she’s her own person and that’s what I love about her.”
Gamecock coach Dawn Staley happens to agree with her former star.
“I know (Aliyah is) flattered by the comparisons. But she certainly wants to make her own legacy here at South Carolina,” Staley said on Jan. 21. “I think she’s pretty special. She does have A’ja Wilson qualities, certainly off the court. On the court, equally as effective, just different.
“Aliyah’s ability to pass, her ability to facilitate at a young age, as a sophomore, some of the things that she does out there, separates her from A’ja. But A’ja had a team full of veterans on her team where she could just focus on her. ... Here we put a lot of emphasis on putting that responsibility on Aliyah, because she can handle it.”
Boston and Wilson’s early careers did have some key differences — Wilson started just one game her freshman year and got to develop off the bench on an experienced roster that had an All-American star in Tiffany Mitchell. Boston stepped into the lineup right away and was relied upon as one of the top players on a team with national-title ambitions.
And those differences in style and circumstance show in the statistics — going into her 50th college game Monday against UConn, Boston is averaging more minutes than Wilson did through 49 games, taking more shots, collecting more assists, rebounds, blocks and steals. Wilson, meanwhile, averaged slightly more points.
Focus on the numbers and the comparisons too much, though, and you’ll miss out what makes Boston so special, Wilson said.
“When it comes to Aliyah Boston, she is who you see. She is just a woman amongst girls,” Wilson said. “Under pressure throughout the game, things might not be going her way, but then eventually she separates herself. And that’s a sign of a great player.”
Boston’s freshman season was one for the record books, as she earned All-American honors and established herself as a star — there was even speculation and debate among fans and analysts about how high in the WNBA draft she would go if women’s basketball had a one-and-done rule.
Her sophomore year has had some ups and downs, but she’s still averaging a double-double and ranks among the nation’s best in rebounding and shot-blocking. And under Staley, she’ll only continue to grow, Wilson said, to the point that the WNBA MVP is already imagining what a team-up might look like on her pro team, the Las Vegas Aces.
“She has had a dominant presence way before I found mine in college, which is great,” Wilson said. “So, I mean, my biggest thing, and I give all high praise to Aliyah because she’s worked so hard to get to where she is, and the best is yet to come. Like I cannot wait until she really develops into who she is. I know the Aces will get her in the draft — I don’t know, she’s gonna go pretty high. But we’ll see. I’m excited to see her at the next level already as a sophomore.”
NEXT USC BASKETBALL GAME
Who: No. 2 South Carolina (15-1, 10-0 SEC) vs. No. 3 UConn (12-1, 10-0 Big East)
When: Monday
Where: Gampel Pavilion, Storrs, Connecticut
Watch: FS1
