Tuesday will be a big day for basketball in Boston as the Connecticut Sun take on the Indiana Fever at TD Garden. <\/p>\n
Leading up to the thousands of fans screaming for players on the parquet, a smaller but equally passionate crowd gathered at the State House Monday to cheer on Worcester Academy alum and Fever star Aliyah Boston. <\/p>\n
Boston, who led Worcester Academy to an 86-10 record<\/a> before guiding the University of South Carolina to a national championship, was the first overall pick in the 2023 WNBA draft. <\/p>\n Since then, she\u2019s been Rookie of the Year and a three-time WNBA All-Star. Ahead of her first game as a professional in the commonwealth, state and local leaders gathered to show love to the star with local roots. <\/p>\n Governor Maura Healey praised Boston\u2019s accomplishments on the court \u2014 and what she represents off of it, too. <\/p>\n \u201cToday\u2019s players are inspiring women and girls all over the world,\u201d Healey said. \u201cAnd you know what? They\u2019re inspiring men and boys as well. And that\u2019s a great thing. That has everything to do with the role models that we\u2019re seeing in the WNBA. And there\u2019s no better example of a role model than Aliyah Boston.\u201d<\/p>\n The star was given several tributes, including a proclamation from the city marking Tuesday as \u201cAliyah Boston Day.\u201d<\/p>\n City Councilor Brian Worrell, who was behind the resolution, has spoken about his desire to see the city get a WNBA<\/a> team. He used Monday\u2019s ceremony to champion that cause.<\/p>\n \u201cBoston and the WNBA in the same sentence sure does sound good, doesn\u2019t it?\u201d he said. <\/p>\n For Aliyah Boston, the ceremony ahead of a bit of a homecoming game has made for a unique week already. <\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s super special. You know, every time we play the Sun and we\u2019re in Connecticut, my family comes to visit,\u201d she said. \u201cBut I think being literally right down the road is super exciting and it\u2019s a blessing.\u201d<\/p>\n Boston\u2019s connection to the city goes deeper than just her name and her Massachusetts roots. On Monday, Boston Legacy FC announced that Boston is part of the NWSL team\u2019s investor group. <\/p>\n On Aliyah Boston Day in the City of Boston, what better time to say: welcome to the Legacy \ud83d\udc9a<\/p>\n Aliyah Boston, WNBA All-Star and three-time Massachusetts Player of the Year, is now a Boston Legacy FC investor. pic.twitter.com\/0aV7pHqkD3<\/a><\/p>\n