Indiana Fever select Aliyah Boston No. 1 overall in 2023 WNBA draft

NEW YORK — The Indiana Fever selected former South Carolina star and 2022 Naismith Player of the Year Aliyah Boston with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 WNBA draft on Monday night at New York City's Spring Studios.

Boston — a 6-foot-5 forward who grew up in St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands before moving to Massachusetts as a teenager to pursue her basketball dream — became the second top overall pick out of South Carolina, joining two-time league MVP A'ja Wilson in 2018.

«It's really special, I'm thankful to God for putting me in this position,» Boston said. «Everyone in Indiana, they saw something in me, I'm ready to get there and get to work.»

Maryland's Diamond Miller was selected second by the Minnesota Lynx, while Maddy Siegrist became Villanova's highest-ever WNBA draft pick at No. 3, going to the Dallas Wings. Big East commissioner Val Ackerman, who was the WNBA's first president, sat with Siegrist.

The Wings also drafted UConn guard Lou Lopez Senechal two picks later. She had transferred to UConn after a stellar career at Fairfield.

«It feels surreal, really didn't think I'd be here,» Senechal said. «I've come a long way, gone through a lot of challenges.»

Stephanie Soares of Iowa State went fourth to Washington. The Mystics quickly traded her to Dallas soon after selecting the 6-foot-7 center. Washington got back a future first- and second-round pick, the fourth year the Mystics have traded one of their first-round picks.

«It was a very interesting feeling,» Soares said. «Pure excitement going to Washington, but now getting to go to Dallas. It's going to be a great next step to the journey.»

Soares tore her ACL in January and will miss the upcoming WNBA season.

Stanford guard Haley Jones went sixth to