Aliyah Boston Has Lateral Meniscus Surgery After Averaging 16.1 Points

Photo: WNBA.com. Aliyah Boston, Indiana Fever center.

Aliyah Boston had successful arthroscopic surgery on Oct. 14 to repair the lateral meniscus in her right knee, and the Indiana Fever announced the procedure on Thursday. Dr. Corey Kendall performed the repair at OrthoIndy. Rehab has already started with the team's medical and performance staff, and the Fever did not give a return date, per CBS Sports and the Indianapolis Star.

Boston averaged a career-high 16.1 points, 8.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.2 blocks in 2026 and made her fourth All-Star team in four seasons.

How the injury played out

Boston suffered what was called a "right lower extremity injury" in late February while playing in Unrivaled. She missed the rest of that league's season and withdrew from Team USA's FIBA Women's World Cup Qualifying Tournament in Puerto Rico in March.

She was cleared for the WNBA season. On May 17 she missed the first game of her career, against the Seattle Storm. Coach Stephanie White said the team wanted to make sure it was "utilizing an abundance of caution." The Fever kept listing Boston on the injury report with a "right lower leg" injury, and she missed four games in all.

She still raised her numbers in the playoffs. Against the Las Vegas Aces in the first round, Boston averaged 19.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal and 1 block on 58.1 percent shooting. The Aces eliminated the Fever in that series.

Boston described the season at her exit interview on Oct. 3. "I definitely started the year with a lot of uncertainty. I think there were definitely some games where I was hindered a little bit, and then obviously we know I missed some games," she said, per CBS Sports. "It definitely had its impact, but we made it through a full season, so we're grateful."

For comparison, Atlanta Dream center Brionna Jones had surgery in February after tearing her meniscus overseas and was back on the court by July, CBS Sports noted.

The contract and the roster

Boston signed an EPIC extension in April that keeps her in Indianapolis through 2029. ESPN reported it at $6.3 million over four years, the richest total salary in WNBA history, per Yahoo Sports. The deal is a floating supermax worth 20 percent of the salary cap, so her exact salary will not be set until the 2027 cap is known, per CBS Sports.

Boston and Caitlin Clark are both under contract for next season. Kelsey Mitchell is an unrestricted free agent, and CBS Sports reported that re-signing her starts the Fever's offseason work.

Boston's rehab is under way in Indianapolis. The Fever have not given a timetable for her return.