Just one day after the Las Vegas Aces announced four-time MVP A'ja Wilson had signed a historic $5 million, three-year deal with the team, the Indiana Fever made its own accouncement. Aliyah Boston, who the team drafted as the No. 1 overall pick in 2023, signed a four-year, $6.3 million contract with the team — the biggest deal in the WNBA's history.
Boston will now make $1 million this season, an increase from her previously set 2026 salary of $574,612. Perhaps more interestingly, the announcement can be seen as a bit of a friendly statement to the Aces: the Fever is investing in its own South Carolina-trained star as much as Becky Hammon and the Aces are.
Both Boston and Wilson spent their collegiate careers playing for Dawn Staley and the South Carolina Gamecocks. The pair have a friendly rivalry, and news of Boston's landmark payday is likely to add fuel to the fire. The Fever and the Aces are also set to play out a storyline that popped up last season as the teams battled it out in the playoffs — and this season, both teams are set to reap the benefits of a few key changes that are likely to impact how things proceed.
The Las Vegas Aces brought back the team's core
The Aces are set to be a major threat during the 2026 season. In addition to Wilson, the team brought back its key core of Jackie Young, Chelsea Gray, Dana Evans, and Jewell Loyd; the Aces also welcomed back NaLyssa Smith and Cheyenne Parker-Tyus. The team scooped up the Fever's Brianna Turner, Kiersten Bell, and Stephanie Talbot, and drafted Tennessee graduate Janiah Barker. In short, the team is just as threatening as they were last season when they won the championship (and possibly even more so).
The Fever also made a few key decisions during free agency and the WNBA Draft. The team signed rookie Justine Pissott to a developmental player role, which will allow the excellent 3-point shooter to work on her game alongside the rest of the game and play in up to 12 matches this season. In addition to Boston, the team signed Kelsey Mitchell to a one-year $1.4 supermax deal and brought back Lexie Hull and Sophie Cunningham.
Indiana will also be able to play with Caitlin Clark, who missed most of the 2025 due to a series of injuries.
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