Aliyah Boston Issues Warning to WNBA Over Caitlin Clark, Raven Johnson Pairing
The Indiana Fever got their first real glimpse of what their future backcourt could look like on Saturday in a preseason matchup against the New York Liberty.
Indiana rolled to a convincing 109–91 road win, showcasing their up-tempo identity by forcing turnovers and turning them into easy offense. The scoring was balanced, with five players reaching double figures while the team shot over 40% from three.
Rookie Raven Johnson made an immediate impact, dishing out a team-high eight assists in just 18 minutes off the bench while organizing the second unit with poise and pace.
On Monday, Aliyah Boston backed Johnson and sent a subtle warning to the WNBA about what's coming alongside Caitlin Clark.
"She’s ready to work, and she’s ready to win. Her being able to go out there and play free and do what she does, great to see," Boston said. "I think we know that C (Clark) loves to push the pace, and being able to have Raven in there pushing it the exact same way, I think is just gonna be really great for our team."
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Johnson arrives in the WNBA with one of the most decorated college careers in her class.
At South Carolina, she was a two-time NCAA champion and, as a senior, earned SEC Defensive Player of the Year honors, second-team All-SEC recognition, and AP/WBCA All-American status.
She also left her mark across the program's record books, finishing third all-time with 612 career assists and fifth in steals with 232.
In her final season, Johnson averaged a career-high 9.9 points, 5.1 assists, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.5 steals across 40 starts, while shooting 49% from the field and 40% from three.
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Clark thrives with the ball in her hands, bending defenses with deep shooting range and aggressive playmaking.
Johnson complements that by doing everything that keeps an offense flowing: advancing the ball quickly, making the extra pass, defending at the point of attack, and creating transition opportunities.
Her defensive profile is especially valuable.
Johnson built her reputation on ball pressure, anticipation, and versatility, earning SEC All-Defense honors in each of her final two collegiate seasons. That allows Clark to conserve energy offensively while Johnson takes on tougher perimeter assignments.
Offensively, Johnson's efficient shooting allows her to space the floor without clogging Clark's driving lanes. More importantly, she's comfortable playing both on and off the ball.
That duality could unlock one of the most balanced backcourts in basketball, and a potential matchup nightmare for opposing teams.
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This story was originally published April 27, 2026 at 4:18 PM.