Why are you changing? – Aliyah Boston compares treatment by referees to Shaq after Stephanie White deems her ‘worst officiated post player’
Indiana Fever star Aliyah Boston has grown increasingly vocal about the physical battles she endures in the paint — and the lack of whistles that come with them. Following another tough night of heavy contact and minimal foul calls, Boston compared her experience to that of NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal, who for years claimed referees allowed defenders to be overly physical against him because of his size and dominance.
“Sometimes I’m like, ‘Why are you changing?’” Boston said when asked about the officiating. “It feels like no matter how hard I get hit, the whistle doesn’t come. I think about Shaq and how he always said he didn’t get calls because he was stronger than everybody else. That’s exactly how it feels.”
Her coach, Stephanie White, echoed the sentiment in stronger terms, calling Boston the “worst officiated post player in the league.” White argued that Boston’s combination of strength, footwork, and presence in the paint unfairly works against her, as referees often swallow the whistle under the assumption that she can absorb more contact.
Boston, the 2023 WNBA Rookie of the Year, has already established herself as one of the premier frontcourt players in the league, averaging double figures in scoring while anchoring the Fever’s defense. Yet the physical toll of nightly battles without consistent foul calls has become a growing concern for both her and the franchise.
The comparison to Shaq highlights a long-running dilemma in basketball: dominant post players often face harsher physicality while receiving fewer fouls in their favor. For Boston, the challenge is balancing composure while demanding fairness. “I just want the game to be called the right way,” she said. “That’s all I ask.”
