A college basketball star who was up for an ESPY award revealed that she declined a late invitation in a scathing statement on Wednesday.
South Carolina standout Aliyah Boston, a nominee for Best College Athlete, Women's Sports, took to social media to say she passed up the invite to the annual awards show because it came only after ESPN "changed course" due to pressure on social media.
The reigning National Player of the Year and Final Four Outstanding Player said the initial invite snub "hurt" and that the Worldwide Leader's reversal hurt even more.
"To be nominated for an ESPY this year meant the world to me and my family," Boston said. "While it hurt finding out that they wouldn't be televising the category despite it being televised last year, and had no intentions for me to attend ... it hurt more to see ESPN change course and invite me only after social media caught wind of it. Respectfully, I declined."
The category wasn't televised this year, nor was the men's version of it, despite having been televised last year.
Boston said her snub was tantamount to the "erasure" of Black women.
"I'm used to this. It's just another moment when the disrespect and erasure of Black women is brushed off as a 'mistake' or an 'oversight.' Another excuse for why our milestones and accomplishments are a 'priority' this time, even now, 50 years after Title IX.
To every Black girl and every Black woman: no one can take away what God has in store for us. You matter. You are valuable. You are a priority. You are seen, and you are LOVED -- don't let anyone tell you otherwise."
Last year, the award went to UConn star Paige Bueckers. During her acceptance speech, she called out the relative dearth of media coverage for Black athletes.
"With the life that I have now as a white woman who leads a Black-led sport and celebrate it here, I want to show a light on Black women," Bueckers said. "They don't get the media coverage they deserve."
Boston's eventual invitation seemed to spurred on at least in party by criticism from South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley, who blasted ESPN in a tweet over the weekend.
"Like really….who in the room from @espn @ESPYS decided it was a great idea not to invite @MarchMadnessWBB NPOY DPOY," Staley said. "….not one person was able to see the uproar this would cause? There’s definitely something wrong with the make up of the room……the fight continue….#WBBSTANDUP"
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