South Carolina basketball star Aliyah Boston blasts ESPN for not inviting her to ESPY awards

South Carolina center Aliyah Boston sounded off on ESPN after she was nominated for an ESPY award and not invited to the telecast.

Boston, the Naismith Player of the Year who helped the Gamecocks win their second national championship in 2022, was nominated for "Best College Athlete, Women’s Sports” award.

ESPN said in a statement to The State that "due to both COVID restrictions and a new venue with much less seating capacity than previous shows" was the reason why Boston was not invited. They further explained that athlete invites were predicated on awards being handed out during the broadcast, scheduled for Wednesday.

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The Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, where the show will be held, has a seating capacity of 3,400.

Boston, who averaged 16.8 points and 12.6 rebounds this season, was not happy with that explanation and said on social media there isn't an excuse for what ESPN did, considering that the network televised the category last year.

She added that ESPN later invited her to the ESPYs because of the flak it got on social media. Boston declined the invitation.

"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 aren't a "priority" this time, even now, 50 years after Title IX," Boston said on social media.

"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."

The award of "Best College Athlete, Women’s Sports” eventually went to Oklahoma's record-breaking softball slugger Jocelyn Alo.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Aliyah Boston rips ESPN for non-invite to ESPY awards telecast