‘I love that girl.’ Tre-Vaughn Minott gushes about Gamecock girlfriend Aliyah Boston

Two tall humans bumped into each other in a hallway — and found love.

South Carolina men’s basketball forward Tre-Vaughn Minott will never forget the first time he crossed paths with women’s basketball star Aliyah Boston on USC’s campus. When he saw Boston, he walked straight up to her and told her a joke, and she started cackling. Their eyes met. Both hearts fluttered. He knew in that very moment how he felt.

Minott can’t help but giggle when he tells the story. They’ve been dating for almost a year now.

“You’re making me smile,” a blushing Minott told The State, as soon as he heard Boston’s name. “It was out of nowhere. ... It was, ‘Hey, let me tell you a joke.’ And that’s it. Just from there. We laugh about it every day. Every single day. It was just like an instant spark.”

There’s no secret Gamecock romance here. It’s official. Minott doesn’t shy away from using that big, life-changing “L” word. In true Generation Z form, their relationship has blossomed to the point that Minott and Boston have a joint TikTok account, called “2tallhumans4,” where they’ve chronicled some of their dates. The “4” in the name represents the jersey No. 4, which both players wear for their respective teams. Expect to see much more of the duo as college basketball season tips off in November.

Boston, of course, has evolved into one of the biggest names in college athletics in her three years playing for Dawn Staley’s Gamecocks. Her list of accolades is almost as long as her 6-foot-5 frame, with multiple national player of the year awards and a national title trophy sitting on her mantle. Much like A’ja Wilson before her, she seems destined for further stardom in the WNBA after her senior year is complete.

Minott (pronounced “MY-knot”) has been on a much different USC journey. A Montreal native, Minott was playing for NBA Academy Latin America in Mexico City when then-coach Frank Martin added him to the roster midway through the 2020-21 season. The 6-foot-9 center came to Columbia out of shape at over 280 pounds — largely due to COVID-19 keeping him indoors — but since then he’s worked to reshape his body, slimming down to a more muscular 258 pounds. Playing time has been inconsistent for him, but he has a chance to vie for a bigger role in his junior season with a new coaching staff headed by Lamont Paris.

Though both Boston and Minott wear the No. 4, play for the Gamecocks and both play the center position, their commonalities extend well beyond basketball. Both are well-rounded, worldly people with experiences outside of the game.

Minott can speak French, Spanish and Portuguese in addition to English, and he has a passion for music, having dabbled with six or seven different instruments throughout his life. He still occasionally makes beats with his keyboard and computer.

Boston has unique roots as well, hailing from the U.S. Virgin Islands. Her activism stands out just as much as her basketball abilities. Boston has used her platform as a way to empower young people and especially Black female athletes. She started her own camp for children and has never shied away from speaking on issues close to her heart.

“I tell her every day: Just keep inspiring, keep motivating people, keep being you,” Minott said. “We talk often about just being authentic to ourselves and just being real with yourself. And I feel like she does a very good job of doing that and just empowering other young women to be themselves and be courageous and be strong in what they’re doing.

“Personally, I haven’t seen anyone with that kind of effect on people like she has. So just to see that firsthand, it’s just great. She inspires me every day, and I make sure I let her know about it, too.”

After USC fired Martin in April, Minott had the option to go elsewhere — an option that several of his former teammates chose to take. But Minott said that he had a good feeling in his gut that Paris and the new coaching staff were the right fit for him. After bouncing from Canada to Mexico City then to South Carolina, Columbia has become somewhat of a second home. He said he loves the fan base and how “welcoming” the city feels and how kind people are to him.

But there’s no question his love for Boston played a factor in him staying, as well. She’s one of the biggest reasons why Columbia has started to feel like home.

“I love that girl,” Minott said, a wide smile forming. “She’s such a big factor in my life. She teaches me just so much. She opens my eyes to a lot of things, and she’s just a great person. I couldn’t ask for anyone else to be with.

“She’s perfect.”