The Indiana Fever’s latest free-agent signing is a win for (almost) everyone

The Indiana Fever has crushed the WNBA offseason so far. They’ve retained their effective core of Kelsey Mitchell, Aliyah Boston, and Caitlin Clark — and added Natasha Howard and DeWanna Bonner via free agency and Sophie Cunningham via trade.

The team — which will be led by veteran head coach Stephanie White next season — is already poised to contend for a championship.

On Tuesday, ESPN’s Alexa Phillippou reported that guard Sydney Colson has also joined Indiana — adding a two-time champion to a roster that went from having very limited playoff experience to several players with multiple titles (Howard, Bonner, and now, Colson).

Colson won’t make or break the Fever’s season on the court — for her career, she averages 2.8 points on 40.4% shooting in 10.5 minutes. But, she’s been described as a superb teammate and great locker room presence throughout her 13-year career.

At 35, Colson is no longer in her prime. But, the 5’8 guard can still serve as a reliable backup, and she also brings with her the experiences and wisdom from the Las Vegas Aces’ two championship runs. Colson has played on four WNBA teams during her tenure and instantly becomes someone who can provide mentorship to the teams’ younger guards on or off the floor. Colson is also known as an elite basketball mind — and someone who’s enjoyed a long career despite being drafted in the second round (by the Connecticut Sun, who then traded her to the New York Liberty on draft night).

The move is a win for Colson, who gets to contend for a championship on a team that should be now of the few with a legitimate shot at a title. It’s also a win for her given the fact that the number of eyes on Indiana is massive — Fever games were by far the most watched games last season, and the fame and excitement that Caitlin Clark brought with her to the WNBA raised the profile of nearly all of her teammates last season.

Colson, who has a larger-than-life personality and a very humourous Twitter presence will become even more well-known among more casual basketball fans as she acclimates to Indiana next season. The move should provide her with a slew of off-court opportunities down the road as well — ones she was probably headed toward anyways, but nonetheless will be bolstered by playing on the most watched team in women’s basketball. M

Many of Clark’s teammates have become more well-known (and beloved) in part as a result of being on the superstar’s team, with players like Lexie Hull and Kate Martin both demonstrating that phenomenon. Both players became fan favorites on their own accord and largely due to their impressive on-court play — but playing for Iowa and the Fever, respectively, simply ensured they’d be exposed to a much larger audience of potential supporters.

Fans jokingly refer to Colson as the “face of the WNBA” and Colson has also been one of the most well-known players to play in Athletes Unlimited, a month-long professional women’s basketball league that takes place in the WNBA offseason.

As such, the free agency signing is a win for both Colson and the Indiana Fever. The only ones it’s probably not a win for? The Las Vegas Aces, who enjoyed great locker room chemistry camaraderie throughout their past few seasons.

Sydney Colson is a great friend of three-time MVP A’ja Wilson and was a locker-room staple throughout both of the Aces’ championship runs. The Aces have already shaken up last year’s roster quite a bit, most notably swapping Kelsey Plum for Jewell Loyd. But, this move eliminates yet another player from an Aces roster that saw great success.