The Indiana Fever have been under the microscope ever since Caitlin Clark set foot in the WNBA. Her arrival sparked record-shattering viewership, ticket sales, and – unexpectedly – a wildfire of online toxicity. Harsh labels followed. Some like Dijonai Carrington, even called Fever fans “the nastiest in the W.” But now, a 2X WNBA champion, freshly signed to Indiana’s roster, is taking a different stance.
Sydney Colson, known as much for her charisma as her championship grit, is flipping the script.
Colson didn’t arrive quietly. Joining the Fever after back-to-back titles with the Las Vegas Aces in 2022 and 2023, her veteran presence was a statement in itself. But it’s what she said – not just what she’s won – that’s catching the attention of WNBA fans everywhere. In a conversation with Eddie White on Pacers Weekly, White jokingly asked her, “What’s it going to be like when you walk out there, and those crazy people ( Indiana Fever ) are pulling for you?” Colson didn’t hesitate. “I’m excited for it. Like, I’m ready for it.”
Then she dug deeper. Not into the echo chamber of headlines, but into her own experience: “There’s a perception from the outside, and yeah, there were some real life crazies that got attached to what was going on,” Colson acknowledged.
I love how @SydJColson is already helping break false narratives about the Fever Fans and she is going to get a lot of love this year. pic.twitter.com/G9flrUWVDh
— Ken Swift (@kenswift) April 12, 2025
“But the people that are true Indiana Fever fans and fans of basketball, they show up, they cheer, and they support, and they respect the game, and they respect the players associated with it. So that’s what I’m looking forward to.”
That sentiment hits different considering what others have said. Connecticut Sun’s Alyssa Thomas didn’t mince words after facing Indiana in the 2024 playoffs. “In my 11-year career, I’ve never experienced the racial comments from the Indiana Fever fan base… it’s unacceptable.” Online chatter wasn’t any softer. It painted a damning portrait – one that spread fast last season.
But Colson’s remarks arrive like a counterattack to a full-court press of criticism. And they don’t come from someone with blind loyalty. Colson took her time.
Clark Sparked a Movement—Colson Wants to Fuel the Next Chapter
She spoke to longtime Fever star Kelsey Mitchell before making the move, weighing not just basketball opportunity but the vibe of the locker room and the city. “I think I have a good relationship with Kelsey Mitchell… when I was making my decision, I reached out to her because I was like, okay, if Kelsey’s coming back, I want to play with her.”
What sealed it wasn’t just Mitchell or the talent around Caitlin Clark. “She [Mitchell] says she loves the fan support, the people,” Colson added. That mattered.
Clark’s arrival in Indiana last year wasn’t just a moment—it was a movement. The No. 1 overall pick broke the rookie record for most three-pointers made in a season (84) by making 122 shots from beyond the arc , led all rookies in scoring (19.2 PPG) and assists (8.4 APG), and helped the Fever snap the longest playoff (7 year) drought in league history (Source: WNBA.com, 2024 Season Recap).
Sep 25, 2024; Uncasville, Connecticut, USA; Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) talks to Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell (0) during the first half during game two of the first round of the 2024 WNBA Playoffs at Mohegan Sun Arena. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images
Alongside All-Star forward Aliyah Boston and high-scoring guard Kelsey Mitchell, the Fever hit the Olympic break sitting at 11–15—written off by many, dismissed by most. But Indiana had other plans. They roared back with a 5–1 run to close out the regular season, then opened September with back-to-back wins. On September 3, 2024, they officially clinched a playoff berth—snapping the longest postseason drought in WNBA history.
That kind of momentum and comeback was exactly what drew Colson in.
“It was a variety of things,” Colson told in an interview with The Boardroom. “There was a new coaching staff. Amber Cox was a big part of that. Kelsey Mitchell—I played with her for the first three seasons. DeWanna Bonner and Natasha Howard are players I’ve respected from afar, enjoyed their game.”
And then, there was Clark.
“Kate Martin, my teammate from the Aces, is obviously good friends with Caitlin Clark. They played together at Iowa and she speaks really highly of her. And obviously, we saw the rookie year that she had,” Colson said. “So her, Kelsey, and Aliyah Boston—they had something special the second half of the season, and I just look at them as a young, hungry team.”
Hungry—but green. That’s where Colson fits in. At 34, her résumé includes 2 championships and a career built on resilience. She’s been around the block, guarding players like Chelsea Gray and Skylar Diggins-Smith, and now she’s ready to help Clark lock down point guards while keeping the locker room loose. She’s never been overused—having skipped four full WNBA seasons—so the tank’s far from empty.
“Our veteran presence with DeWanna, Natasha, and me—coming from winning programs who have been around the league for a long time—can help infuse something in the team that can take us far in playoffs.”
And well, she’s also a staunch presence for her new fanbase—a fanbase often picked apart, dismissed, and doubted. But where outsiders see noise, Sydney Colson sees something else: belief.
For a fanbase criticized from the outside, she brings something else: belief. “I’m excited to be a part of the vision that the staff has for this team,” she said in her official statement after her transfer. “And I’m ready to get to work.”
Her voice won’t silence all criticism. But in a season where narratives will be made and remade on and off the court, Sydney Colson’s message is simple: don’t judge the play until you’ve seen the full game.
The post Caitlin Clark’s Newest Teammate Shatters Stereotypes About Fever Fans With Candid Admission on Joining Indiana appeared first on EssentiallySports.
