Just when it looked like the Indiana Fever had finally figured things out without Caitlin Clark, everything came crashing down. They had just won five games in a row for the first time this season, the energy was high, and fans were starting to believe. But, as has so often been the case for Stephanie White’s squad this year, tragedy struck again. Not only did the Fever go on to lose their next two games, but they lost 2 key players as well.
Indiana’s road trip ended in brutal fashion in Phoenix. They suffered a 35-point loss to the Mercury without Caitlin Clark. However, what is even more devastating is that they also watched Sydney Colson go down with a knee injury in the first quarter and Aari McDonald exit in the fourth with a right foot injury. It has now been confirmed that both guards will be out for the rest of the season.
“I mean, first and foremost, just broken-hearted for them,” White said of Colson and McDonald. “They’re two really good people that you hate to see this happen to. They’re an integral part of what we’ve been doing, and so I hate it for them. Unfortunately, it’s part of the deal, and we’ve got to roll with it. We’ve got players in that locker room who believe in one another, players in that locker room who are competitive as all get-out… I think now, it’s about playing to honor [Colson and McDonald], and playing for them,” Coach White said.
The Indiana Fever is playing the rest of the season in honor of their injured teammates – that’s exactly what you’d expect from this group. And ahead of their game against the Chicago Sky, the team proved it in the sweetest way. During the national anthem, fans spotted a wholesome team gesture that instantly blew up online. Within hours, hundreds of comments started pouring in.
Fans react to the Indiana Fever’s gesture for Caitlin Clark and her injured teammates
Fans were quick to notice that during the national anthem, the Fever side had purposefully left three spaces open. It was their way of honoring Sydney Colson and Aari McDonald, who are out for the rest of the season, and Caitlin Clark, who has managed to suit up for just 13 games this season. “They left empty spaces for the 3 injured players ,” one fan wrote on X while another joined in to say, “That is so beautiful .”
They left empty spaces for the 3 injured players pic.twitter.com/SZSV08NvTW
— Emma (@emma_11001) August 10, 2025
Aari McDonald had officially joined the Fever for the rest of the season after DeWanna Bonner left to reunite with her fiancé in Phoenix. Initially brought in as a backup for Caitlin Clark, the guard was playing the best basketball of her career during the recent stretch. She was averaging 9.8 points, 4.7 assists, 2.4 rebounds, and 1.3 steals per game. And just last week, she dropped a career-high 27 points against the Mercury. Her absence was always going to be a massive blow for the Fever. So it’s no surprise this tribute had fans emotional. “Omg I’m gonna weep,” one fan wrote.
Sydney Colson, too, was brought in to bring veteran leadership to the Fever locker room, with her championship-winning experience seen as a crucial asset. While she averaged only about 13 minutes per game this season, her real impact was always going to be felt off the court. One fan soaked the whole moment in and finally predicted, “Just love this team. This will just make them stronger.” And honestly, the early signs suggest they might be right.
Every time Clark has been out, the Fever has relied heavily on Colson and McDonald. Now, with three guards injured and sidelined, many fans expected the game against the Chicago Sky to be a struggle for the Fever, especially since they couldn’t have signed a hardship player until after this game. So, they had only nine available players today. “Gonna be a tough night,” one had predicted. But the Fever had other plans. Coach Stephanie White handed Kelsey Mitchell the reins as the primary facilitator and ran the offense through Aliyah Boston, and it worked like a charm. Both combined for 41 points and 11 assists as the Fever comfortably beat the Angel Reese-less Sky 92-70.
Still and all, “Omg this was an emotional season thus far, I literally have felt every emotion possible. And this team has me in my feels. Leave our girls alone. RESPECT FOR THE FEVER. Even if you root against them. Give credit for the fight,” said another fan. Makes perfect sense. Dealing with injuries is no easy task, especially when you have spent the offseason as the literal definition of ‘dreamers are doers.’
“It’s just been so challenging being active and then playing four games, and then not — and then not feeling the best and then I’m frustrated about how hard I’ve worked in the offseason, and then all I do is rehab and continue through this process, and just trying to trust that the best I can,” Clark said recently and anyone’s heart would break reading this. But it wasn’t just the players on court paying tributes. “Folks that’s a TRUE TEAM right there,” said one fan, and Clark proved it truer with her gesture.
Clark decided to pay tribute to Boston in her own way – through her game-day outfit. Before the game started, the reigning Rookie of the Year was busy signing autographs, wearing a shirt with Boston’s WSLAM Magazine cover on it. That cover was from the 2025 All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis, and by wearing it, Clark seemed to offer a quiet nod to her teammate’s hard work and to the player who now has all eyes on her.
With this win, the Fever improved to 18-14. Of course, fans will be waiting eagerly to see the replacements for Aari and Sydney. But perhaps the bigger question is, when will Clark be back? Their postseason hopes hinge on her return… or do you think the Fever can still make a deep playoff run without her? Drop your thoughts in the comments below.
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