Sydney Colson knows what it means to shine at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Long before she joined the Indiana Fever, she cut down nets there as a college senior, helping Texas A&M win the 2011 NCAA championship. Coming back to Indiana later in her career felt like coming full circle-a storybook chapter for the 36-year-old guard.
But the ending to her 2025 season came far too early. Colson tore her ACL against the Phoenix Mercury, joining teammates Aari McDonald and Sophie Cunningham on the injury list. For a Fever team already leaning on its depth, the hits just kept coming.
That didn’t stop Colson from reaching out to fans. Just hours after surgery, she went live on Instagram to share an update, her trademark humor still intact even through the haze of painkillers. And that’s where Caitlin Clark stepped in-because if there’s a moment to lighten the mood, the rookie sensation is going to find it.
Clark popped into the chat with a flurry of perfectly ridiculous comments. “Syd, can u read rn.” “Flip the camera. Wanna see squad.” “Syd, give me a shoutout.” It was peak Clark: part supportive, part sarcastic, and totally in character. Fans watching the stream couldn’t get enough, turning her playful trolling into the story of the night.
Keeping the Locker Room Loose
Social media lit up immediately. “The ultimate troll,” one fan wrote. Another added, “This is insane going live right outta surgery. One of the realest to ever don the Fever jersey.” Colson, a veteran presence known as much for her leadership as her stats, had clearly struck a chord. And Clark’s antics only underscored how much she means to this locker room, on and off the court.
It wasn’t the first time Clark had pulled a move like this. After the Fever’s Commissioner’s Cup win earlier this summer, Colson was still doing interviews while her teammates turned the locker room into a champagne-soaked celebration. Clark, along with Sophie Cunningham and Lexie Hull, ambushed her with a bubbly shower the moment she walked through the door. It was chaos, it was funny-and it was all Clark.
Moments like these matter. The Fever have been through a season where adversity seems to arrive weekly. Clark herself has battled injuries, including a recent setback that could delay her return (Reuters). Add in Colson, McDonald, and Cunningham all sidelined, and Indiana’s depth has been stretched to the breaking point.
Still, the team has shown grit. Players like Odyssey Sims and Shey Peddy have stepped up, while Colson continues to bring leadership-even from the sideline. And Clark, with her mix of competitive fire and lighthearted trolling, has become the kind of presence that keeps spirits from sinking too low.
For now, Colson faces a 6-9 month rehab. Clark continues to work back from her own injury. And Fever fans? They’ll keep holding on to these small moments-the goofy Instagrams, the champagne showers, the inside jokes-because sometimes, laughter is just as important as wins.
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