Sydney Colson has accused the Indiana Fever of breaking a promise to re-sign her after she suffered an ACL injury last season. Speaking during a visit back to Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Colson said she was told she would return to the team but was ultimately left without a new contract once she recovered.
Colson joined the Fever on a one-year deal in early 2025, expected to bring veteran experience to a young roster. She played in 30 games, starting six, and averaged 2.4 points and two assists per game in limited minutes. Her season ended prematurely in August when she tore her left ACL. She anticipated returning to Indiana after rehabilitation but found herself a free agent instead.
“I’m back in Gainbridge for the first time since I was on the team. Since I tore my ACL last year, since I was pretty much told that I would be back but wasn’t,” Colson said on the Togethxr YouTube channel. “And you know what? I always look at it as God protected me. When a door closes I’m like you know what? I wasn’t supposed to be somewhere then. And I wasn’t. I didn’t need to be there because I would have been out of pocket this year.”
Colson also reflected on her role within the Fever’s culture, describing how she and teammate Breanna Stewart, nicknamed Breezy, would voice concerns in private team meetings about certain statements or decisions. “I think last year so much was subdued because me and Breezy were there and when we’re having these closed meetings behind doors, we’re telling y’all what it is. Don’t make that kind of statement. It needs to be like this, like that doesn’t look good. I don’t feel comfortable with that. But everybody is not outspoken, which we see now in the league.”
The Fever’s decision to move on from a 36-year-old guard recovering from major knee surgery fits a common front-office pattern prioritising roster flexibility and youth. Yet Colson’s departure removes a voice of leadership and accountability from the locker room, qualities she implied were appreciated internally.
Indiana’s silence on the details of their offseason roster moves leaves Colson’s claim unconfirmed by the club, but her account offers a rare glimpse into the challenges veteran players face returning from injury. It also raises questions about the Fever’s approach to maintaining experienced presence in a rebuilding team.
Colson’s remarks came during her first appearance at Gainbridge since last August’s injury. She has since moved on from Indiana, but her comments suggest the split was less straightforward than a typical free agency decision. The Fever’s official stance on her contract status and the circumstances surrounding her release have not been publicly addressed.
According to Yahoo Sports.