Updated Aug. 20, 2026, 4:43 p.m. ET
It’s been a 12 months since two-time WNBA champion and 11-year veteran Sydney Colson has performed after a left knee damage, however that does not imply she hasn’t been busy.
Colson, 37, is exploring a number of artistic {and professional} avenues as she prepares for a possible return to the league. And she is aware of precisely the place she hopes to play in 2027.
The former Las Vegas Aces guard most lately performed with the Indiana Fever after signing a one-year deal in 2025 to again up Caitlin Clark and supply an skilled locker room presence. She had a brief stint as starter when Clark was injured, beginning in six of 30 video games final 12 months. Then, she sustained an ACL tear on Aug. 7, 2025 that stored her out for the rest of the season.
Colson entered free company within the midst of ACL restoration that possible would have stored her out for the 2026 WNBA season.
Colson caught up with Callie Fin and Meghan L. Hall of USA TODAY’s Studio IX about her time away playing within the WNBA. The dialog is beneath.
Note: This interview has been edited for brevity and readability.
Question: What does staying prepared appear like for you on a day-to-day foundation proper now, and what are the pressures?
Answer: “I’m living in New York, pursuing some stand-up comedy dreams and some other comedy stuff and obviously still recording the Unsupervised Podcast with Theresa Plaisance. So we’re trying to make our way around New York. That means we’re riding the subway, we’re trying to get places on time without being lost. But it’s been fun living out here. It was fun to be at All-Star and and partner with Secret (deodorant), and they were super easy to work with. They made it very fun. They let me just be myself, and that’s always what I enjoy in in partnerships.
Q: Are you in the gym working out, too?
A: “Yeah, yeah. I’ve been within the fitness center figuring out. I began to take it simple as soon as I used to be similar to, ‘I do not plan on being, picked up late within the season.’ I believe even when any person referred to as, I simply wished to concentrate on simply ensuring I’m good. Obviously, I’m older, so I’m like, ‘Let me take the the complete 12 months.’ I’m conserving my fingers crossed that I might be again when the staff involves Houston subsequent season.”
Q: What’s the draw of potentially playing in Houston?
A: “It’s the place I’m born and raised. It’s the place I reside within the offseason. I grew up watching the Comets, so I used to be I used to be there for the back-to-back-to-back-to-back championships. I nonetheless have this like this journal at my mother’s home. I used to be in like third grade or one thing once I wrote about desirous to play within the WNBA for the Comets. So it may see one thing very, very full circle if that is capable of occur. So I’m simply making an attempt to work in the direction of that.”
Q: There’s been a lot more discourse around the WNBA. Some of the league’s legends say it might be part of growing pains for the league as it continues to get larger. Having been around the league, what’s your mindset regarding this this intense period for the league as it grows?
A: “I believe that is additionally one thing that occurs everytime you’re coping with globalization of a sport. We’ve seen an inflow of worldwide gamers coming into the league, and that was additionally what occurred within the NBA. When you are bringing in quite a bit of followers, there’s going to be quite a bit of totally different opinions. There’s going to be quite a bit of individuals who aren’t truly followers of the product. I believe there’s gonna be much more negativity than what persons are used to, and it does not imply that it’s important to entertain all of the negativity. “You can just sometimes ignore some of it, and some of it does need to be addressed.
“For me, I take into consideration when my brother instructed me two years in the past that some guys at his job had been discussing the WNBA in a heated debate at lunchtime. He mentioned, ‘I’ve by no means had males at my job speaking WNBA.’ And that is how you already know it is increasing to factors which might be gonna convey some undesirable consideration and bringing some totally different those who perhaps you do not need within the house. But that is simply half of getting greater. You might even say that simply for particular person celebrities, after we see their fan bases develop and so they have stans, or they’ve people who find themselves simply dedicated to hating them. It’s simply is sort of par for the course.”
Q: We also talk about the scrutiny facing WNBA leadership, and Cathy Engelbert as commissioner. If you were WNBA commissioner, how would you operate and what would you prioritize?
A: “I’d prioritize the gamers, their safet, and the product. I believe these are an important issues. We established that after we had been in CBA negotiations; with out the gamers, there is no such thing as a product. Without gamers security, you’d even have an issue with the product being on the market. I’d be certain to talk to the issues that the gamers are making clear that they care about. When that does not occur, belief is misplaced if that belief was ever needed to start with.”
Q: Speaking of jobs, you’ve done some new stuff this year. You made your debut with Sports on Prime just a few weeks ago. What has this transition to broadcasting been like for you?
A: “I wished to be a sports activities reporter or do colour commentating once I was like a junior or senior (in faculty at Texas A&M). I assumed that was what I’d need to pursue once I was completed. As I used to be capable of maintain playing, I sort of drifted away from that. And then as time went on, I wished to do appearing. So when the chance got here again round, I used to be similar to, ‘I used to need to do this, however I need to act now. I need to do arise.’ And then my mother was like, ‘Stop dismissing stuff. Some issues can come round as a result of they are a half of a much bigger plan, and this is perhaps one thing that helps you with appearing. This might be one thing that helps you additional your profession in one other means.’
I lastly, simply accepted the chance when my agent hit me, and it was actually cool. I had a very good time in studio. I do not know what’ll what’ll come of it, however I’m gonna simply put my finest foot ahead, be myself.”
Q: What are you most excited about that you’re working on creatively this year?
“There’s the a queer rom-com that was referred to as Courtside, and the the creator and the director they requested me to come back on board and be an government producer and I used to be like, ‘Absolutely sure,’ as a result of the director was additionally the director from The Syd and TP present present years in the past. I like (director) Carly Usdin and (author) Brittany Nichols. Brittany was a author on Abbott Elementary and did work on A Black Lady Sketch Show (HBO) so these are simply individuals who I actually respect their their comedy and their writing. And I’m new on this house, so I’m making an attempt to absorb as a lot data and data as I can and meet as many individuals as I can on this on this discipline. So that is a that is a challenge that I’m tremendous enthusiastic about. We’re going to be having fairly a number of WNBA cameos, and I miss these days of seeing WNBA gamers in popular culture stuff. It’s come again round, nevertheless it’ll be cool to see it in a in a film.”
If you need to watch the complete dialog, you possibly can test it out in the Studio IX podcast.