The Indiana Fever are about to enter the WNBA season with higher expectations on them than anyone on the current roster has ever experienced.

The team ended the 2024 season red-hot, forcing its way into the WNBA Playoffs, and reloaded in the offseason by bringing in a bevy of veterans to complement a core led by Caitlin Clark, Kelsey Mitchell and Aliyah Boston.

One of those veterans is Sydney Colson, who won two WNBA championships with the Las Vegas Aces. While she might not fill the stat sheet quite like fellow newcomers Natasha Howard, DeWanna Bonner or Sophie Cunningham, Colson is confident in the role she will fill on the team.

“I’m bringing veteran leadership, knowledge, energy, swinging the defensive momentum,” she told the media on Tuesday. “I’m just that person that’s dependable. I’m always gonna come in and do my job and be happy in my role.”

That's more than just talk. Colson explained that head coach Stephanie White laid out exactly what she envisioned the veteran's role to be during the free agency process. It made her feel valued in a way she hadn't experienced before as a pro.

“I’ve never been considered a lot in free agency, so for her to see my value, it meant a lot,” the 35-year-old Colson admitted. “I want to play on the court more in my last couple seasons in the league if I have that.”

Sydney Colson is ready to help the Fever continue to elevate the WNBA

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Colson has seen over the last few seasons how the Aces' success has helped elevate the popularity of the WNBA. When Caitlin Clark joined the league last year, the already positive trajectory went into hyperdrive.

She's excited to ride that momentum into the next chapter of her career.

“What I always thought about when I was on a team that wasn’t getting that visibility [was] whenever you play the teams that are, that’s when you bring your best game,” she said. “I think what we’re going to be able to do, with the Aces, the [New York Liberty], is elevate the game and get people to respect our entire league. Not just a few teams.”

It starts in Indiana. The Fever welcomed thousands of new fans last year as Clark-mania infiltrated the pros. Now, they'll get to see their favorite player on a roster filled with current and former All-Stars, giving them a variety of playing styles and personalities to root for.

“You’re seeing a team that’s now affecting the economy in the city,” she explained. “People coming from out of town, out of state, out of the country maybe even to see games.”