Tag: sydney colson

Las Vegas Aces re-sign multiple championship players during free agency

The two-time WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces are retaining a solid roster heading into the upcoming season.

The two-time WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces are retaining a solid roster heading into the upcoming season. The most recent re-signing during free agency is three-time champion and two-time MVP Candace Parker.

“I’m looking forward to continuing to play the game I love while competing alongside my teammates and coaches,” said Parker. My family and I are excited to be back in Las Vegas and ready for another great season.”

Parker started the first 18 games of the 2023 season for the Aces and averaged nine points, 5.4 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.5 steals a game before undergoing surgery on her left foot and being sidelined the remainder of the season. The Aces won the championship in 2023, and with that, Parker became the first player in WNBA history to win a championship with three different teams: Los Angeles Sparks (2016) and Chicago Sky (2021).

The Aces also re-signed two-time champion Sydney Colson.

“We are excited to have the face of the league, Sydney Colson, back in our Aces camp,” said general manager Natalie Williams. “There is only light and laughter when she is around. Sydney practices and competes with intensity every day, she is a true pro. We look forward to having her leadership and fun back in camp.”

The Aces re-signed another two-time champion in center Kiah Stokes, who averaged 2.1 points and 5.4 rebounds in 86 games over the past 2 1/2 seasons with the Aces.

“I’m really excited to be coming back to Vegas,” said Stokes. “It feels like I’ve found a home here and I like what we’re building. Let’s go Aces!”

Suffice it to say, the Aces are looking to make another championship run in the 2024 season with their roster intact. The Aces’ first game is May 14 against the Phoenix Mercury.

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WNBA roundtable: 6 stars (including Aliyah Boston!) share their most-embarrassing mid-game moments and more

We asked some WNBA stars the deeper questions, like things they probably don’t want many to know.

All offseason long, For The Win has been catching up with WNBA stars as they do things that are important to them, like promoting financial education for players or joining other basketball leagues to keep their skills fresh.

For the Win asked several players various questions to help fans get to know them a little better. We decided to use the time to learn more about what makes them tick – and dish on some less serious moments in the W.

Some athletes were also made available through the WNBA’s Player Marketing Agreement (PMA) program, which was designed to create a holistic player experience and additional opportunities for players to earn income throughout the year. The program also helps players build their personal brands while connecting them to league partners through tentpole events and culturally relevant spaces.

“It was part of our overall marketing strategy,” Head of League Operatios Bethany Donaphin explained. “We thought, ‘How can we highlight player stories and elevate players across the league in a multifaceted way?’ Being able to have a platform that allows us to support players while they support the growth of the league was important.”

Aliyah Boston, Rhyne Howard, Jewell Loyd, Napheesa Collier, Sydney Colson all got to share their stories with For The Win recently. Here’s what they had to say about the growth of the WNBA, their personal brands and some of their more unfortunate moments on the court.

 

These answers have been condensed and edited for clarity.

Athletes Unlimited Pro Basketball announces third season will begin in February

Athletes Unlimited is a professional, domestic league boasting Olympians, WNBA champions and All-Stars.

Athletes Unlimited is a professional domestic league boasting Olympians, WNBA champions and all-stars. The third season takes place from Feb. 29-March 23, 2024, with all games being played at Fair Park Coliseum in Dallas, Texas.

Twenty-two players have signed contracts for the 2024 season, including two-time Olympic gold medalist and five-time WNBA All-Star Angel McCoughtry, former South Carolina standouts Tiffany Mitchell (Minnesota Lynx), Zia Cooke (Los Angeles Sparks) and Laeticia Amihere (Atlanta Dream) and recent top WNBA draft picks Queen Egbo (Washington Mystics) and Maddy Siegrist (Dallas Wings).

“We are thrilled to tip off Season 3 of Athletes Unlimited Pro Basketball with such an exciting roster featuring elite talent from across the women’s basketball landscape, and to be back in Dallas, a hotbed of basketball talent and culture,” said Megan Perry, Director of Basketball for Athletes Unlimited. “Fans will be treated to an exciting brand of basketball as these athletes compete to be crowned the champion.”

The players compete under a point system where players and teams are rewarded for individual and team performance. Each week, the four highest-ranked players are appointed captains and redraft teams for the following week’s competition. This not only allows fans to see different matchups each week, but it also allows the players to get a feel for different schemes and teammates.

Many athletes are returning for another season of Athletes Unlimited, including Sydney Colson and Kierstan Bell, members of the 2023 WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces; Lexie Brown (Los Angeles Sparks); Allisha Gray (Atlanta Dream); Kelsey Mitchell (Indiana Fever); and Odyssey Sims (Dallas Wings).

“I’m super excited to be part of Season 3,” said Brown, who chairs the AU pro basketball player executive committee. “Taking on the role of chairperson of the player executive committee has been a really fun experience for me so far and will continue to prepare me for my future goals in front office work. AU Pro Basketball will be the first time I’ve been on the court since July and I can’t wait to compete with and against the amazing players we have on the roster. I can’t say enough how grateful I am to have an opportunity to play in the off-season domestically.”

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Sydney Colson on why refusing to change has made her a WNBA star

“I am who I am, wherever I am.”

Behind the soul-stirring wit and undeniable charm, there’s a person. A person who has never set out to be anything other than true to self. That’s what makes Sydney Colson’s story and career so unique.

It was done her way.

“I am who I am, wherever I am. I make sure that I’m myself. I’m not changing who I am for any crowd,” she explained to For The Win while promoting her return to Athletes Unlimited Pro Basketball for another season. “I act in a way that will make my family proud, and I try to represent my family, faith, and the people I care about, and do a good job. When you show up as yourself everywhere you go, people respect that.”

(Lucas Peltier/USA TODAY Sports)

Showing up as herself is how she’s made the most of life and went viral after the Aces secured back-to-back WNBA championships. But that uncanny humor is just the surface of the behind-the-scenes sacrifices that propelled Colson into history books. It was a bonafide moment in time that was interwoven with honest words from head coach Becky Hammon.

“It doesn’t matter that you won. That doesn’t carry over,” Colson says Hammon told the team. “So, you have to do everything right again. The target will be a little bigger on your back.”

Hammon made an impassioned speech before the WNBA Finals, explaining that the Aces had to be “poised in the noise.” Colson mentions everyone bought into that, and it produced one of the most impressive feats the sports world has seen in years.

(Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

Colson was a vital part of that championship roster, and she’ll likely keep those memories close to her as she transitions to the next phase of her life. Colson shared with For The Win that after over 12 years of hooping, she’s near the end of her career.

Playing with AU Basketball and for the Las Vegas Aces makes sense for now, but she has other ambitions once basketball is done. Those goals were cultivated from seeds planted long ago by her mother, Stephanie.

“I want to act when I’m done. My mom used to tell me I should be in drama or be in theater, and I never took the step to do it. I always said, ‘All my eggs [are] in the basketball basket.’ Looking back, I wish I had done it differently, but I think it went how it was supposed to.”

After taking acting classes for several years and with the success of The Syd + TP Show with Theresa Plaisance, Colson’s post-basketball dreams are entirely within reach.

She’s fantastic on and off the court, in every sense of the word, and personifies the notion of always betting on yourself. In a world that constantly tries to define who people are, Syd is always going to be Syd.

WNBA champion Sydney Colson dropped a delightfully accurate Jalen Hurts impression

Not going to lie. This is absolute cinema.

Sydney Colson absolutely nailed this Jalen Hurts impression.

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts is a smooth dude. He’s got the Eagles off to an NFL-best 10-1 record, and according to the internet, he is LIVING THE DREAM. His teammates are great, the city loves him and he is a handsome fellow.

His good fortune has caught the eye of other athletes, including WNBA champion Sydney Colson. Colson, a vital component of the Las Vegas Aces title run this year, is a known jokester around sports circles and even has her own show highlighting her shenanigans.

In one of the latest videos posted to her TikTok account, she accurately spoofs how others potentially perceive Jalen Hurts.

Not to be dramatic, but points were made.

@sydcolson

He said 🦅 yank! Got yo gal!

♬ original sound – sydcolson

 

The most unhinged tweets after the Aces won back-to-back WNBA titles

Aces players lost no time in addressing the haters on social media after winning their second straight title.

The Las Vegas Aces have done it again. They are the first team in 21 years to win consecutive WNBA titles. Las Vegas defeated the New York Liberty, 70-69, in Game 4 to secure the win. The contest was the most-watched Game 4 in WNBA history, and the WNBA Finals were the most-watched in 20 years, up 36% from 2022.

Aces players lost no time addressing the haters on social media. If you have followed the team, you know A’ja Wilson and Sydney Colson do not hold back on social media. They have no problem directly responding to shade and hate.

Colson is one of the funniest, if not the funniest, and most unhinged players in the WNBA and even traipsed her way into a television show. Her outspoken attitude, coupled with her wit, makes her a fierce follow on social media. Her comeback skills were in their finest form after the Aces won their second title.

See some of the most unhinged tweets from Colson & Co. below:

Sydney Colson immediately roasted haters with ‘Night Night’ clapback after Aces win

The Aces DEFINITELY kept the receipts.

The Las Vegas Aces won another championship Wednesday and kept tabs on the things said about them. Veteran Sydney Colson said she had time to address any haters.

Let’s be honest: the Aces are mind-bogglingly good. From holding the WNBA’s best regular season record to having A’ja Wilson and Alysha Clark win league awards, they are the epitome of elite athleticism.

The Aces have also withstood several things that shifted how the team needed to operate, including significant injuries to Candace Parker, Chelsea Gray, and Kiah Stokes.

Through it all, they stared greatness in the face and dared it to flinch. After they altered the WNBA history books, Colson had a role in the team’s title win and had something she needed to get off her chest.

In the most Sydney Colson way possible (if you’ve seen The Syd + TP Show, you know what I mean), she grabbed a mic during post-game interviews and immediately interrupted ESPN’s Holly Rowe.

“People wanted to count us out because we had two of our starters down, but they don’t know we got some dogs on this team,” Colson said passionately. “So, I have two words to say: night, night!”

Colson emphatically repeated “night, night” again and hit Stephen Curry’s iconic sleeping celebration. Cold-blooded.

Kierstan Bell, Colson’s teammate, also joins in while cackling — pure chaotic energy and comedy. A clapback for the ages.

Just the way the Aces drew it up.

Sydney Colson and Theresa Plaisance star in original unscripted comedy

Aces guard Sydney Colson and free agent Theresa Plaisance are bringing their humor and shenanigans to the small screen.

Las Vegas Aces guard Sydney Colson and free agent Theresa Plaisance are bringing their humor and shenanigans to the small screen. The Maximum Effort Channel announced “The Syd + TP Show,” an unscripted comedy starring Colson and Plaisance, is set to premiere on Sept. 18th at 9 p.m. ET.

“World Champions and bench-warming besties Sydney Colson and Theresa Plaisance are determined to become the faces of the WNBA, despite the fact no one asked them to,” a press release for the show said. “This buddy comedy series follows Syd and TP on their quest to become the most famous basketball players on earth through a mix of stunts, interviews, hijinks and a complete lack of shame.”

The show is already being touted as “unhinged” and to be honest, it is no surprise that the pair of pranksters are embracing that word. They admit they have no shame and their lack of embarrassment brings joy to anyone that has the fortune to interact with them.

“Whether the show does well or it flops, there’s really no way to lose in this, because we don’t get embarrassed by anything,” Colson shares in one of the clips.

And that is the best summary of the friendship between the two. They live unapologetically and brighten any room they walk into with their antics.

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3 WNBA players to follow on social media and the brands that should sponsor them

These players should have a myriad of sponsorship deals, why don’t more brands understand the value of these players?

The 2023 WNBA draft is April 10 and while some of the brightest names in women’s basketball are set to take the stage, there are numerous WNBA players that you should know.

While many NIL dollars are being spent on collegiate athletes, less are being spent on women’s professional athletes. Players like Washington Mystics guard Natasha Cloud recently opined why she doesn’t have a sponsorship with a pet brand. PetSmart recently did an NIL deal with Arkansas football player Trey Knox and his dog, Blue. Cloud has double the following on Twitter as Knox, but no pet brands have a sponsorship with Cloud. Other WNBA players in particular have wondered why brands aren’t pushing their advertising dollars into the professional women’s basketball world. WNBA players are great brand partners and have a fanbase that hangs on their every word.

While platforms like Parity focus on solely connecting elite female athletes with brands that match their mission, the percentage of sponsorships of female athletes is still much smaller than their male counterparts.

Due to this disparity, I founded Your Potential for Everything to help women and the underrepresented in sports gain clarity, confidence and grow their brands. With this experience in mind, I will highlight WNBA athletes and pair them with suggested brands based on their background and online presence. Whether you are a fan, brand or athlete, get to know the featured athletes below and recognize that athletes are humans First.

Let us know if you think these brands match the athlete and what other athletes we should highlight.

Athletes Unlimited: First women’s sports league to be named among ‘World’s Most Innovative Companies’ by Fast Company

Athletes Unlimited, a professional sports league, is the first women’s sports league to earn this Fast Company honor.

Fast Company put out its list of 10 most innovative companies in sports of 2023. Athletes Unlimited, a professional sports league focusing on elite women athletes, is the first women’s sports league to earn this Fast Company honor. In addition, Athletes Unlimited is the first professional sports league to be organized as a Public Benefit Corporation and the first U.S.-based pro sports league to be committed to carbon neutrality.

The league was founded by Jon Patricof and Jonathan Soros on March 3, 2020, and has four women’s professional sports under its umbrella: softball, volleyball, basketball and lacrosse. In 2021, it added volleyball and in 2022, it added basketball. The power is in the hands of the players and there are no owners for the teams. Players make decisions both on and off their field of play, which gives the entire league a player-centric ethos. Each league has a player executive committee that meets weekly with Athletes Unlimited staff to work on all aspects of the league, from adding players to the roster to establishing the rules and scoring system.

Players in all sports, including basketball, compete under a point system where players and teams are rewarded for individual and team performance. Each week the four highest-ranked players are appointed as captains and redraft teams for the following week’s competition. This not only allows fans to see different matchups each week, but it also allows the players to get a feel for different schemes and teammates. The league has big-name sponsors including Nike, Gatorade, Topps, Caesars, Sportradar and GEICO.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CpJhMPNvJXF/

Prominent international and WNBA players play in the league, which does not conflict with their seasons. WNBA stars such as Las Vegas Aces guard Sydney Colson, Los Angeles Sparks guard Lexie Brown and Washington Mystics guard Natasha Cloud bring the heat each week on the court. The WNBA only has 144 roster spots, so leagues such as Athletes Unlimited allow athletes to play domestically and not have to pursue opportunities overseas.

WNBA players playing abroad were put in the international spotlight when WNBA champion and Olympic medalist Brittney Griner was detained in  Russia while she was playing overseas. But things are changing for the better and women’s college basketball fans are able to follow the careers of their favorite players past college with easier access thanks to leagues like Athletes Unlimited.

The games are fan and athlete-focused, including free autograph signings at the end of each game along with free swag and custom posters for each week. Dallas is the home for Season 2 of Athletes Unlimited Basketball and one ticket allows entry to two games.

Tickets start at $15 for the games.

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