Should a sports agent be sharing hot takes about other athletes in the very sport they represent?

For Gina Paradiso, the answer seems to be yes. The agent of 2x WNBA champ Sydney Colson threw shade at Caitlin Clark last season for her response after a heated moment in a matchup against Jackie Young. The clip, which has since been deleted, said that CC was up to her usual antics – missing a layup, hitting Young in the face, and lobbying for a flagrant foul.

Paradiso’s response? Brutal.

“Fans of this aren’t actually watching cuz ain’t no way you like watching this kind of basketball. Demonstrative, obnoxious, privileged,” the agent tweeted.

Fast forward to this offseason, and Colson is now Clark’s teammate on the Indiana Fever. Awkward.

Is that all, though? Just awkward? Because breaking down the incident in her podcast, Courtside Club, Rachel Annamarie DeMita noted that this signing “has been the most shocking for a lot of fans.” And not just because Colson was a key piece of the Aces.

According to DeMita, “they [agents] definitely shouldn’t be super active on social media talking about other players that are in the league of the player who they represent because you never know when these players could be teammates again.” 

We don’t have to tell you that the Fever is being aggressive in their pursuit of a championship this year. After analysts predicted that the team would suffer in free agency, the Indiana-based team entered another gear altogether. While retaining their young core of Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston, they also added star power in the form of Natasha Howard and another guard in Sophie Cunningham. And now, Sydney Colson.

However, for the plan to be a success, there has to be trust and understanding between the teammates—an aspect that could very well be in jeopardy, thanks to Paradiso’s comments. “Some of the remarks that she has said on social media; it’s falling back. And fans are thinking, ‘Oh, if she’s saying this, does Sydney also feel the same way about Caitlin?’ And that’s so unfair to Sydney,” Rachel promptly pointed out.

But she didn’t stop there. DeMita called for the WNBA to take notice of such an issue. Furthermore, the national analyst advised caution for the W, pointing out that increasing viewership also means increasing criticism. “If this were an NBA agent doing something like this and then scrubbing the tweets and then essentially deleting their Twitter account, this would be all over ESPN. First Take would be talking about it. It would be in a bigger spotlight!”

For now, the WNBA might feel a tiny bit relieved that they’re not under the same media microscope as the NBA—at least, not for situations like this.

Regardless, fans are happy to have Colson. Her veteran experience and pedigree will benefit the Fever’s campaign toward a championship. It seems like they are going all in on a deep playoff run this year, supplementing CC’s stardom with heaps of experience.

Fever’s clever free-agency strategy, building for long-term success

After drafting Caitlin Clark, the Indiana Fever has been thriving. The Iowa-alum led her team to the playoffs after a seven-year drought, and the viewership was off the charts! With CC’s presence on the team, it looks like Kelly Krauskopf is set to make a title run this year.

After signing Natasha Howard and Sydney Colson, the Indiana Fever has steady hands on board. With a total of five chips between the two, they certainly know what they’re doing!

Natasha Howard, aside from providing necessary spacing and being a defensive beast, brings a lot of winning experience to the Fever. Interestingly enough, she was also a part of the Fever team that competed in the finals against the Lynx in 2015. Howard has won three championships in her career so far, one with Minnesota and two with Seattle.

Colson, on the other hand, has experienced more recent success. She was a part of the Las Vegas Aces squad that won back-to-back titles in 2022 and 2023. Though her play time was limited, her defensive presence was a huge factor in their finals triumph.

With Colson and Howard, the Indiana Fever has an opportunity to do something great. Aside from their on-court performances, their experience will definitely help the team out! What do you think? Can Indiana Fever win the championship this year? Will the added veteran experience impact their odds? Only time will tell.