Kelsey Mitchell Explains Decision to Re-Sign With Fever, Gives Nod to Caitlin Clark

The Mitchell-Clark backcourt duo is here to stay.
Indiana Fever guard Mitchell (0) smiles during a game between the Indiana Fever and the Las Vegas Aces at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Indiana Fever guard Mitchell (0) smiles during a game between the Indiana Fever and the Las Vegas Aces at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. / Grace Smith/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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All-Star guard Kelsey Mitchell re-signed with the Indiana Fever Wednesday, continuing the backcourt pairing with WNBA Rookie of the Year Caitlin Clark. Clark was overjoyed with the news, greeting Mitchell in grand fashion as she entered Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

Fever president Kelly Krauskopf addressed those in attendance for the warm welcome, noting the importance of Mitchell to the franchise.

"There was no way she was going anywhere else but the Indiana Fever," Krauskopf said at Grainbridge Fieldhouse Wednesday.

She then threw it over to the smily Mitchell, who had freshly signed a one-year supermax deal, for her thoughts after committing to stay in Indiana after spending each of her seven WNBA seasons with the team. She had to give a tip of the cap to her backcourt mate during the impromptu speech.

"Indiana has been my second home since I went pro, so this is the only city I know," Mitchell said after she re-signed. "To see you guys open up your arms to me, I remember every employee I run into. Whether you're a janitor, camera person, I like to be that person. That was a big part of me coming back because I got to meet really great people.

"Then I met one of the greatest people in the world, Caitlin Clark, who just ran the basketball world. So I think together we hope to make you guys proud. ... And I'm here, let's do this."

Mitchell averaged 19.2 points per game and shot 40.2% from three last season. She's been named a WNBA All-Star in each of the past two seasons. She's also been with the Fever through it all and she's fired up to stay for more.


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Blake Silverman
BLAKE SILVERMAN

Blake Silverman is a contributor to the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. Before joining SI in November 2024, he covered the WNBA, NBA, G League and college basketball for numerous sites, including Winsidr, SB Nation's Detroit Bad Boys and A10Talk. He graduated from Michigan State University before receiving a master's in sports journalism from St. Bonaventure University. Outside of work, he's probably binging the latest Netflix documentary, at a yoga studio or enjoying everything Detroit sports. A lifelong Michigander, he lives in suburban Detroit with his wife, young son and their personal petting zoo of two cats and a dog.