Although Caitlin Clark has risen to stardom with the Indiana Fever, she shares the backcourt with veteran Kelsey Mitchell, who has helped guide the team to consecutive playoff appearances.
On Thursday, Mitchell joined “Between the Lines with Lisa Leslie” and reflected on how the Fever organization has supported her.
Kelsey Mitchell Reflects on Her Relationship With the Indiana Fever
With Mitchell shouldering much of the responsibility during an injury-plagued season, the Fever stunned the No. 3-seeded Atlanta Dream in the first round and then took the Las Vegas Aces to a hard-fought Game 5 before being eliminated.
Following the conclusion of the 2025 season, Fever general manager Amber Cox emphasized the franchise’s primary objective this offseason.
“I’m going to sound like a broken record from last year. The priority will be Kelsey Mitchell and making sure she remains in a Fever jersey. Wow, what a season for her. She laid it all out on the line,” Cox said. “(Mitchell) will continue to be a focal point as we enter free agency.”
During her appearance on “Between the Lines,” Mitchell addressed those comments and said hearing them, along with the way she has been treated by Fever leadership, gave her a significant boost of confidence.
“It was the first time in my eight years — and it’s no disrespect to any coach, GM I had — Steph (Fever coach Stephanie White) was the first coach that I had in my eight years that, like, when she looked at me … I’m like, damn, she really believes in me,” Mitchell said.
“And I felt it. Like I could sense it. … She believed in my abilities and made me feel, like, I kind of had, like, superpowers because that’s all you really need. “
Mitchell produced a career-best campaign in 2025, averaging 20.2 points per game while shooting 39.4% from 3-point range. She raised her level in the postseason, posting 22.3 points per game and shooting 42.9% from deep.
“When you got a coach that believes in you, it’s an unmatched feeling because it makes you feel like I could do anything. And when it was bad, she criticized me in a way that helped me still be good. … It felt like she cared, and that’s hard to find in a pro career.
“And I think people don’t know what that’s like when you find people that really believe in you and care about how you are. And I’m like, damn. And so me and Steph have had a bond ever since.”
After their spirited 2025 playoff run, which ended one win short of the WNBA Finals amid multiple injuries to key contributors, the Fever face several important decisions this offseason.
Natasha Howard, Sophie Cunningham, Damiris Dantas, Sydney Colson, Brianna Turner, Odyssey Sims and Aari McDonald are unrestricted free agents, while Lexie Hull and Kristy Wallace are restricted free agents.
The league has announced its 2026 schedule, but uncertainty remains about whether the season will be played, as a collective bargaining agreement has not yet been finalized.
