The Indiana Fever are struggling to maintain consistency this season, and questions surrounding Caitlin Clark’s value have grown over time. On the other hand, Kelsey Mitchell has been clinical since the first game, averaging 22.6 ppg. And now, WNBA legend and former player Cynthia Cooper has posed an important question for the management.
Mitchell has led the team on the offense and has taken the scoring responsibilities. However, Clark has been the team’s operator and the offense usually flows through her. Last season, Mitchell led the team to the semifinals even with Clark on the bench, which tells a lot about her mentality.
Further adding to that argument, Cooper said:
“Who’s your superstar? That’s really the question. Is Caitlin gonna be your superstar, your Batman, and Kelsey, your Robin? Last year, when Caitlin was out, then you relied heavily on Kelsey and you guys were one game away from making it to the finals, right? So my thing is, you have to be clear about role, you have to establish roles… You can’t have not knowing who’s going to take that shot, or who we’re going to in the crucial moment of the game and crucial moment of the season, you have to figure that out now.”
As the season progresses, the Fever will see more clutch moments, where the team will have to decide who will take the game-winner. Given Clark’s offensive slump and Mitchell’s rise in shot creation and efficiency, that decision might be a no-brainer.
Caitlin Clark and the Fever need to straighten things out before it’s too late
Caitlin Clark and the entire starting lineup struggled in Wednesday’s game against the Golden State Valkyries. Even though Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell are doing everything they can on the floor with pick-and-rolls, the team has fallen short on multiple occasions, and supporting staff have been a big part of it. Mitchell was also awarded the Eastern Conference Player of the Week.
Lexie Hull and Monique Billings haven’t performed back-to-back and Clark’s efficiency has hurt the squad. Moreover, head coach Stephanie White has also caught flak for her offensive strategies revolving a lot around the frontcourt.
Amid all this, the confusion between who would lead the team in clutch moments would only create more worries for the Fever. The team will face the Seattle Storm today and will look to return to winning ways and orchestrate a run that gives them confidence.
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