The Indiana Fever end their WNBA season against the Washington Mystics tonight, ahead of the playoffs. Rookie Caitlin Clark, the No. 1 draft pick, has become one of the most important players for the franchise, breaking several records. According to teammate Kelsey Mitchell, she is also the reason for the team’s growing recognition, even among non-sports fans.
“I think the reality of it is that, I don’t think people wouldn’t know without C² (Caitlin Clark), so shout out to Caitlin, that’s just the reality,” Micthell said ahead of the game against the Mystics, per a video published by Clark Coverage.
“I think she has done an unbelievable job bringing her own fans and people who support her. For me, I kinda laugh at it and embrace it at the same time because I’ve always flown under the radar a bit,” she explained.
“I’ve always been very conservative, and now that I get to see the flip side of it, I can laugh about it because I know that it comes from a genuine place,” Mitchell said. “I just hope I do right by it,” she laughed.
Both Mitchell and Clark recently received a shoutout from LeBron James, as they both scored more than 30 points in Fever’s win over the Dallas Wings. They were the first duo in WNBA history to each record at least 30 points and five made threes in a single game, according to Stat Mamba.
The Fever awaits their Playoff rival
Fever has clinched the sixth seed spot of the playoffs. It’s the first time they play the postseason since 2016, and they are looking for their first title since they won in 2012. However, they still are waiting to know their rival.
They will face the number third seed, which could be either Las Vegas Aces (currently fourth) or the Connecticut Sun. The Fever recently lost two matchups against the Ace, and are down 1-3 to the Sun this season.