Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell wrote a column for The Players’ Tribune in which she opened up about the ups and downs of her 2024 WNBA season, including the painful loss of her father, Mark Mitchell, in March, as well as hateful comments from fans. Despite the challenges, she also had heartfelt words for her newest teammate, Caitlin Clark.
“And I have so much respect for Caitlin, especially, and how she handled it as a youngin,” Mitchell wrote. “I hope we did a good job of being there for you, too, C (heart emoji). I gave her her flowers early in the game because the eyes she brought shined a light on all of us, too.”
At another point in her letter, Mitchell addressed how the attention from new fans was one of the “craziest” parts of the season. “We obviously had a new spotlight on us, with Caitlin being drafted, who I’m proud to call a teammate. That was exciting in its own way, with the fans it brought to the arena and the opportunity it gave our squad. But I think, in a weird way, the outside noise kind of made people forget sometimes that we’re still human.”
Mitchell, 28, has spent her entire seven-year WNBA career with the Indiana Fever. This year, she enjoyed one of her best seasons, averaging 19.2 points per game and earning All-Star honors for a second consecutive year. She finished the season with 767 points, just behind Caitlin Clark’s 769. However, Mitchell also revealed she is uncertain about her next steps.
Kelsey Mitchell #0 of the Indiana Fever celebrates with Caitlin Clark #22 of the Indiana Fever (Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
Mitchell reflects on her future with the Indiana Fever
The point guard, who recently began playing overseas for the Shanxi Flame, admitted she doesn’t know what her next season will look like as she enters her free agency period.
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“And it’s hard to know what the future holds,” Mitchell wrote. “I’ll be honest, I don’t know what colors I’ll be wearing next year, which just makes me cherish this season and our group even more.”
Mitchell has previously explained that her family will play a significant role in her decision-making process, particularly after the tragic loss of her father. “Obviously, I’ve always had a home in Indy, so it could potentially be a home for me again, but I think right now, the switching dynamic of my family and everything, I gotta do what’s best for me. That’s not hanging my hat on one team or another, but I think it’s specifically for me. I got to be selfish about that process.”
In The Players’ Tribune, she wrote: “You don’t expect your dad to die at 56. That sent a shock through our whole family and everyone that knew him. It hurt more than I could ever put into words. Pain and trauma makes you look at life a little different. I didn’t know what would happen next, if I was going to play this season… how I was supposed to play this season.”
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However, given her strong relationship with her teammates, it’s likely Mitchell will consider staying in Indiana. The Fever can also protect her by designating her as a core player, which is similar to the NFL’s franchise tag. WNBA teams can core one unrestricted free agent per offseason, but a player can only be cored for a maximum of two seasons. Since Mitchell agreed to an extension in 2021, she has yet to be cored.
