After Caitlin Clark went down with an injury, Kelsey Mitchell carried the Indiana Fever and established herself as the team’s No. 1 option on offense.
Clark played just 13 games in 2025 due to a groin injury. Mitchell was then thrust into the leading role for the Fever, and she delivered, averaging 20.2 points, 1.8 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game.
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The Fever finished with a 24-20 record, good for the sixth seed in the standings. With Mitchell leading the way, the team made it all the way to the WNBA semifinals where they pushed the eventual champions, the Las Vegas Aces, to five games.
Indiana Fever’s Aliyah Boston (7), Caitlin Clark (22) and Kelsey Mitchell (0) take a photo before the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game.Christine Tannous/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
On Tuesday, Clark reflected on the year she had with the Fever, her family and friends. She shared several photos showing herself having fun and bonding with her peers, clearly opting to focus on the positives rather than her unfortunate injury.
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Clark included a photo of herself posing with Mitchell as they showed big smiles.
Mitchell, for her part, saw the photo and shared it on her Instagram Stories. She included a message of appreciation for Clark, who continued to cheer for the team and join them in games at home and on the road while she was recovering.
“grateful for you, 2’s!” Mitchell wrote.
Clark is under contract with the Fever, as she’s still in her rookie deal. Mitchell, meanwhile, is a free agent this offseason. However, the team has made it a point to emphasize that their goal is to bring their top scorer back.
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Fever GM Amber Cox said after the season that their “top priority” is to re-sign Mitchell.
That being said, Clark and Mitchell are likely to be teammates for a while longer.
Related: Caitlin Clark’s Headband Look Sparks Requests
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Jan 1, 2026, where it first appeared in the WNBA section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.