Fever re-sign Mitchell, keeping intact All-Star pairing with Clark

WNBA

Indiana’s Kelsey Mitchell averaged 19.2 points per game for the Indiana Fever last season, the best of her seven-year WNBA career. Darron Cummings / the associated press

Image

The Associated Press

INDIANAPOLIS — Caitlin Clark will have both of her All-Star teammates back next season after the Indiana Fever announced Wednesday that they re-signed free agent guard Kelsey Mitchell.

Terms of the deal were not immediately available.

Playing alongside Clark in the backcourt last season, Mitchell posted the best statistical season of her seven-year career. She started 38 of 40 games, averaging 19.2 points while shooting 46.8% from the field and 40.2% from 3-point range.

Mitchell also had 2.5 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game as she counseled Clark about making the adjustment from college to the WNBA — and the enormous expectations placed on Clark as she won the league’s Rookie of the Year Award and was named The Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year.

Clark, Mitchell and Aliyah Boston formed the nucleus of an Indiana team that made its first playoff appearance since 2016.

Mitchell was the No. 2 overall draft pick in 2018 out of Ohio State. She was also an All-Star in 2023 and led the Fever in scoring every season from 2019-22.

Her return adds stability to one of the league’s youngest teams, which routinely played in front of sellout crowds at home and on the road. Boston was the 2023 Rookie of the Year.

And with former Fever star Stephanie White returning this season as coach, White now knows that Indiana’s top three players will all be back when the team opens its season May 17 against Angel Reese and the Chicago Sky.

All-Star decision

Clark is going to wait until Indianapolis hosts the WNBA All-Star weekend in July to enter her first 3-point contest as a pro.

The Fever star declined an invitation to participate in a special challenge during NBA All-Star weekend next month, her representatives at Excel Sports said Wednesday.

There had been discussions for Clark to participate in a contest similar to the one that pitted Steph Curry against Sabrina Ionescu in a 3-point shootout during last season’s NBA All-Star weekend. Curry beat the New York Liberty star. It was one of the highlights of the weekend.

There have been discussions around expanding that shootout this year when the NBA All-Star Game takes place in the Bay Area in two weeks.

Ionescu told The Associated Press earlier this month she planned to be at the All-Star festivities, but declined to elaborate whether she would be involved in any on-court activities.