During her end-of-season media availability on Thursday, Caitlin Clark pledged her support in Indiana's efforts to recruit star guard Kelsey Mitchell back to the Fever next season.
Mitchell signed a one-year, $1.4 million supermax deal with the Fever in April and will be an unrestricted free agent this winter. However, the Fever will likely need to do salary cap gymnastics this offseason to get a potential Mitchell deal on the books, while still having enough cash to bolster their roster.
"There's nobody I would want to share the backcourt with other than her...We need her. We love her...That's our number one priority."
— Indiana Fever (@IndianaFever) October 8, 2026
Caitlin Clark on Kelsey Mitchell. pic.twitter.com/yOiEPSczIK
"As far as Kelsey and her future with the organization, I think she
knows how much I love her. We've talked since the season has ended. There's nobody I would want to share the backcourt with other than her. I think we had the best season of any backcourt in the WNBA in the league's history (with) what we were able to do. I often tell her, 'I feel like I have the best seat in the house every single night. I get to watch you do your thing and be right next to you and be on the other side of the ball with you.'
"I know this organization, we're gonna work our butt off to get her back. We're gonna recruit her as hard as we can. Every player that is signed to a contract is gonna recruit her as hard as we can," Clark said. "We need her, we love her, and I think more than anything, Kelsey's a really great person, and I love getting to be in the locker room with her. You guys have got to know her a little bit. She's just a good soul. This organization has and these fans have really rallied around her and have supported her," Clark said.
Mitchell averaged 24.7 points per game, the fifth-highest single-season scoring average in WNBA history and the best in Fever franchise history. The 5-foot-8 guard scored a league-record 1,086 total points, knocked down a WNBA single-season record 135 3-pointers, and led the league in 3-point percentage (45%) among players that attempted more than 25 from beyond the arc.
Additionally, her 64.5% true shooting was 8.4% above the league average and the third-highest ever by a 20-point scorer. Together, she and Clark helped the Fever post a 115 offensive rating, the best in league history.
"More than anything, I hope she comes back here and the arena is chanting MVP for her again, because that's what she deserves. She's been with this organization nine years. It would be 10 if we were able to sign her back. So, that's certainly our goal. That's our No. 1 priority. For myself, my No. 1 priority. I hope for the rest of my career I get to play alongside her. That's how easy she makes my job," Clark said.
Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes, and opinions. Follow Scout on X: @SpringgateNews
This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Caitlin Clark, Indiana Fever determined to re-sign Kelsey Mitchell
