Indiana Fever president Kelly Krauskopf couldn’t bear to see Kelsey Mitchell play anywhere else but Indiana.
The longtime Fever player, who has worn an Indiana uniform all seven years of her WNBA career, was eligible for a core qualifying offer, and it was a no-brainer for the Fever president to extend one to their franchise player.
On Wednesday, Mitchell accepted the core qualifying offer as-is, giving her an eighth season in a Fever jersey in 2025. She will be on a one-year deal on a supermax salary, which is about $250,000.
“Everything about Kelsey Mitchell is core, right?” Fever president Kelly Krauskopf said in a video posted to X on Wednesday. “Her core values, her core basketball, everything about her is what we’re about. And so there was no way she was going anywhere else but the Indiana Fever. This was a great day for our franchise. It starts with her, and her legacy continues in an Indiana jersey.”
Caitlin Clark book: Fever Pitch: How Caitlin Clark Captivated the Basketball World and Won Rookie of the Year
“Her legacy continues in an Indiana jersey.” 🗣️
Kelsey Mitchell joins Team President Kelly Krauskopf to speak with Pacers Sports & Entertainment employees after the welcome reception this afternoon. pic.twitter.com/NX3tK1MJOr
— Indiana Fever (@IndianaFever) January 29, 2025
Mitchell was part of one of the most formidable backcourts in the league last season with the addition of 2024 No. 1 pick Caitlin Clark, who was at Gainbridge Fieldhouse to greet Mitchell on Wednesday morning.
The duo created a seamless bond in the backcourt, with Clark lobbing crosscourt passes to Mitchell and dialing up crafty plays to get around defenders. Both Mitchell and Clark averaged 19.2 points last season, with Clark scoring three more total points over those 40 games.
So, along with the fact that Indianapolis is only two hours from Mitchell’s hometown of Cincinnati, Ohio, Clark was one of the main reasons she decided to return to the Fever.
Together, she said, they hope to be even better than last year.
“Indiana has been my second home since I went pro, so this is the only city I know,” Mitchell said in the video. “To see you guys open your arms up to me … that was a big part of me coming back, because I got to meet great people. Then I met one of the greatest people in the world, Caitlin Clark, who just ran the basketball world. I think, together, we hope to make you guys proud.”
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Kelsey Mitchell on her return to Indiana Fever, Caitlin Clark
