With two of the league’s best offensive players, Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell, on their team, the Fever have found themselves caught in a dilemma that has contributed to their roller-coaster ride so far. Now, with Clark being listed as probable on the injury report for the 16th time this season as per The Athletic’s James Boyd and the second half of the 2026 season just around the corner, WNBA legend Cynthia Cooper believes they can no longer afford to leave those roles undefined.
“For me, the question for Indiana is – who’s your superstar? That’s really the question. Is Caitlin gonna be your superstar? And you’re Batman and Kelsey, you’re Robin,” Cynthia Cooper said in the latest episode of Road Trippin’ Show.
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“Last year, when Caitlin was out, you relied heavily on Kelsey, and you guys were one game away from making it to the finals. So my thing is… You have to be able to establish roles.”
“Caitlin is our go-to. This is what we’re doing. This is how we’re going to play, and this is how we’re going to win. You can’t have not knowing who’s going to take that shot or who we’re going to in a crucial moment of a game and a crucial moment of a season. You have to figure that out now.”
The Fever currently sit sixth in the WNBA standings with a 14-10 record. For a team that entered the year with championship expectations, those numbers aren’t exactly where fans hoped to be. But injuries have certainly played a part, along with the challenge of defining clear roles on a roster loaded with star talent.
Caitlin Clark, in particular, has missed four games since injuring her back in the game against the Phoenix Mercury on June 24. The Games she has played since then have seen her play limited minutes. Despite that, she has continued to be one of Indiana’s biggest offensive weapons with 19.7 points and 7.7 assists per game.
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At the same time, Kelsey Mitchell has been the Fever’s most consistent scorer with her 22.6 points per game average. She recently even broke Tamika Catchings’ franchise record with 38 straight games in double figures.
Both are capable of taking over games. And that’s exactly why Cooper believes Indiana has to decide who becomes their go-to player without having to choose one over the other.
“There is nothing wrong with Kelsey being your go-to player and Caitlin being your star. It doesn’t take away from Caitlin’s ability to do everything on the court,” the 4× WNBA champion added.
The All-Star Game is all set to take place on July 25, 2026. After that, the teams will stop experimenting and play with playoff-level intensity. So the Indiana Fever are reaching a point where they can no longer keep searching for answers around Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell. Because if that continues, the results could eventually hurt them when they matter the most.
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The post “Figure That Out Now”: WNBA Legend Raises Concern Over Fever Locker Room Dilemma As Caitlin Clark Is Listed Probable for the 16th Time appeared first on EssentiallySports. Add EssentiallySports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
