“She Makes Life Easier”: Caitlin Clark Explains How Indiana Fever Benefits from Kelsey Mitchell

When the Indiana Fever selected Caitlin Clark with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft, the franchise ushered in a new era of basketball defined by excitement, offensive explosiveness, and long-awaited hope. But while much of the national spotlight remains fixed on the generational talent from Iowa, Clark is quick to remind everyone that she’s not alone. In fact, she’s already found a perfect backcourt partner in veteran Kelsey Mitchell.

“Kelsey just makes life easier,” Clark said after an early preseason practice. “Her scoring ability, her confidence, her leadership—she takes so much pressure off me. I know I can trust her to make the right plays and get buckets.”

For Clark, who’s spent the last four years being the focal point of every defense in women’s college basketball, having someone like Mitchell next to her has been a game-changer. And for the Fever, it’s a promising sign that their two-headed guard attack could be the key to climbing out of the lottery and into playoff contention.

Mitchell’s Resume Speaks for Itself

Kelsey Mitchell isn’t new to carrying a team. Drafted second overall in 2018 out of Ohio State, she’s been one of the league’s most consistent scorers over the past several seasons, averaging over 15 points per game for her career. In 2022, she posted a career-high 18.4 points per game on 43.8% shooting from the field and 40.9% from deep, earning her status as one of the most dangerous offensive threats in the league.

What makes Mitchell so valuable is her ability to score at all three levels. She’s a smooth operator with the ball in her hands, capable of creating her own shot, but also thrives off-ball—an asset that’s become even more important with Clark now in the mix.

“She doesn’t need a million dribbles to make something happen,” Clark said. “She’s super efficient, and she reads the floor like a vet. That kind of experience next to me is huge.”

A Backcourt Built on Balance

From a basketball perspective, the pairing makes perfect sense. Clark brings gravity unlike any other player—defenders have to pick her up the moment she crosses half court. That opens up space for Mitchell to attack, and vice versa. The two have already begun to build an intuitive chemistry during training camp, with Clark noting that Mitchell’s movement without the ball is something she’s quickly learning to play off of.

“She cuts hard, relocates fast, and never stops moving,” Clark said. “It’s a shooter’s dream to play with someone like that. Defenses can’t relax.”

Head coach Christie Sides agrees.

“They complement each other so well,” Sides said. “Caitlin’s vision and Kelsey’s quick release create instant pressure on opposing defenses. It’s a matchup nightmare. And the best part is, they’re both totally unselfish.”

That unselfishness has been evident in early scrimmages, where Clark and Mitchell have already shown flashes of what could be one of the league’s most dynamic backcourts. With Clark handling much of the playmaking load and Mitchell able to play either on or off the ball, the Fever have the flexibility to adjust to whatever defenses throw at them.