Updated

Updated · Baltimore Sun · Oct 8

Caitlin Clark Denounces Hate Toward Kelsey Mitchell, Urges 9-Year Fever Guard to Stay

Updated

Updated · Baltimore Sun · Oct 8

Caitlin Clark Denounces Hate Toward Kelsey Mitchell, Urges 9-Year Fever Guard to Stay

Q: After facing severe online abuse, will Kelsey Mitchell abandon her historic partnership with Caitlin Clark and leave the Indiana Fever in free agency?

No one knows yet. The abuse Mitchell described has clearly become a real factor in her thinking, but there is no indication she has decided to leave Indiana. What is clear is that Mitchell is seriously weighing free agency. She said she has to be “selfish” about what is best for her at this stage of her career and acknowledged that playing in Indiana, and alongside Caitlin Clark, has brought extra scrutiny and hostile fan behavior. That means her choice will not be based only on basketball. At the same time, there are strong reasons she could stay. Clark has publicly urged the Fever to keep Mitchell, called her a “good soul,” said she wants to share the backcourt with her for the rest of her career, and said the team will “recruit her as hard as we can.” Indiana’s front office has also made retaining Mitchell a top offseason priority. On the court, the partnership has been historic. Mitchell is coming off a record-setting season, and she and Clark formed the highest-scoring duo in WNBA history while leading the league’s top offense. Mitchell herself said chemistry on and off the floor matters, and she has spent her entire career with the Fever. So the online abuse has increased the risk that she could leave, but it has not made her departure inevitable. As of now, Mitchell appears genuinely undecided, with Indiana still very much in the race to re-sign her.

3 articles · Updated · Baltimore Sun · Oct 8

Caitlin Clark said she was upset by hateful social-media messages Kelsey Mitchell has received and said there is nobody she would rather share Indiana’s backcourt with next season.
Mitchell, a soon-to-be free agent who has spent all 9 seasons with the Fever, said the hardest part of being an Indiana player lately has been the abuse in her DMs and the scrutiny tied to Clark’s spotlight.
Clark said people using her profile to push racist rhetoric, hate or discrimination do not represent her, adding that the attention around her brings benefits but also harms teammates.
The comments cap a turbulent Fever season in which sellout crowds, record TV interest and Mitchell’s scoring milestones were accompanied by repeated off-court controversies over fans, security incidents and culture-war flashpoints.

Sources

Baltimore Sun4h ago

Caitlin Clark Denounces Hateful Messages to Fever Teammate Kelsey Mitchell

Sportsnet.ca6h ago

Caitlin Clark denounces hateful messages Fever teammate Kelsey Mitchell says she received - Sportsnet.ca

Newsday7h ago

Caitlin Clark denounces the hateful messages Fever teammate Kelsey Mitchell says she received - Newsday

11 Sources

How will Caitlin Clark’s strong condemnation of racist fans using her name impact the toxic online culture surrounding the WNBA's newfound spotlight?

After facing severe online abuse, will Kelsey Mitchell abandon her historic partnership with Caitlin Clark and leave the Indiana Fever in free agency?

As WNBA popularity explodes, can the league implement new tech and security measures fast enough to protect stars from crossing-the-line fan harassment?