Don’t let Sheryl Swoopes see this

Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever welcomed back Kelsey Mitchell after officially re-signing her in free agency on Wednesday. Clark and the organization paid tribute to the veteran guard after she put pen to paper on a new deal. The Fever’s All-Star backcourt duo shared a warm embrace as employees of Pacers Sports & Entertainment company gave a rousing ovation to Mitchell at the team’s home arena.

As the video surfaced online through Fever’s X account, several fans were elated to see Clark, who was in her practice gear. Meanwhile, WNBA reporter Robin Lundberg used the opportunity to take a cheeky dig at league legend Sheryl Swoopes.

“Don’t let Sheryl Swoopes see this,” Lundberg quote tweeted on Wednesday.

Lundberg mocked Swoopes for her bold comments in September on Clark’s Fever teammates wanting to leave the franchise because of the Iowa product.

“There is a lot of other s*** going on that players are like this ain’t where I wanna be,” Swoopes said on Gil’s Arena podcast. “You have players that are very significant on this Indiana Fever team who are like, I don’t wanna be here.”

Swoopes specifically addressed Mitchell, too. She suggested that the guard may leave Fever in free agency.

“Not every player who’s a free agent should leave because the grass probably ain’t gonna be greener for you,” Swoopes said. “But a player like Kelsey Mitchell — Kelsey Mitchell could be very valuable to any team.”

However, Swoopes’ predictions have not come to fruition. Caitlin Clark’s bond with her teammates, especially Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell, has grown consistently. They are often hailing each other on Instagram and celebrate their achievements. Wednesday was another display of how Clark is doing the best she can to develop her chemistry further after a successful rookie year.

Kelsey Mitchell gets candid about Caitlin Clark’s impact on her decision to return

Kelsey Mitchell could have joined multiple teams in free agency after a stellar season, where she averaged 19.2 points per game, shooting 46.8% from the field and 40.2% from the 3-point line.

Mitchell was vital to Indiana’s offense alongside Caitlin Clark as the leading scorer. Her gravity allowed Clark to find her own scoring opportunities. When Clark didn’t have those, Mitchell was often her first find while playmaking.

As it turns out, Clark was one of the primary reasons Mitchell decided to return. While giving a short speech to the Fever organization on Wednesday, Mitchell said:

“Then I met one of the greatest people in the world, Caitlin Clark, who just ran the basketball world. So I think together, we hope to make you guys proud.”

The Fever enter a new era next season under coach Stephanie White. Her coaching style fits well with Indiana’s fast-paced offense led by Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell.

Edited by Arhaan Raje