WNBA free agency: Fever re-sign Kelsey Mitchell to keep star backcourt with Caitlin Clark intact

Two-time All-Star Kelsey Mitchell has agreed to re-sign with the Indiana Fever, the organization announced Wednesday, ensuring the team’s star backcourt, which also includes 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year Caitlin Clark, will remain intact for the 2025 season. 

“Kelsey has been a foundation of our franchise for many years, and we are thrilled to see her return to the Fever,” said president of basketball and business operations Kelly Krauskopf, who drafted Mitchell in 2018. “We value Kelsey’s commitment to our organization, and we’re excited to see her build off a phenomenal 2024, her best season yet. She is one of the best guards in this league and is a cornerstone to building a championship roster.”

Mitchell had been cored by the Fever earlier in the offseason, granting them exclusive negotiating rights. The core designation comes with an automatic qualifying offer of a one-year, guaranteed supermax deal ($249,244 for the 2025 season). While cored players and their team can negotiate other terms, the timing of the Fever’s announcement indicates Mitchell signed that qualifying offer. During this moratorium period, players can sign qualifying offers, but no standard free agent contracts can become official until Feb. 1. 

Accounting for Mitchell’s supermax, the Fever now have $408,395 remaining in cap space with two open roster spots, though they are only required to fill one of them. That leaves them plenty of money to work with in discussions with other free agents. 

“I’m thrilled that Kelsey is returning to Fever. She has been an integral part of this franchise from the moment she was drafted,” Fever coach Stephanie White said. “I have watched her journey from the sideline since her time in college and have always admired her work ethic, approach to the game and the way she interacts with her teammates. I can’t wait to work with her on a daily basis.”

Mitchell, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2018 draft, had long flown under the radar on bad Fever teams. That all changed last season, as Mitchell took her game to a new level and combined with Clark to form one of the league’s best backcourts. Mitchell averaged a career-high 19.2 points and shot 40.2% from behind the arc as she and Clark became the first duo in league history to each make 100-plus 3s in a season. 

Together with All-Star center Aliyah Boston, that trio led the Fever back to the playoffs for the first time since 2016. With all three returning for 2025, and new coach Stephanie White in place, the Fever will have their sights set even higher.