Caitlin Clark Defends Kelsey Mitchell Amid Fan Abuse, Urges Teammate to Stay with Fever

Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark has publicly defended teammate Kelsey Mitchell against online abuse and urged the upcoming free agent to re-sign with the team. Clark expressed dismay that Mitchell, or any teammate, would be subjected to degrading remarks and racist rhetoric.

"I saw Kelsey's comments and as a teammate, it makes you upset because you care about your teammates so much, and you don't want anyone to go through something like that," Clark said in a recent interview. "I think for the people who have followed me, obviously, there is such a microscope on me and that kind of comes with everybody I've been teammates with... and that comes with a lot of great things. And then, at times, there can be some negatives."

Clark specifically addressed those who have used her platform to express hateful sentiments. "As far as people that have used me to, you know, demonstrate racist rhetoric or hate or discrimination, that's not something I stand for. That's never been something I've stood for. For those of you who know me, that's not what I'm about. It's not how I was raised, so really disappointing when people do that."

Mitchell, who has spent her entire nine-year WNBA career with the Fever, revealed during her exit interview that she struggles with the vitriol she receives as a result of being Clark's teammate. "The hardest part of being a Fever girl... is, I don't think people understand how much we endure," Mitchell stated. "If I showed y'all my DMs about the hate and, you know like, the stuff that comes with being a professional athlete, but specifically being an Indiana Fever basketball player, it's a lot that goes into that, and those days are hard as hell, man."

Despite the challenges, Mitchell expressed affection for Clark, saying she "loves" her and enjoys playing in the backcourt with her. However, she acknowledged the difficulty of the situation. "Having the eyes that she got, you know, we get a lot of flak just for being on her team, and I think that comes with a lot, too," Mitchell said. "I just think that people have got to give us grace. I think this organization is unbelievable, man, but I think that when it comes to like really trying to be yourself it hasn't always been easy. That's all I'll say."

The Fever concluded their season after being eliminated from the WNBA playoffs. The team experienced a season marked by numerous controversies, including speculation about coach Stephanie White's job security and team dynamics. External commentary and fan behavior also became a recurring issue.

During a press conference, White criticized what she described as attempts by outsiders to destabilize the team. Security personnel were twice called to escort disruptive fans from games, and former Fever player Brianna Turner, now with the Las Vegas Aces, publicly disputed comments made by Fever General Manager Amber Cox regarding fan behavior.

Clark, while disappointed with the team's playoff outcome, reiterated her support for Mitchell. "I think it kind of gets into this larger discussion in mainstream sports of what people go through. I think, just recently, I saw Coco Gauff came out and kind of talked about her experience," Clark said. "So any time I see something like that, you know, it makes me upset, makes me sad, makes me really disappointed, you know, because that's not who I am. It's not what I'm about."

Clark concluded by emphasizing her desire for Mitchell's return. "I think for my teammates, obviously, there's a lot of really great things that come with playing here, too, and as far as Kelsey and our future with her with the organization, I think she knows how much I love her. We've talked since the season ended, and there's nobody I would want to share the backcourt with than her."