The respect that goes into the Indiana Fever locker room is unmatched. So when Kelsey Mitchell outsmarted the Las Vegas Aces in Game 1 of the semifinals with 34 points in 34 minutes, Caitlin Clark couldn’t help but say, “Kelsey Unreal.” However, Mitchell’s season ended heartbreakingly in Game 5 with a bout of rhabdomyolysis, a potentially life-threatening muscle condition. But Mitchell has recovered since then and signed off in 2025 with an emotional message. Clark again was quick to send an encouraging message.

On October 12, Mitchell took to Instagram to reflect on her 2025 season. Posting a series of on-court photos, she wrote, “Had to get to it different than everybody else. Grief had me excited for a small piece of it… indifferent for majority of it. Charged it ALL to the game. Ain’t no life jacket come for me, word to Him. Pops’ blueprint kept me in survival mode… that survival made me. I don’t know what it all really meant… just that it meant I stood on all 10 about it. The motto remains: shut up and go hunting. Zero, gone. 🧘🏽‍♀️”

Mitchell mentioned her father, Mark, in the caption (Pops’ blueprint), who unfortunately passed away in March 2024. Caitlin Clark commented, “So lucky to be ur teammate!!! Proud of u, Kels.” Clark and Mitchell understand what it takes to be on top of the game. They have played together for the past two seasons, and the connection has grown over time. Naturally, CC has been a supportive teammate to Mitchell, who was going through a personal loss. 

“Her dad had pretty much taught her anything and everything about basketball,” Mitchell’s mother, Cheryl, says. Drawing on those lessons, Mitchell delivered a career-high 2025 season, averaging 20.2 points and 3.4 assists, earning a spot on the All-WNBA First Team and her third All-Star selection. While she finished fifth in the official MVP standings, Indiana Fever fans crowned her their MVP, recognizing the leadership and fire she brought to the court all season in the absence of key players of the Fever roster.

Mitchell carried that momentum into the playoffs, averaging 22.3 points and 3 assists, nearly leading the Fever to the Finals. She thrived even in Caitlin Clark’s absence, raising questions about how the duo will mesh in 2026. If their connection continues to develop, the rest of the league could be in serious trouble.

Caitlin Clark-Kelsey Mitchell Duo Could Light Up WNBA Come 2026

We have already seen one full season of Kelsey Mitchell being paired up with Caitlin Clark. Clark’s rookie season remains among the best as Mitchell finally received some firepower around her, taking the Fever to its first playoff birth since 2016. However, even with the long list of records, including the WNBA assists, Clark was only a rookie then. And fans expected the two to take another step forward in 2025. That did not happen with Clark playing only 13 games, but it could be a blessing in disguise. 

Kelsey Mitchell is arguably the best ball handler in the WNBA. Her lightning-quick dribbles fool the best defenders. So, she is more than capable of creating opportunities out of thin air. She does not need Clark’s creativity as much as Aliyah Boston, for example. However, her off-the-ball play is just as elite, and Boston did find Mitchell cutting behind the defense at times.

With Clark, it’s entirely different. In 2024, Mitchell was assisted 81 times by Clark, according to PBP stats. In 2025, she had to make 37.1% of her points unassisted, a sharp increase from 25.9 last year. With Clark and a host of others out injured, Mitchell was often crowded in 2025 and almost got used to making difficult shots. Clark’s return will give Mitchell much more space to work with.

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On the flip side, Caitlin Clark is coming back from a host of soft tissue injuries and will probably not be the same ball-heavy and high usage point guard. It means the Fever will need Clark to be fed, and Mitchell has taken huge steps towards improving her creativity in 2025. She even played as the primary ball handler for a short period when the Indiana Fever had no point guards.

Yes, Mitchell is an unrestricted Free agent, but the Fever GM has made it clear they want Mitchell back, come what may. “The priority will be Kelsey Mitchell and making sure she remains in a Fever jersey,” Amber Cox said. So the skill sets Mitchell has improved in 2025 will help Clark come back to her best. Something ESPN understated, these two can become the most lethal guard duo next season if everything goes right.