For much of the season, the Indiana Fever’s MVP conversation seemed to have one obvious answer: Caitlin Clark. But Kelsey Mitchell’s emergence as one of the league’s most prolific scorers has changed the equation. With both guards playing pivotal roles in Indiana’s success, the question is no longer simply whether Clark deserves MVP consideration. It is whether she could end up competing with her own teammate for the award. For former ESPN host Linda Cohn, this makes the whole MVP conversation even more interesting now.
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However, if she were to cast her vote, her clear choice is Caitlin Clark. Of course, she acknowledges that both players have been phenomenal and key to the Fever’s success so far this season. She feels Clark looks more valuable to the team than Mitchell.
“And now we have a really fascinating MVP situation. Some voters may look at Mitchell’s scoring and say, ‘That’s my MVP. She’s a scorer.’ Others are going to look at Caitlin Clark and understand that when Mitchell is an elite scorer, everything Indiana does runs through guess who? Caitlin Clark,” Cohn said in a video she posted on her YouTube channel on Monday.
“Now Clark and Mitchell could end up splitting the MVP vote. And A’ja Wilson could end up running away with it anyway. But if you’re asking me, I stay true to my first pick. Who is most valuable to the Fever? No question. It’s Clark. Mitchell is the scorer. Yes, the offense goes through Caitlin, though. And everyone benefits from that.”
On Sunday, both players were once again brilliant for the Fever in their 113-90 victory over the Chicago Sky, which Cohn was reacting to in the video. Clark finished the contest with 37 points, 10 assists, and three rebounds. Meanwhile, Mitchell delivered 30 points, two rebounds, and four assists. And, of course, the two have been quite phenomenal for the Indiana Fever throughout the season, giving the Fever one of the most dangerous backcourts in the WNBA.
Caitlin Clark is currently averaging 22.1 points, 8.3 assists, and 3.8 rebounds per game. And her Indiana Fever teammate Kelsey Mitchell is averaging 24.8 points, 2.8 assists, and 1.7 rebounds per game. Mitchell is also on a historic 20-point-per-game streak, with their win against the Sky extending her record-setting streak to 23 games in a row where she’s scored at least 20 points.
Caitlin Clark herself has played a huge role in helping Mitchell maintain that streak with her crucial assists, even in games the Fever have lost.
Interestingly, Mitchell and Clark rank second and third in the WNBA in scoring, respectively. Meanwhile, Caitlin Clark is tied for most assists per game this season with Phoenix Mercury’s Alyssa Thomas at 8.3 APG.
While an elite level of performance and output like this is indeed good for the Indiana Fever and their chances of going all the way to win the WNBA championship, it does sound like it might end up hurting Clark’s chances of winning the MVP. As Cohn pointed out, the two could end up dividing the MVP votes between them, potentially giving fellow MVP contenders like A’ja Wilson and Olivia Miles an advantage.