It was just two days ago that Indiana Fever Head Coach Stephanie White was under scrutiny for the play drawn on the final possession against the Atlanta Dream. It was a game-winning one, with nine seconds and a timeout in hand. But the Fever lost the game by one point, hinting once again at the importance of every possession. In the return fixture, the Indiana side was supposed to be back on the court, polished, ready with the plan, and ready for redemption. But HC Stephanie White’s another decision left fans questioning her choices once again, this one surrounding their star player, Kelsey Mitchell herself.

The veteran guard was arguably the biggest addition the Indiana Fever could have made this season. Caitlin Clark would vouch for it. “It was our No. 1 priority this offseason,” she had admitted, speaking of Fever’s decision to extend the core qualifying offer to the veteran guard. 7 years of experience and an offensive threat– the team needed her. The fans, too, after the season she had just delivered. But looks like the applause doesn’t follow the icons everywhere. 

In the game against the Atlanta Dream at the State Farm Center, Mitchell was chosen at the number 1 position, carrying the ball and dictating the plays. When the side had an elite playmaker, scorer, and one of the best on-court decision makers in Caitlin Clark playing the court, fans were left wondering why Kelsey was chosen at the position. Adding to the fire, the veteran guard let the ball slip while dribbling in the first quarter, handing the possession to Atlanta.

With the opposition already leading in the game, losing a possession in such a manner certainly did not sit well. Especially when they were coming off a 90-91 loss against the very team.

Further, Mitchell went scoreless in the 1st quarter. But it wasn’t Caitlin’s day, either. While she opened the game with a driving layup off of Aliyah Boston’s assist, she ended the quarter with just that. Meanwhile, the scoreboard read 12-4 in the Dream’s favor.

Defensive lapses were already a concern in their previous match up. Stephanie White wouldn’t have wanted to add offense to it now. So as the game progressed with Mitchel failing to deliver in the initial minutes, in scoring and in setting up plays for her teammates, fans’ dissatisfaction grew a little louder.

As much as they shower love and appreciation, they are demanding too. The Indiana Fever team, after major signings in the offseason, is perceived as a champion side already, and such mistakes will not go well with the fanbase.

Fans don’t want Kelsey Mitchell playing PG for the Indiana Fever

One of them jumped into the conversation with “Why on God’s green earth is Kelsey Mitchell carrying the ball up the court instead of Caitlin? Just a bizarre game plan so far #fever.'” 

Losing the game 2 against Atlanta was a sting hardly expected of a championship contender team so early in the season. For Stephanie White, redemptions lay in analyzing the plays. So she did– watched the films and considered the adjustment. And just when fans awaited the outcome, Mitchell playing the ball-handler wasn’t on their cards. Especially when CC had had a 25+ 10+ performance.

“Why in the flying f*ck is Kelsey Mitchell the primary ball handler this game Caitlin Clark just had 27-10 last game and you think THATS the adjustment???” one questioned. That performance just a day ago, had the reigning ROTY tying with Courtney Vandersloot for most 20+ 10+ performance and surpassing Sabrina Ionescu for most 25+ 10+ performance. It only reestablished Clark’s status as an elite play maker. So when that seemingly went ignored, in came the criticisms.

“Kelsey Mitchell can not play point. She is a great shooting guard because she is a scorer. You can not have a pg that doesn’t pass the ball.” Mitchell if coming off a 19.2-point average season. But she is also coming off a season where she averaged 2.8 assists per game. In the game on Thursday, she ended up with a single assist through 28 minutes. So the frustration peaked.

Talking about the past records and performances, one fan even correlated the first quarter plays with the first half of the last season, “This looks like first half of last season Kelsey Mitchell. She’s doing her own thing out on the court instead of playing with her teammates,” he wrote. While Caitlin Clark was new to the WNBA, veteran Kelsey Mitchell was mostly directing the offensive plays for the Indiana Fever. The team started off with 1-8 record in May 2024, and that’s not a picture the Fever nation wants to visit again. Especially not when you have been included in top 4 of the power rankings.

But it was not only Kelsey’s performance that fans were worried about. DeWanna Bonner was called for her effectiveness on the court. In the first game against the Atlanta Dream, she failed to score a basket, while in today’s game, she finished with just one point, playing over 15 minutes both times. “No idea what Kelsey Mitchell is doing but she’s lost and not by a little. Out of control on the dribble and doesn’t look Like she has a clue. Bonner is a ghost,” another vented.

In the later period of the game, the Indiana Fever team changed its approach and went on to win the game 81-76. Mitchell, under fire for her mistake, scored 17 points while Natasha Howard led the side in scoring with 26. Taking control once again, Caitlin Clark dished out six assists. The side will be in action once again tomorrow, hosting the defending champions, New York Liberty.

Stephanie White might need to go through her plans again…