Kelsey Mitchell Quietly Breaks Rare Caitlin Clark Record as 2 Fever Stars Face Nike Celebration Restrictions

It really feels like the summer of chasing Caitlin Clark’s records, doesn’t it? First Sophie Cunningham, then Paige Bueckers, Sonia Citron—and now, add Kelsey Mitchell to the list. The Indiana Fever bounced back big on Tuesday night, cruising past Seattle with a 95-75 win at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Sitting at 20-18 and 6th in the standings, the Fever are heating up—and Mitchell’s busy breaking franchise records yet again.

Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell quietly made history Tuesday against the Seattle Storm, hitting a 24-foot 3-pointer with 7:27 left in the first quarter to push her season total to 772 points. That shot didn’t just count on the scoreboard—it officially broke the Fever’s single-season scoring record previously held by Caitlin Clark, who put up 769 points in her rookie campaign last year. Fun fact: Mitchell had 767 points in 2024, so this season has been a steady climb to the record.

The seven-year WNBA veteran has been carrying the team through an injury-plagued season, stepping up when they’ve needed her most. Caitlin Clark missed her 15th straight game Tuesday with a right groin injury, while guards Sydney Colson (foot) and Aari McDonald (ACL) are both out for the season after an Aug. 7 loss to Phoenix. Sophie Cunningham just had surgery to repair a torn MCL and will miss the rest of the season, and forward Chloe Bibby sat out Tuesday’s contest with a left knee injury. Through it all, Mitchell has kept the Fever rolling—and her teammates are making sure everyone knows it.

In Friday’s loss to the Minnesota Lynx, players rocked “MVP Mitchell” T-shirts, backing her case for league MVP. “Kelsey has been carrying us. You look at the numbers, and her numbers have been incredible all season long,” coach Stephanie White said Friday. “When we’ve needed her most, she stepped up and has been even better. There’s a lot of great MVP candidates out there, but Kelsey Mitchell should certainly be in the conversation.” And honestly, the numbers back her up.

In July, Mitchell passed Tamika Catchings to become the Fever’s all-time leader in three-pointers made, and she hasn’t slowed down since. Just last weekend, Mitchell broke another franchise record. Her 27-point performance in Friday’s loss to the Lynx set a new mark for most games with 20+ points in a single season with 20—moving past a three-way tie with Catchings (2003) and Caitlin Clark (2024). Two days later, Mitchell dropped 26 more against the Lynx on Sunday, extending that record to 21 games this season.

Simply put: records are falling, Kelsey Mitchell is thriving, and the Fever might be hitting their stride right when it matters most — maybe even with a Caitlin Clark return on the horizon.

Adidas Over Nike: Boston and Cunningham support Clark their own way

Caitlin Clark might still be sidelined, but she’s everywhere right now. The Fever star missed her 15th straight game Tuesday against the Seattle Storm after suffering a groin injury in Indiana’s 85-77 win over the Connecticut Sun on July 15. Despite playing just 13 of the Fever’s 37 games this season, Gainbridge Fieldhouse was buzzing with Clark energy. To celebrate the launch of her Nike signature logo, every fan received a “Caitlin was here” T-shirt, and several Fever players—including Aerial Powers, Shey Peddy, Brianna Turner, Kelsey Mitchell, Odyssey Sims, and Makayla Timpson—showed up rocking the gear.

But fans quickly noticed something: Aliyah Boston and Sophie Cunningham weren’t wearing the Nike shirts like their teammates. A fan explained on X, “AB and Sophie are Adidas athletes, so we won’t be seeing them do anything for CC with Nike other than verbal support on social media.” Boston signed a multiyear Adidas deal in 2023, and Cunningham switched from Nike to Adidas in 2022. That didn’t stop them from celebrating Clark’s big moment, though. When Caitlin teased the drop on Instagram a day earlier, Sophie hyped her up with, “ohhhhhh you do have a truck😉,” and Boston added, “Ooooooooo🤌🏾🤌🏾🤌🏾🤌🏾 so teaaaa.”

Nike officially announced Clark as its newest signature athlete Monday, reportedly signing her to a $28 million, eight-year deal, along with unveiling a sleek logo featuring two interlocking C’s with a smaller C inside. According to Nike, the design reflects her “connection with her fans,” while the smaller C represents “how Caitlin’s game was built from the inside out — a product of her passion for the sport, relentless drive and constant pursuit of perfection.” Clark called the launch a “dream come true” and even sported custom-made jewelry, zipper, pants, and charms featuring her logo. And if the buzz at Gainbridge was any indication, Caitlin’s brand—and her return—are bigger than ever.