Caitlin Clark’s gameplay is more dominant than ever. Since her return from the Olympics break, she’s been consistently adding records to her name. For the more recent one, she grabbed a rebound in the final seconds to claim her second triple-double this season. However, all these efforts aren’t quite enough to surpass the Las Vegas Aces’ veteran in scoring.

Standing between the 2024 Draft No. 1 pick and the league’s highest scoring average after the Olympics break are not just one, but two players. First, there’s A’ja Wilson with an average of 28.4 PPG, and then there’s Clark’s own teammate, Kelsey Mitchell. The Indiana Fever’s guard has been impressive in the second half, averaging 25.6 PPG.

Mitchell has put up a 20-point performance for every game but one (18) in the last 8 she has played since the Olympic break. This also includes a 38-point in the game against the Dallas Wings. With that, she became the first player in WNBA history to average 25+ PPG, while shooting 50-40-90 during a 5-game win streak. In doing so, she is posting the best season of her career.

The 2018 Draft No. 2 overall pick by the Fever hadn’t won more than 13 games in the last five years—until this season. “I know what the bottom feels like, and I don’t want to be there anymore,” Mitchell told AP News.

But could the upsurge be enough for the guard to dodge departure speculations?

Caitlin Clark might lose her partner in paint

A few days ago, when the news broke that the Indiana Fever would host the 2025 All-Star Game, Mitchell hinted at a possible departure from the Fever. “I guess I was excited. Obviously, I’ve been in Indy for the last years of my life. But I’m excited that Indy gets a chance to host it. Shoutout to Indy for that, I’m excited for them,” she said.

For Mitchell, the relationship with the Fever has lasted five years. Whenever her future with the Fever was in doubt, she stayed with the team, including when she signed a three-year deal with the franchise in 2021 to solidify her commitment. Now that her contract is nearing its end, her contribution has only been more prominent.

Alongside Caitlin Clark, Mitchell has been driving the offense for the team, with both finishing the games as top scorers each night. Their chemistry has also led the team to become the best team offensively since Olympic break, with 91.1 PPG, and 111.0 offensive rating. Individually, averaging 19 points to be the team’s lead scorer, Mitchell became only the second in Indiana Fever history to reach 3651 career points in August.

As her average improved to 28.3 PPG post-break, so has her team’s performance.

Caitlin Clark and company now sit with a playoff spot for the first time since 2016, with an 18-16 record. Despite her strong bond, the franchise has yet to address rumors about Mitchell’s departure. But for now, all eyes on postseason for the Indiana Fever.