Caitlin Clark’s last regular-season game of her rookie year took place when the Washington Mystics hosted the Indiana Fever. True to the hype, the game broke attendance records, drawing an incredible 20,711 fans—the largest crowd in WNBA history. However, it was surprising when the WNBA released the playoff poster just hours later without featuring Clark. While the reason for this decision remains unclear, a well-known entrepreneur voiced his critical opinion about it.

Well-known investor and sports enthusiast Joe Pompliano took notice of the WNBA’s playoff tweet and couldn’t help but share his thoughts. Expressing his disappointment, he tweeted, “My unpopular opinion is that the Caitlin Clark slight, along with fan frustration over the WNBA’s marketing choices, has actually boosted the league’s popularity more than if they had simply praised her for months.”

The league’s playoff graphics showcased one player from each of the qualifying teams. While it’s typical to highlight the league’s veterans and experienced players in these announcements, many fans anticipated that Caitlin Clark would be the obvious choice to represent the Fever on the poster. To their surprise, it was Kelsey Mitchell who earned that honor for Indiana instead.

Given the impact Caitlin Clark has had—more than doubling the league’s viewership from previous years—it’s understandable that Pompliano and fans feel frustrated. However, Kelsey Mitchell’s presence on the poster also deserves recognition for one important reason.

Although Caitlin Clark gets snubbed from playoff poster, Kelsey Mitchell’s presence also makes sense

There’s no doubt that Caitlin Clark has made a remarkable impact on the Fever, leading them to a sixth-place finish and a playoff spot this year, a significant improvement from their tenth-place finish last season. However, it’s worth highlighting that Clark’s playmaking and creativity have been beautifully complemented by Kelsey Mitchell’s scoring ability. Mitchell has averaged 19.2 points, equal to Clark with less minutes played on court.

In fact, it’s their chemistry between them which has been pivotal for the Fever’s success as their head coach Christie Sides said. “I mean those two right there can hit such big shots. There’s just ice in their veins.” Even Clark has expressed her appreciation for Mitchell, stating, “I feel very lucky and fortunate to have her by my side. We could just make eye contact and she know to go back door. She knows to come and get the ball. That just comes with playing with one another. It’s been a lot of fun for me.”

Moreover, Mitchell’s selection as the face of the Fever on the playoff poster comes a logical move, especially since she’s the longest-serving player on the team. While the Fever No.22 has had a tremendous impact in her rookie season, Mitchell brings a wealth of experience, having played seven seasons with the Indianapolis franchise.

“She’s (Mitchell) been through this league for what, seven years now? She knows what to expect. She knows how things are going to go,” Clark shared earlier. This suggests that while fans may have mixed feelings about the playoff poster, the rookie surely wouldn’t mind seeing her teammate featured on the graphics and rather would combine her strength with teammate to over come Connecticut Sun challenge in the first round of playoffs.