Despite $657,639 Benefit, Major Heartbreak Awaits Indiana Fever Following Stephanie White’s Promising Gesture

The same court, the same jersey—Stephanie White’s return to the Fever feels like destiny in motion. Once a player who donned jersey No. 22, White now watches that same number shine on WNBA star Caitlin Clark. After guiding the Fever to their second Finals appearance years ago, only to fall short, White is back as head coach, with the stars seemingly aligning for another run at glory—this time, with Clark under her wing. While White’s return brings hope, heartbreak may still be on the horizon for Indiana’s fan-favorite team.

As Indiana prepares for a fresh start under White’s leadership, they face an off-season challenge that could reshape the team: Kelsey Mitchell, the franchise’s all-time 2nd highest leading scorer, is set to enter free agency. Mitchell, who has been the backbone of Indiana’s offense for five consecutive seasons, is uncertain about her future with the team.

“I’ll be honest, I don’t know what colors I’ll be wearing next year,” Mitchell admitted in a recent interview with the Tribune. “I’ve never been through free agency, so I’m looking forward to the opportunity to explore that for the first time in my career and have a say in my future as a basketball player.” Her words confirmed fans’ worst fears—that Indiana may be on the verge of losing one of its core players.

This comes a month after Mitchell had talked about being selfish about her future. “I think everything for me is so fresh that I don’t know what I what I need and what I’m going to do, but I know that when time comes and the opportunity is right for me, I’ll make those decisions. Obviously, I’ve always had a home in Indy, so it could potentially be a home for me again, but I think right now, the switching dynamic of my family and everything, I got to do what’s best for me. That’s no hanging my hat on one team or another, but I think it’s specifically for me. I got to be selfish about that process,” she said as per IndyStar.

Notably, Indiana has $657,639 in cap space, the sixth most in the league, according to Spotrac. Although that financial flexibility gives White and the Fever front office options, it may not be enough to secure Mitchell, who is eager to test the market.

Former GM of the fever Lin Dunn, who played a crucial role in White’s return, expressed optimism about retaining Mitchell early on in an interview after the 2024 season. “When the season’s over, we’ll sit down and talk about the future,” she said. “I want Kelsey to be happy and to feel like she can achieve all her goals here, but that remains to be seen.”

Fever coach Christie Sides, on the other hand, wouldn’t trade the veteran superstar for anybody else. “She’s been a staple here, and we want her here. She’s a Hall-of-Fame player to me here,” she said last month, before doubling down on Mitchell’s importance in the team, “Kelsey Mitchell is one of the keys for us to get to the level that Lin is talking about, you know, playing for championships. She’s that important. Her growth over the last couple years on the basketball court, on both ends of the floor has just been incredible.”

The player has been the team’s leading scorer for every season in her career except two: She was the second-leading scorer as a rookie in 2018, and finished with 767 regular-season points in the 2024 season, behind, Clark’s 769. However, Kelsey Mitchell’s journey with Indiana has been anything but easy. Drafted No. 2 overall in 2018, she has weathered four different coaches in seven years, played through single-digit win seasons, and even competed at the Indiana State Fairgrounds while the team’s arena underwent renovations.

So, the only question that remains now is…

Can Stephanie White convince Kelsey Mitchell to stay? Fever fans await a crucial decision

Now, just as the Fever begins to turn a corner with sold-out games and an emerging playoff presence, Mitchell faces a critical decision. However, Stephanie White’s arrival in Indiana has brought a new sense of optimism to the Fever, especially with her warm gesture of reaching out to Clark, Mitchell, and Lexie Hull immediately after her hiring.

In a recent interview with Pat Boylan, posted on the Indiana Fever’s Instagram handle. White praised the Fever, while specifically highlighting Mitchell’s contributions to the franchise, stating, “To be able to work with those guys—[Aaliyah Boston, Caitlin Clark] and Kelsey Mitchell, who I think has weathered the storm of Indiana Fever basketball—it couldn’t have aligned any better.”

Mitchell, who was drafted as the first-round pick in 2018, for her part, has been Indiana’s most consistent player for years. She averaged 19.2 points per game in the recently concluded season—on par with rookie sensation Caitlin Clark and has reached legendary status in the franchise’s history with 3,923 career points, which is second only to Fever legend Tamika Catchings. As Lin Dunn put it, “Kelsey is a classic example of somebody that’s been here six or seven years and never been in the playoffs. That’s tough.”

However, maybe, just maybe, Lin Dunn’s protégé, Stephanie White, can achieve what Dunn couldn’t and convince Kelsey Mitchell to stay with the Fever. This, however, has left Fever fans waiting with bated breath for Mitchell’s decision.