Now that Stephanie White has been hired, it remains to be seen how the Indiana Fever will form a roster for the next season. And one such player whose future looked to be undecided was Kelsey Mitchell. Since long, there have been rumors of Mitchell leaving the franchise. However, Fever writer, Scott Agness revealed that White’s words suggest that Mitchell might not be going away from Indiana as she will be looking to keep the best backcourt of the W intact along with her mentee Caitlin Clark.

“I don’t know what Steph just yet believes about NaLyssa Smith or Kelsey Mitchell, Temi, Grace, you name it. So we’ll see. She did mention Aliyah, she mentioned Caitlin, she mentioned Kelsey. And those are kind of the three foundational pieces of this franchise. So you’d expect those to continue on,” Agness stated on Friday after White had been hired as the HC.

Mitchell enters her first free agency this offseason and had revealed she was excited to explore the opportunities. “and I’m gonna do what’s best for me,” she had said in August. The speculations ran strong that the Fever #0 wasn’t interested in continuing with the franchise; more so, considering she hadn’t made a single playoff during her entire run. But Micthell, who had lost her father earlier in the season, channeled her energy into helping the team to the postseason. That would seem to curb her doubts a little.

“It’s definitely a lot of emotions and thoughts that flow through my mind. I think everything for me is so fresh, I don’t know what I need and what I’m gonna do,” Mitchell had expressed during the exit interview, further adding that she “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 gotta do what’s the best for me. I gotta be selfish about that process.”

So while she was open to having a conversation with the Fever management, she wouldn’t mind talking to other franchises as well. However, if Agness’ speculations are right, then White would look to maintain the trio and keep the wonder twins together.

Kelsey Mitchell is the best backcourt partner with Caitlin Clark

Much like Clark’s late re-emergence, Mitchell was a late discovery in the W. Though she was drafted by the Fever in 2018, she reserved her best for this season. The Fever had a disappointing start to their season, but in May, Sides discovered that Mitchell and Clark were capable of handling the responsibilities. During a game against the Los Angeles Sparks, Mitchell scored 18 points that helped her team win their first W game this season.

From then on, both Mitchell and Clark were given enough time to prove their worth, and they did exactly that. And with Boston forming the third wheel in the trio, the highest scorer would alternate among the three. At one time, after the break, Mitchell and Clark averaged 26.7 points and 25.1 points per game, respectively, becoming 2 of the top 3 in scoring across the league. Meanwhile, into her seventh year with the Fever, Mitchell hit 4.3 boards per game.

By the end of the regular season, the duo that has been dubbed the ‘Wonder Twins’ by fans, led the team in scoring, made up one of the best backcourts in W, became the 3rd duo in WNBA history to each record 25+ PTS & 5+ 3PM, and helped the Fever to playoffs for the first time in 8 years. The veteran-rookie duo have formed a good bond since then. Maybe even enough to keep Mitchell in the franchise. For now though, it is all hopes.