The Indiana Fever ended an eight-year playoff drought this season, though their journey came to a disappointing halt with a first-round sweep. Despite the setback, the franchise sparked renewed excitement by hiring Stephanie White as their new head coach. While White has outlined her plans for the upcoming season, some uncertainty remains regarding a few key players. However, the recent performances abroad from NaLyssa Smith and another Fever teammate may highlight the urgency of retaining them.

As is typical during the off-season, many players, including Indiana Fever forward NaLyssa Smith and veteran guard Kelsey Mitchell, have headed overseas to pursue additional opportunities. Mitchell had another standout season, leading the Fever in scoring, while Smith struggled with reduced playing time and a dip in performance compared to her previous seasons. However, it appears that Smith has regained her form, as she is now excelling on the Asian basketball circuit.

The Indiana Fever recently shared a post on X, showcasing the impressive performances of Smith and Mitchell in the WCBA. Mitchell recorded 24 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists, while Smith posted an outstanding 25 points, 10 rebounds, and 2 assists, along with three steals. While Mitchell’s performance may not come as a surprise due to her consistent form, Smith’s double-double is particularly noteworthy and could signal her return to peak form.

The 24-year-old herself retweeted a post featuring her highlights from the game, adding, “first time I’ve felt like myself in awhile .. 🥹” Smith averaged just 10.6 points and 24.8 minutes per game this season, her lowest court time in her WNBA career. However, she made her debut in 2022 with an average of 13.5 points and over 30 minutes per game and even showed improvement in her scoring during the following season.

Although Chinese basketball differs greatly from the WNBA, Smith’s 25-point performance offers a hopeful sign that she may be on the path to regaining her form. However, whether she stays with the Fever remains uncertain.

Kelsey Mitchell and NaLyssa Smith’s status with the Indiana Fever amid coaching change

With Christie Sides stepping down and Stephanie White taking over as head coach, fans have been excited about what’s next for the Fever. But there’s still a lot of uncertainty surrounding Kelsey Mitchell and NaLyssa Smith’s futures with the team. Mitchell will be an unrestricted free agent after the 2024 season, and there’s been some buzz around Smith potentially being traded, especially after she posted a lengthy note after the playoff exit that made it seem like she might be considering a move away from the Fever.

However, Mitchell has kept her options open, saying she’ll do what’s best for her, but Fever president Kelly Krauskopf made it clear that keeping Mitchell is their top priority. “She’s our number one priority. Yes, we have the opportunity to core her. And it would be sort of irresponsible for me if we didn’t utilize that opportunity,” Krauskopf told media earlier.

On the flip side, there were calls for Smith to be traded after the season, especially after her lengthy post and the fact that she removed “Fever” from her bio, hinting she might leave Indianapolis. However, when White took over as head coach, Smith also one of those to welcome her and quickly updated her bio to include Fever once again. Still, in an early December post, where Smith shared a story reading, “life is all about knowin’ yo worth, don’t stay nowhere u not wanted n appreciated,” has left her future up in the air once again.

Well, the standout performances from both players could push Fever management to make retaining them a top priority. The head coach Stephanie White also shared an update on their performances, showing her full support for the players. It will be interesting to see how the franchise handles their future in Indianapolis.