One of the biggest headlines in the WNBA at the moment, aside from the playoffs, has been Kelsey Mitchell‘s remarks about dealing with fans on social media.
Mitchell expressed her frustration with being harassed by fans online, which is connected to Caitlin Clark‘s popularity.
The speculation now is that the longtime Fever guard could leave in free agency this offseason since there is a lot of scrutiny being Clark’s teammate.
Clark Sends Message to ‘Real’ WNBA Fans
Speaking to reporters on her exit interview, Caitlin Clark revealed that she’s upset that fans are directing hate toward Kelsey Mitchell.
The Fever superstar understands that her name is being used for certain rhetoric on social media, which she is totally against. She wants the focus to be on the real WNBA fans who show up and support every night.
“I think for the real fans that do show up and do support and do respect, I applaud you,” Clark said. “There are a lot of you, and that’s not just here in Indianapolis. That’s across the league. We go a lot of different places and we see a lot of different fans, whether it’s people in Dallas, whether it’s Golden State.”
“Any of us and any person in their right mind know that there’s certain rhetoric that’s just not okay,” she added. “That’s not something I’ve ever stood for. But at the same time, there are a lot of really great fans, and a lot of fans that I really truly enjoy getting to play in front of, I’m really thankful for. I thank them for coming out. They made it a great season and were loud every single night.”
The Fever have the cap space to bring back Mitchell this offseason, but it’s out of their control if she wants to return to Indiana next year.
Clark is also eligible for an EPIC extension, but she’s adamant that re-signing Mitchell to a new contract is the main priority.
Can The Fever Keep Mitchell?
According to Clare Brennan of Sports Illustrated, the Indiana Fever can keep Kelsey Mitchell if they address that there’s a real problem in a small portion of their fans online.
“The franchise must make Gainbridge Fieldhouse a safe environment for her and other players,” Brennan wrote. “A good first step is to take Mitchell’s (as well as other players’) words seriously and address the problem with its fanbase.”
Brennan added that the Fever will have to decide if they want to pay to keep their “Big 3” of Mitchell, Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston. They can certainly afford to pay them, but their salaries will make up half of their cap space.
Clark has already expressed that she wants to see Mitchell back with the Fever and would like to be her teammate for the rest of her career.
Indiana Fever Superstar Caitlin Clark Sends Strong Message to ‘Real’ WNBA Fans