Kelsey Mitchell has a big decision to make this offseason. She is an unrestricted free agent, and after setting a new WNBA single-season scoring record, she will have plenty of suitors. The Indiana Fever certainly want to keep Mitchell around, even though there are defensive concerns with a Mitchell-Caitlin Clark backcourt.
But Mitchell might be ready for a change. While she gave a lot of love to the Fever organization in her exit interview, Mitchell also suggested that she is definitely considering all of her options—as she should.
One of those options could be signing with the Golden State Valkyries. The Valkyries are already headed to the finals. No matter the outcome, just imagine how much more lethal they would be with their defensive tenacity AND a scorer like Mitchell. For Mitchell, moving from Indiana to Golden State would give her a chance to compete for a title immediately, and do it without all of the tough parts of playing for the Fever that she addressed in her exit interview.
Mitchell outlined the hard parts of being a Fever player
“I have to be selfish,” Mitchell said. “I think that’s where I am in my career about what I probably need and what’s probably best for me.”
She added, “If I showed y’all my DMs about the hate and all of the stuff that comes with being a professional athlete, but specifically being an Indiana Fever basketball player, it’s a lot that goes into that. And those days are hard as hell, man, because we wake up every day giving our best, and, unfortunately, to some of the people in the world, and to the fans of the world, the basketball world, it’s not always…enough for people. We as players endure a lot that people don’t really necessarily understand. Showing up every day to compete for fans that may or may not like you is hard.”
Mitchell made those comments right after GM Amber Cox said claims of toxicity, racism, homophobia, etc. among Fever fans have “no basis in reality.” We should not judge an entire fan base by the actions of some individuals. Plenty of Fever fans love the team and players and support them no matter what. Still, it’s not a good look for the organization that Cox shut down any discussions about toxicity within the fanbase right before one of her star players outlined her own, very contrasting experiences.
Mitchell would be a fascinating fit in Golden State
In the two years that the franchise has existed, there have been no public complaints like the ones Fever players have made about Valkyries fans from the organization’s players. Playing for the Valkyries generally seems to be a wholesome experience that players enjoy. Of course, the Valkyries also do not have to deal with the extra (often negative) attention of playing with Caitlin Clark and Sophie Cunningham.
Mitchell could sign with any team if she simply wanted to get away from that attention. But, given that she is 30 and scoring like an MVP candidate, Mitchell will likely want to play for a contender. The Fever can build a contender if they figure out how to improve the supporting cast around Mitchell, Clark, and Aliyah Boston. The Valkyries, meanwhile, already figured out how to compete for a title. They are headed to the finals in their second season after eliminating the Dallas Wings and Las Vegas Aces.
They rely on their defense, shoot a ton of 3-pointers, and play with a slow, methodical pace. Mitchell took on some of the tougher perimeter assignments for the Fever this season. With the Valkyries, she wouldn’t have to do that, which could lead to an even better offensive output.
Mitchell averaged 45% shooting on 6.8 3-point attempts per game this season, so she would fit in well with the Valkyries’ 3-point-heavy offensive system. She would also give Natalie Nakase a proven go-to scorer who can create her own shot in the clutch or simply when the offense isn’t flowing.
With Mitchell, the Valkyries could be the most lethal two-way team in the W. Mitchell also could find everything she needs in the Bay Area: A dedicated fanbase, a shot at title contention, and an opportunity to continue on her individual MVP-level trajectory.
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