Caitlin Clark finally got the kind of question she wanted after the Indiana Fever’s 106-92 win over the New York Liberty on Tuesday: one about basketball.
After dealing with questions surrounding the controversies hounding the Fever in recent days, Clark appeared relieved to discuss teammate Kelsey Mitchell and wasted little time showering her fellow All-Star with praise.
Caitlin Clark Highlights Kelsey Mitchell’s Offensive Brilliance After Fever’s Statement Win Over Liberty
Clark and Mitchell set the tone in the highly anticipated matchup against New York. The All-Star guards combined for 50 points on 18-for-31 shooting, including 8-for-12 from behind the arc.
Clark finished with 22 points, 10 assists, and 4 rebounds, giving her nine games with at least 20 points and 10 assists this season, a WNBA record. She also had eight such games during her historic rookie campaign in 2024.
According to the Fever, no other player has recorded more than five games with that combination in a single season.
Mitchell, meanwhile, led all scorers with 28 points on 11-for-16 shooting, including a perfect 4-for-4 from beyond the arc. Her latest scoring display prompted Clark to offer an emphatic assessment of her backcourt partner.
“She [Mitchell] just doesn’t miss. It’s pretty incredible, like, she’s the best scorer in the league, hands down, it’s not even close. She just makes the game of basketball really pretty and really pure. It’s fun to be in the backcourt with her,” Clark said.
“I just swing the rock, and it’s like an automatic assist. It’s fun getting to watch her do her thing. It’s fun to see the joy and the passion that she has for the game. She truly loves the game; she loves her teammates.”
Mitchell’s production gives Clark plenty of statistical support for her praise. Last season, the nine-year veteran averaged a career-high 20.2 points, 3.4 assists, and 1.8 rebounds per game. She finished fifth in MVP voting and earned an All-WNBA First Team selection.
This season, Mitchell has taken another step forward, averaging 24.2 ppg while shooting 50.4%, including 43.5% from 3-point range. She is also contributing 2.7 apg, 1.7 rpg, and 1.0 spg.
A’ja Wilson currently leads the WNBA in scoring at 26.3 ppg, but Clark’s postgame assessment was unequivocal. When it comes to putting the ball in the basket, she believes Mitchell belongs in a class of her own.
And after another dominant performance from the Fever backcourt, Clark’s message was backed by the scoreboard as much as it was by her words.
