As the WNBA Free Agency is underway, teams are looking to set the best possible core before jumping into the draft. Likewise, for the Indiana Fever, it is important to get things right this year. Last year, trying to aim for the championship, the team’s wheels almost fell off midway through the season. With the likes of Caitlin Clark, Sophie Cunningham, and others injured, their semifinal run was nothing short of a miracle.
That’s why the front office has been very picky with their choices. Indiana started with Clark, Aliyah Boston, and Mikayla Timpson on the contract. But now, as foreshadowed by the 2024 Rookie of the Year, they have signed Kelsey Mitchell, too. Offering her a supermax salary, general manager Amber Cox spilled the real reasons behind their decision.
Amber Cox Doubles Down On Kelsey Mitchell’s Importance To The Indiana Fever
Mitchell has been a star all along. Not only has she impressed inside the court, but Mitchell has also made sure that she stood up for her peers during the CBA turmoil. Now, looking to take Fever towards a possible championship run, the 30-year-old has landed a supermax, $1.4 million, one-year contract. And while such a choice drew some criticism, the Fever general manager had a strong response.
“Securing her return was our highest priority. Kelsey Mitchell is among the top of a long list of a great athletes who have elevated not only our city and franchise, but their sport as a whole,” said Cox.
Kelsey Mitchell is officially official.
— Chloe Peterson (@chloepeterson67) April 11, 2026
Amber Cox: "Securing her return was our highest priority. Kelsey Mitchell is among the top of a long list of a great athletes who have elevated not only our city and franchise, but their sport as a whole." https://t.co/KNx9Bm2HIh
Well, this will be another year the WNBA star in a familiar setting. Drafted as the second overall by Indiana back in 2018, Mitchell has stayed with the team for eight years now. Establishing her legacy by becoming one of the top scorers of the league, the Fever star will look to strike a deadly combo with Clark this year.
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Moreover, her inclusion on the side might as well win the Fever the championship this time around.
What Will Kelsey Mitchell Bring To The Indiana Fever?
Financially, the idea of signing Mitchell to a supermax contract looks quite expensive. But looking at the broader picture, it all makes sense. After all, with Boston, Clark, Mitchell, and Lexi Hull retained, the Fever has managed to retain the same core from the previous year. Remember, they almost won the championship despite a chunk of their stars missing in action.
Moreover, the veteran star showed some elite consistency last year that prevented the team from running out of gas. Thus, currently, Fever’s roster is looking quite promising. Now, all they have to do is land some good picks in the April 13 draft. But the big question remains: can they?