Kelsey Mitchell is having the perfect offseason heading into free agency of a contract year.
The Fever guard, who just celebrated her 29th birthday on December 11, is yet to record less than 10 points in any single game with the Shanxi Flame in the Chinese WCBA. On Christmas Day, she went up against Fever teammate NaLyssa Smith and the Zhejiang Golden Bulls and dropped 24 points. This performance is Mitchell's 11th game with 20 points or more.
a #FeverOverseas holiday matchup in China 🎁
— Indiana Fever (@IndianaFever) December 26, 2024
Kelsey Mitchell and the Shanxi Flame took the dub: 24 PTS | 7 REB | 4 AST | 2 STL
NaLyssa Smith got the double-double with the Zhejiang Golden Bulls: 25 PTS | 10 REB | 3 STL | 2 AST
📸 @NaLyssaSmith / IG pic.twitter.com/cnpzCovH7r
She's played 15 games in total with the club.
On the season, Mitchell is shooting at a 52% clip and averaging 23.2 points per contest. The Flame are 12-3 with Mitchell on the roster.
Stephanie White, new head coach of the Fever, seems adamant on bringing Mitchell back to Indianapolis in 2025. She went as far as to say that she plans to build a title contender around the "Big 3" of Mitchell, Aliyah Boston, and Caitlin Clark.
Mitchell and Clark gelled beautifully in 2024, both averaging 19.2 points per game last season and establishing themselves as one of the best back courts in the WNBA. Both guards score at a high clip, both inside and outside the three-point line.
Bringing Mitchell back is critical for the success of the Indiana Fever in 2025.
Should Mitchell decide to sign elsewhere, the Fever have options. Seattle's Jewell Loyd has made it clear that she wants a trade, and one of the league's most talented scorers would be a fine addition to a young and talented team looking to take the next step.
But with how well she plays with the reigning WNBA Rookie of the Year, Fever GM Amber Cox should have "retain Kelsey Mitchell" as priority #1 for the franchise this offseason.