March 18, 2021
Indiana Fever sign Kelsey Mitchell to multi-year contract extension
By Ben Rosof
The former second overall pick commits to Indiana long-term
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The Indiana Fever announced Wednesday that they signed Kelsey Mitchell to a multi-year extension to keep the 2018 second overall draft pick in Indiana. Per The Next’s Howard Megdal, Mitchell signed a three-year contract worth over $200,000 per year.
“Coming into the league, Kelsey has proven herself as one of the WNBA’s elite playmakers,” GM and VP of Basketball Operations Tamika Catchings said in a release. “Kelsey has shown incredible commitment to growing every year with the Fever, both on and off the court, and we look forward to her staying with our franchise.”
Mitchell experienced a breakout year in the 2020 WNBA bubble, where she started all 22 games, averaged 17.9 points and shot 39% from three-point range. She’s improved statistically every year she’s played at a professional level and has averaged 14.3 points per game over her three-year career.
During the 2020 season, Mitchell also completed a master’s degree in sports administration from the University of Cincinnati. That same night, August 7, Mitchell eclipsed 1,000 career points in her 74th game with the Fever, making her the second-fastest player in franchise history to reach the milestone.
Catchings, along with head coach Marianne Stanley, have been high on Mitchell’s work ethic since they all began working together. In a year-ending session with media, Stanley said that the 2021 season will be a critical one for Mitchell to build on her standout performance in Bradenton.
“Kelsey Mitchell started out the year, you know, fantastically,” said Stanley. “And again, as a young player [she] has had to learn the maturity in her game that’s required as a lead two-guard in this league. I think there were some really great times that Kelsey was terrific. And she learned a lot, so I think she’s improving and again, a bright, very bright bright spot for the future.”
The Fever have surrounded Mitchell with more veterans to mentor her and accelerate her development, with the team having already signed Danielle Robinson, Jessica Breland and Jantel Lavender this offseason. They will collectively work to get the Fever back to the postseason for the first time since 2016.
