‘Would be a major mistake’: Analyst urges Kelsey Mitchell not to leave Caitlin Clark

Throughout the 2026 season, Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell formed the best and most high-profile frontcourt tandem in the WNBA. Some recent comments have led to some speculation that Mitchell might not return to the Indiana Fever next season, but not everyone thinks that would be a wise move.

After Indiana's playoff exit this week, Mitchell indicated that she was going to have to "be selfish" in her decision-making as she enters free agency, indicating that there's a real chance that she could leave Clark and the Fever. One prominent analyst, however, thinks that would be a mistake.

Throughout the regular season, Clark and Mitchell were the two highest-scoring guards in the entire league, with Mitchell averaging 24.7 points per game and Clark averaging 22.3.

Mitchell, in particular, shined this season. She set WNBA records for points in a single season, three-pointers in a single season, most consecutive games of 20-point games, and the most 20-point games overall in a season.

Clark and Mitchell seemed to feed off of each other offensively, and both emerged as legitimate MVP contenders.

"(Mitchell and Clark) complement one another so well," White said last week. "They make each other better. They make each other's lives easier. They've just been a joy to coach."

Despite the success this season, Mitchell certainly did not rule out the possibility that she could leave the Fever this offseason as she hits free agency, saying that she has "got to be selfish about where my career is going." She also spoke out about just how hard it has been to be a member of the Fever, especially as a teammate of Caitlin Clark.

"Showing up every day to compete for fans that may or may not like you is hard," Mitchell said Saturday. "… I think this organization is unbelievable, man, but I think that when it comes to, like, really trying to be yourself, it hasn't always been easy."

"I don't think people really understand how much we endure," Mitchell added. "Like, 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.

"Playing with (Clark) and having the eyes that she's got (on her), we get a lot of flak just from being on her team."

It's worth noting that Mitchell did point out that she has built a "Fever family" in Indiana and that "everything I've grown to be is (because of) the Fever."

As Mitchell considers the possibility of leaving the Fever, one prominent analyst seems to think that would be a mistake.

Cuffs The Legend, whose real name is Anthony Marshon Davis Jr., is a prominent basketball trainer who has now built a career as an analyst. He co-hosts the Straight to the League podcast and appears as a guest contributor/co-host on Fox Sports Radio programs like Up on Game.

In a social media post this week, he gave his thoughts on the possibility of Mitchell leaving Clark and the Fever.

"Kelsey Mitchell & Caitlin Clark are the best backcourt in the WNBA and breaking up this dynamic duo would be a major mistake. I hope Kelsey has the right people in her ear because playing alongside Caitlin has done nothing but elevate her game and her individual brand," he wrote in a post on X .

We'll have to see what Mitchell decides to do when free agency begins in January.