Kelsey Mitchell has spent most of her WNBA career waiting for the Indiana Fever to find their rhythm. Now, with Caitlin Clark in the mix, the veteran guard says the franchise finally feels different.

During a recent appearance on The Bird’s Eye View with Sue Bird podcast, Mitchell spoke candidly about her dynamic with Clark, whose rookie season became one of the most talked-about storylines in sports.

While the former Iowa standout arrived in the league as a national sensation, Mitchell said Clark immediately earned respect by putting the team first.

“She never tried to make herself bigger than the team or her teammates,” Mitchell explained, crediting Clark for reshaping the Fever‘s culture without seeking the spotlight.

That statement resonated across social media, where fans applauded Mitchell’s comments, though not without a few sharp comparisons.

One user wrote, “So she’s literally the opposite of Angel Reese, who trashed her teammates and then quit?” while another posted, “Wait, but I thought Caitlin haters said they were POSITIVE Kels hated her and wanted to go to another team. Always making stuff up.”

How Caitlin Clark reshaped the Fever’s direction

Mitchell, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2018 draft, has long been Indiana’s scoring anchor, but her teams struggled to gain traction.

Between 2018 and 2023, the Fever missed the postseason every year, cycling through coaches and lineups while trying to find consistency. The addition of 2023 Rookie of the Year Aliyah Boston brought hope, yet it wasn’t until the team selected Caitlin Clark No. 1 overall in 2024 that the Fever’s trajectory began to shift.

Clark‘s arrival immediately lifted the franchise’s visibility and confidence. Her playmaking and deep shooting range opened the floor for Mitchell and Boston, giving Indiana a new offensive identity. More importantly, Mitchell said, Clark’s approach reinforced accountability and teamwork.

That mindset paid off as the Fever made a late-season surge to clinch their first playoff berth in seven years. Clark, Mitchell, and Boston became the core of a rejuvenated roster that gave the Fever their first winning momentum in nearly a decade.