A teammate's candid comments about life inside the Fever spotlight left Caitlin Clark upset, and she used her own exit interview to respond.

During her exit interview, Kelsey Mitchell had spoken about the emotional challenges of playing for the Fever, particularly the criticism and online hate that come with sharing the court with the league's biggest star. She noted that teammates often absorb "a lot of flak" simply for being on the same roster as Clark and described the volume of negative private messages she has received.

And as per Clark, those comments affected her. 

"You care about your teammates so much. You don't want any of them to go through something like that," she said. "I think as her teammate it makes me upset ... I think as far as people that have used me to demonstrate racist hate or rhetoric, that's not something I stand for ... It's never been something I stand for."

Despite the difficult subject, Clark made clear her relationship with Mitchell remains strong and that retaining the veteran guard is a top priority. 

"She knows how much I love her. We've talked since the season has ended, and there's nobody I would want to share the backcourt with other than her," Clark continued as posted on X by Yahoo Sports.

The Fever were eliminated in the first round by the defending champion Las Vegas Aces, and key decisions loom in free agency and potential contract extensions. 

Clark's public support for Mitchell signals her desire to keep the partnership that produced historic scoring numbers intact as Indiana tries to take the next step.

Clark signals long-term commitment to Fever amid contract talks

Caitlin Clark made her stance clear during her exit interview: she is staying in Indianapolis and prioritizes winning over maximizing her next contract.

The three-time All-Star is eligible for an Exceptional Performance on Initial Contract (EPIC) extension under the WNBA's collective bargaining agreement, a provision that lets top-performing players on rookie deals renegotiate and accelerate their path to maximum salaries. Clark hasn't begun formal talks with the front office and said she has given the matter little thought so far.

"No matter what, I'm going to be [with the Fever]," she said, as posted by Underdog WNBA on X. "My focus is on winning. I certainly know what I deserve and what I'm worth, but at the same time, sometimes you have to make sacrifices."

The comments follow a strong 2026 season in which Clark averaged 22.3 points and 8.3 assists. With Mitchell heading into unrestricted free agency, Clark's willingness to consider sacrifices underscores her desire to keep the core intact and build a true contender in Indiana.

Do you think Mitchell will re-sign with the Fever after hearing Clark's public appeal? 

Written by

Zaid Quraishi