Kelsey Mitchell has spent three seasons standing next to the most scrutinized player in women's basketball. Recently, speaking in a clip shared by The Athletic's James Boyd, the Indiana Fever guard opened up about her chemistry with Caitlin Clark.

She said that while the outside world keeps finding new reasons to criticize Clarke, Mitchell isn't going to be one more voice in that pile.

"I think the one thing about CC and her career is that people have already been judging her, and she's just really getting started," Mitchell said.  "So, my job is to not be that person."

Mitchell said she sees her role as helping Clark navigate that scrutiny and filling in wherever her younger teammate needs support.

"If I could pour in different ways, like I said, always filling the gaps for her because of what she does and how she does it. In those eyes, the ears of all those people, it was the only thing that could do is kind of go through gaps and be a good person," Mitchell added, as per clip shared by Boyd on X.

A June matchup against the Aces became a flashpoint when she was whistled for a flop while defending Chelsea Gray. An old clip from her Iowa days resurfaced within hours, labelling her 'childish'.

Then there's the persistent idea that Clark doesn't get along with her own teammates. Mitchell has had to shut this down publicly more than once, dismissing the "me vs. her" framing as simply untrue.

The most jarring example came in late July. A USA Today opinion column drew a comparison between Clark's on-court complaints to officials and the 1955 murder of Emmett Till.

Clark addressed the issues directly in an interview with ESPN. She pushed back on how she's often portrayed by people who've never met her.

Another controversy followed just after Phoenix's Alyssa Thomas hit Clark in the throat during a June game. The play went uncalled in real time but later drew a one-game suspension for Thomas.

In a separate interview with Sirius XM during All-Star weekend, Clark publicly spoke against that as well.

"People forget like I have feelings," Clark said. "I feel things, I have emotions, I get emotional, I get frustrated, I get sad, and I get upset."

And that part of Clark's life Mitchell understands better than almost anyone.

The Clark-Mitchell connection was built in the small moments

Mitchell said the bond wasn't built in offensive sets or practice rounds.

It came from three years of the unremarkable stuff. Flights, bus rides, hotel lobbies, and the repeated, small moments that slowly turn two teammates into something closer to family.

"I just think that, as you kind of have these experiences with each other, you sit on the plane together, walk in the bus together, when you walk in the hotel together, those interactions are stepping stones and building, constantly connecting," Mitchell said, per the same video shared by Boid on X.

"I think that connection with CC is genuine...feel that you get to know what the person means, what they bring to the table."

That chemistry is showing up on the court. Through Indiana's win over Chicago, Mitchell and Clark have combined for more than 500 points across their last ten games.

Mitchell is in the middle of the best season of her eight-year career. She's averaging 24.3 points a game, second only to A'ja Wilson. And she's riding a 17-game streak of 20-plus-point performances.

And Clark is averaging right around 21.7 points, 8.2 assists, and 3.9 rebounds.

Together, they've pushed Indiana to a 21-12 record and a top-four spot in the East.

Follow Her Sports Nation for more.

Written by

Md Saife Fida

Edited by

Rudra Dubey