Well, it looks like Sheryl Swoopes is back on her soapbox, and this time, she’s not just sipping the tea, she’s pouring the whole pot all over the Indiana Fever. The WNBA legend hasn’t exactly been shy when it comes to airing her not-so-sunny opinions about Caitlin Clark, the Fever’s new basketball darling. But just when you thought Swoopes had exhausted her Clark critique, she’s back with another spicy take.
In a recent episode of Gilbert Arenas’ “No Chill” podcast (because who doesn’t love hearing retired athletes throw shade?), Swoopes didn’t hold back as she pointed out the Fever’s alleged big oopsie during Clark’s electrifying rookie season. And no, it wasn’t about the ridiculous amount of hype surrounding Clark — although you know Swoopes has feelings about that, too.
“Here’s the real issue,” Swoopes said, eyes probably rolling to the ceiling. “The Fever dropped the ball with Kelsey Mitchell, who had an absolute monster season. I mean, are we just going to ignore that? Because apparently, Indiana did.”
Oh, Kelsey Mitchell? You know, that other guard who just happens to be a two-time All-Star? The one who played out of her mind to help lead Indiana to their first playoff appearance in nearly a decade? Yeah, that Kelsey Mitchell. Turns out, according to Swoopes, the Fever’s front office was so starstruck by Caitlin Clark that they forgot Mitchell was putting up career numbers. Whoops.
Now, in case you’ve been living under a rock, Mitchell is set to hit the open market as an unrestricted free agent this offseason. That means she can peace out on Indiana if she feels like it — and if Swoopes’ words have any weight, she might just do that. Despite the Fever’s public insistence that re-signing Mitchell is a priority, Swoopes seemed unimpressed, hinting that Indiana should have done more to shine a spotlight on Mitchell’s stellar season.
What more could they have done? Maybe a billboard with Kelsey’s face next to a “Please Don’t Leave Us!” slogan? Who knows, but Swoopes seems convinced that the Fever fumbled the bag with this one.
To be fair, it’s not like the Fever have totally ignored Mitchell. They’ve said time and again that re-signing her is at the top of their to-do list. But Swoopes’ suggestion that they dropped the ball has got fans wondering: was all the Caitlin Clark buzz drowning out the contributions of other key players?
And while Swoopes stirred the pot, Mitchell has been doing her thing overseas, lighting it up in China with the Shanxi Flame in the Women’s Chinese Basketball Association (WCBA). Will she return to Indiana next season? Or will she take her talents elsewhere, somewhere a little less caught up in rookie fever?
Whatever happens, it looks like the Fever are going to have to work some magic if they don’t want to lose their overlooked star. Because as we’ve learned, in Sheryl Swoopes’ world, missing the mark with a talent like Kelsey Mitchell is a cardinal sin — even if you have a shiny new superstar like Caitlin Clark on the roster.
