Fever Coach Criticizes Team's Overdependence on Kelsey Mitchell

As of August 16th, 2025, the Indiana Fever have been struggling with personnel issues due to injuries, and head coach Stephanie White has been vocal about her team's over-reliance on star player Kelsey Mitchell.

In their recent loss against the Washington Mystics, Mitchell took 19 shots but only scored 14 points. White felt the team got "stuck" watching Mitchell play instead of moving the ball and maintaining offensive flow. "It's almost like we gave the ball to Kelsey (Mitchell) and tried to watch her work," White said. "And that's not when we're at our best."

The Fever have been missing three point guards in their past three games, as Aari McDonald and Sydney Colson were diagnosed with season-ending injuries, while Caitlin Clark continues to recover from a groin injury. This has put increased pressure on Mitchell, who is averaging 20.0 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game this WNBA season.

Despite the team's struggles, White commended Mitchell for stepping up and carrying the Fever, especially when their offense gets stagnant. "Kelsey is just, she's just a baller," White said. "She just plays...I'm incredibly proud of Kelsey because every time we've had a setback or an injury, we've had to depend on her more and more."

As the Fever enter the final stretch of the regular season, they will continue to rely on Mitchell's scoring and playmaking abilities. However, White is hoping the team can find a more balanced offensive approach to improve their playoff positioning, which has slipped to the seventh seed with an 18-16 record.