On Monday, the Indiana Fever formally announced Stephanie White as their new head coach, marking an important turning point for the squad. Lexie Hull, Aliyah Boston, and Caitlin Clark were present to show their support for their new coach as they enter 2025.
Two-time All-Star Kelsey Mitchell was one prominent player who did not attend the important tournament. Considering that the 28-year-old is among the most crucial players on the team, many fans were wondering why she was missing.
Some fans found Mitchell’s absence even more fascinating because she will be an unrestricted free agent and may decide to leave Indiana this winter.
Mitchell didn’t show up for a very good reason. In actuality, the 5-foot-8 guard is presently halfway across the world. Mitchell is now in China after agreeing to a contract with the Women’s Chinese Basketball Association’s (WCBA) Shanxi Flame.
Mitchell is by no means the first to leave over the offseason. In reality, although the WNBA is on vacation, a number of its players are now playing for their individual clubs overseas. Stars like Maya Moore and Alyssa Thomas, to mention a handful, have previously signed with the Shanxi Flame in particular.
Kelsey Mitchell, guard with the Indiana Fever Imagn Images/Grace Smith/IndyStar/USA TODAY NETWORK Grace Smith via Imagn Images via IndyStar and USA TODAY NETWORK Playing abroad is nothing new for Mitchell, a former Ohio State standout who has already spent time in Egypt, Israel, and Spain.
Mitchell recently appeared in a social media video with another WNBA star Olivia Nelson-Ododa of the Connecticut Sun and two of her Flame colleagues, Liu Yutong. The Fever guard is shown advertising a hotel in the Shanxi area of China, where she presently resides, in another video that is circulating on X.
Mitchell just has a few months left on his Flame deal. She will be back in America just in time for the 2025 season to begin. Mitchell hasn’t decided on her future in the league as of yet. However, she has already made hints about perhaps going back to Indiana. The Fever, for their part, have also made it very evident that Mitchell is an important member of the team and that one of their main summer goals is to secure her free agency.
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