Caitlin Clark gets upset over Kelsey Mitchell's treatment

Dubai: Caitlin Clark has expressed her disappointment as Kelsey Mitchell’s comments about the challenges of playing alongside her after the Indiana Fever’s 2026 season came to an end became viral.

The Fever were eliminated by the Las Vegas Aces in the first round of the WNBA playoffs, losing 94-83 in Game 3 on October 1. A’ja Wilson scored 36 points as Las Vegas won the series 2-1 and ended Indiana’s campaign.

Mitchell, speaking during her own exit interview, discussed the added attention surrounding the Fever since Clark entered the WNBA. The veteran guard said playing for Indiana had been difficult at times because of the scrutiny that came with being Clark’s teammate.

“Playing with CC, and having the eyes that she got, we get a lot of flak just for being on her team,” Mitchell said.

Clark addressed those remarks during her exit interview, making it clear that she was upset by the suggestion that people had used her popularity to promote racist rhetoric.

“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,” Clark said.

She also praised Micthell by claiming: "There's nobody I would want to share the backcourt with other than her."

The 24-year-old star has previously spoken out against racist and hateful abuse directed at WNBA players. In 2024, she said there was no place for racism, hateful comments or threats in the league and described people engaging in such behaviour as “trolls.”

The issue has again come under the spotlight during the Fever’s playoff run, particularly after an incident involving Aces star Wilson and a fan during Game 2.

For Clark, the offseason now provides an opportunity to build on what she described as the best season of her career, while the Fever will look to turn their improved regular-season performance into a deeper playoff run next year.