Kelsey Mitchell Makes Big Career Move Before WNBA Free Agency

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With the help of Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark, fellow guard Kelsey Mitchell was able to have the best season of her WNBA career.

Playing in all 40 games in 2024, Mitchell finished the year averaging career highs in points per game (19.2) and shooting efficiency (46.8%). She also helped guide Indiana to its first postseason appearance since 2016, which also marked her first playoff in her seven-year career.

Now, the former Ohio State Buckeyes star is entering free agency as the three-year, $618,000 contract she signed back in 2022 has expired. The Fever have expressed interest in bringing back their All-Star guard, but we will have to wait until the beginning of 2025 for the official word.

Indiana Fever player Kelsey Mitchell

Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Amid the offseason, Mitchell, like many other WNBA players, has signed on to play basketball overseas. The guard inked a deal with the Shanxi Flame of the Women’s Chinese Basketball Association (WCBA), a team that has previously featured women’s basketball stars such as Maya Moore, Alyssa Thomas, and Jewell Loyd.

On Monday, just one day after the Fever announced they were letting go of coach Christie Sides, Mitchell arrived in her temporary city to begin her new career venture.

A video of Mitchell’s arrival was posted online and it appeared her new team welcomed her with open arms. She was also able to introduce herself to her new fans.

“I am Kelsey Mitchell,” Mitchell said. “I am a guard, and I look forward to playing with the team this year. I think [Shanxi] is beautiful. It’s big. It has a lot of culture and I want to learn a lot about the city… Thank you for having me. I hope to do right by you, and I hope you guys come and see us win.”

The Flame are located in Taiyuan, China, which is the capital city of the Shanxi province. Thomas, the Connecticut Sun’s star forward, played for the squad in the WCBA’s 2023-24 season. The club also won three consecutive WCBA championships from 2013 to 2015 when Moore was with the team.

This is not the first time Mitchell has taken her talents overseas, but it is the first time she will play in China. Previously, Mitchell has played in Egypt (Al Ahly), Israel (Elitzur Ramla), and Spain (Spar Citylift Girona).