The Indiana Fever extended guard Kelsey Mitchell a core qualifying offer, the WNBA announced Thursday.
Mitchell, an unrestricted free agent, is no longer eligible to sign a contract directly with another team. She will receive a one-year, supermax deal, valued at roughly $249,000. In exchange, the Fever gain exclusive negotiating rights.
The 29-year-old could still join another squad via sign-and-trade. Mitchell can be cored for up to two seasons.
She joins Kelsey Plum of the Las Vegas Aces, Satou Sabally of the Dallas Wings, Gabby Williams of the Seattle Storm, and Breanna Stewart of the New York Liberty as the only five players to receive the designation for the 2025 campaign.
In November, Fever general manager Amber Cox said bringing Kelsey back was the team's "top priority," per Chloe Peterson of the Indianapolis Star.
Indiana drafted Mitchell second overall in 2018. She has been the team's leading scorer in five of her seven WNBA seasons. Mitchell averaged a career-high 19.2 points in 2024, forming one of the league's best backcourt duos alongside rookie phenom Caitlin Clark.
The Fever finished third in the East last season with a 20-20 record. They were swept in the first round of the playoffs by the Connecticut Sun.
