The Indiana Fever have struggled to start the season, and emotions ran high between Caitlin Clark and head coach Stephanie White. Kelsey Mitchell acknowledged it and didn't shy away from discussing the team's "turmoil."
The three-time All-Star guard addressed reporters during Indiana's media availability on Tuesday. Reporters asked her to share her thoughts about the heated moment during the Portland Fire game three days before. Cameras captured Clark and White exchanging words during a timeout when the team was down by 21 points. However, Mitchell stressed that it's a good thing, as it could lead to Indiana playing harder in its upcoming games.
"So, I think that you guys saw turmoil, but I thought it was good for us because it's passionate, man," Mitchell said. "I think there's passion on both sides of it all. I think this past weekend, it loosened. If you gave a damn about where you were at and really recognized how bad it looked compared to how bad it really is, you just know that you love some stuff.
"But on the flip side, turmoil is good, especially if you get it early. I just don't want turmoil to be the deciding factor in how hard you're gonna play."
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Mitchell added that the Fever need to work harder to start stringing wins together.
"If you have some bad stuff happening, I would say you wanna play hard," MItchell said. "I just think that it becomes counterproductive, so hopefully that doesn't become our M.O.
"And the goal and the idea is to always just be honest about where the hell you are. We're not that great right now. And if you're honest about that, I think that you can put in the right work right now."
The 30-year-old is averaging a career-high 20.6 points, along with 2.5 assists. However, her production has not been enough to lead the team to more victories.
Saturday's fiery moment could be just what the Fever needs to get back on track. They can right the ship starting on Thursday at home versus Angel Reese and the red-hot Atlanta Dream.
