Caitlin Clark, Kelsey Mitchell Clutch Stat Comparison Refutes Stephen A. Smith’s Take

Clutch stats show Stephen A. Smith was off the mark when claiming that Kelsey Mitchell should have the ball late in games over Caitlin Clark.

Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell embrace during an Indiana Fever game. | IMAGO / Icon Sportswire

Sports media personality Stephen A. Smith made a bold claim regarding the Indiana Fever's two superstar guards during an episode of "First Take" on Friday.

When debating which Fever star should have the ball in their hands late in games, Smith (who is never shy about expressing his opinions on Caitlin Clark) said, "Kelsey Mitchell is the better player for the Indiana Fever, so says this year, and what we've seen in terms of her level of production. And that's the person that has proven the ball should be in her hands when it really, really counts."

These comments came the morning after the Fever's overtime loss to the Las Vegas Aces, a game in which Clark (who also had great moments during the game) made several costly mistakes down the stretch that helped Las Vegas secure the victory.

"Kelsey Mitchell is the star of the Indiana Fever, from a strictly basketball perspective," Smith added.

Stephen A. Smith has just gone on NATIONAL TV, and said what @espn has NEVER allowed ANY employee to say on the air regarding Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell.

The lies are OVER!

The secret is OUT! pic.twitter.com/kRpN66Pkk3

— Hovah76 (@hovah76) August 7, 2026

Stephen A. Smith's stance doesn't quite hold up when one assesses Clark and Mitchell's clutch stats.

Comparing Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell's Clutch Stats

Since Smith was arguing about whether Clark or Mitchell should have the ball in their hands late in games, it's fair to compare Clark and Mitchell's stats in "clutch time", which is defined by when there's a five-point or less differential in the final five minutes of a game.

The stats show Clark has been better than Mitchell during clutch time this season. While their offensive rating is nearly identical (106.5 for Mitchell and 106.1 for Clark), Clark has the higher net rating of 6.1, compared to -2.0 for Mitchell.

Granted, net rating doesn't factor into Smith's argument because that takes defense into account when he was talking about who should command the ball on offense. But several offensive stats also refute his point, such as Clark having more points per game (3.7) in the clutch than Mitchell (3.6) while also having a much better field goal percentage (48.4% for Clark compared to 36.2% for Mitchell) and a much better three-point percentage (38.9% for Clark compared to 23.1% for Mitchell).

Plus, Clark averages more assists (0.9 vs. 0.3) and rebounds than Mitchell in the clutch, and Clark's 1.3 +/- during clutch time is the best on the Fever and better than Mitchell's -1.1.

All of this indicates that Smith's take is off the mark, and he's probably basing it mostly on what he saw during Thursday's game—which isn't fair when making such a big claim about the Fever's star guards.

Ultimately, Smith's stance is irrelevant. For one, he knew it would draw attention to him, which factored in. But Fever fans know they're blessed to have both Clark and Mitchell on their team—especially late in games, because it gives them two great options.

The Fever should be happy with both Clark and Mitchell having the ball during clutch time, because real fans know both make the team so much better, especially because of how they complement each other.