The Indiana Fever are blowing up their front office, right as the biggest offseason in franchise history is kicking off. President of basketball and business operations Kelly Krauskopf has stepped down, and general manager Amber Cox has been fired. This isn’t just a minor tweak, folks, this is a full-blown organizational shakeup as the team tries to finally build a championship squad around Caitlin Clark.
A Legacy Steps Away, a GM Is Out
Krauskopf’s departure and Cox’s firing were announced within hours of each other, signaling a truly massive change at the top. Krauskopf, a legend in her own right, was the Fever’s original president and general manager back in 2000. She led them through 19 seasons, racking up 13 playoff appearances, including a ridiculous WNBA-record 12 straight from 2005-2016. She brought them their first and only title in 2012, and two other Finals trips in 2009 and 2015. Oh, and she made history as the first woman in NBA history to hold an executive basketball management role when the Indiana Pacers snagged her in 2018.
She came back to the Fever in 2024, the same year Clark arrived and the franchise’s global popularity absolutely exploded. Krauskopf and Cox, who was hired that same year as COO and general manager, were at the helm for the last three seasons, all of which saw the Fever make the playoffs. But here’s the kicker: they never got past the semifinals. The heat has been on both Krauskopf and Cox for not building a stronger team around Clark, Aliyah Boston, and Kelsey Mitchell. Clearly, the organization decided it was time for a drastic change, with Krauskopf having informed the team of her decision before the season even ended.
Kelsey Mitchell’s Future Just Got Complicated
This isn’t just some boring back-office reshuffle. This is happening as the Fever face a absolutely critical offseason, with star shooting guard Kelsey Mitchell an unrestricted free agent. Cox had already stated that re-signing Mitchell was a “major priority,” and it’s a safe bet the new leadership will feel the same way. Caitlin Clark herself said she and her teammates will “recruit Mitchell as hard as we can.”
But here’s the rub: Mitchell, who the Fever drafted No. 2 overall back in 2018, is publicly unsure about her future. After their first-round playoff exit to the Las Vegas Aces, she dropped the quote during her exit interview that has everyone talking: “I have to be selfish.” Think about that. The team just blew up its front office after failing to get past the semifinals, and now its co-star is looking at her options. This new front office, once it’s in place, is going to get thrown straight into the fire with massive decisions to make, starting with getting Mitchell locked down. It’s going to be a wild ride watching how this all shakes out for the Fever.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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