As the WNBA faced a public CBA battle with the WNBPA in the offseason, new challenger Project B gained attention. Stars like Alyssa Thomas and Jonquel Jones have already joined. But Kelsey Mitchell’s decision to sign last November has raised questions, as it is still unclear whether she will actually play there.

Project B was once viewed as a league for WNBA veterans, but that changed with Kelsey Mitchell joining. The 30-year-old guard is still performing at a high level and led the Fever in scoring last season. Despite saying she would only play overseas again in a “drastic, unique” situation tied to higher salaries, she remains committed to the league.

In a clip shared by Colin Salao on X on April 23rd, Kelsey Mitchell said, “It would have to be a drastic, unique situation for me to go back overseas. I am not even gonna lie to y'all. Where I’m at in my career now, I’d rather play it smart,” while speaking to reporters at the Fever’s media day.

“Make sure my body is what it needs to be. And then also, respecting my craft. I feel like sometimes when you go overseas, you lose sight on some of the perfecting of the skills that you miss out on just because you’re going to try to make a couple dollars."

“I got a soul so I’d rather make sure that I’m right before I want to keep going overseas and missing out on a lot,” she further added.

Kelsey Mitchell is one of 13 players announced for Project B. However, a spokesperson told Front Office Sports that she is still expected to play in the league’s debut in November. Games are set across Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Her agent has yet to respond.

So, while her Project B status is still unclear, Mitchell’s stateside choice paints a clearer picture of her priorities.

Why Kelsey Mitchell Is Staying Stateside Despite Overseas Opportunities

The eight-year WNBA veteran Kelsey Mitchell usually spent her offseasons playing overseas. This time, she stayed in the U.S. to play in Unrivaled, which she said will remain an option since it lets her stay stateside.

“That was good basketball, and it’s in the United States, so I can’t really complain,” Kelsey Mitchell said in the same interview.

Unrivaled’s season runs from January to March. It's expected to overlap with Project B, which wraps up its final stop in Tokyo from March 26 to April 4.

Before the 2026 season, WNBA salaries were relatively low, with minimum contracts under six figures and max deals around $250,000, pushing players to earn more overseas. Even after Unrivaled launched, some players like Breanna Stewart and Kayla McBride continued playing abroad with Fenerbahçe, where they had already spent multiple seasons.

That said, do you think Kelsey Mitchell will actually play in Project B or stay focused on U.S.-based leagues?

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Written by

Sauramita Debbarma

Edited by

Siddharth Rawat