"Competitors first, but friends always": Fever's Kelsey Mitchell pens heartfelt tribute to Arike Ogunbowale on special day

Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell penned a heartfelt tribute to Arike Ogunbowale. On Sunday, the two-time All-Star shared a picture of herself and the Dallas Wings star on her Instagram story.

Mitchell accompanied it with a birthday wish for Ogunbowale.

"happy birthday, Killa. competitors first, but friends ALWAYS. more life! 🤩🫶," Mitchell wrote.

Kelsey Mitchell pens a heartfelt birthday wish for Arike Ogunbowale. (Credits: @kelz_hoop/Instagram)

In the picture, the two laughed while sitting at courtside and wearing their team's jerseys.

However, the Fever star was clear to highlight that she saw the birthday girl as a fellow competitor first when it comes to their on-court relationship. Mitchell had a great run with Indiana last season as she was the main offense generator for her team along with Caitlin Clark. She averaged 19.2 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game and helped the Fever secure a playoff spot for the first time since 2016.

Meanwhile, Ogunbowale had an excellent individual season while the Wings had one of the worst runs in their history. She averaged 22.2 ppg, 4.6 rpg and 5.1 apg but failed to lead Dallas to the playoffs after they ended the season with a 9-31 record.

Kelsey Mitchell prematurely ends her overseas stint before the 2025 WNBA season

Instead of following her teammates Lexie Hull and Aliyah Boston in the Unrivaled 3x3 league, Kelsey Mitchell decided to travel overseas and joined the Shanxi Flame to play in the Women's Chinese Basketball Association.

On Thursday, Chinese Women's Hoops Show reported that Mitchell will be sidelined for the rest of the season because of personal reasons.

"Breaking: Kelsey Mitchell won't return to Shanxi for the rest of the season due to personal reasons. Mitchell led Shanxi to the #2 seed, positioning them for a Finals run. Her absence is a major blow to the team," Chinese Women's Hoops Show tweeted.

Micthell's absence would hurt the Shanxi Flame as she was doing wonders for the Chinese team. Mitchell played 26 games and averaged 23.1 ppg, 3.4 rpg and 4.5 apg.

The Indiana Fever brought in upgrades this offseason. They signed league veterans DeWanna Bonner, Natasha Howard and Chelsea Grey, along with young talent like Sophie Cunningham and Jaelyn Brown. Micthell will be a big addition to the lineup alongside the new acquisitions, hopeful to lead the Fever to a deep run next season.