As Indiana Fever grapple with injuries, Kelsey Mitchell remains their go-to player

The Indiana Fever looked buried last Sunday against the Connecticut Sun, and defeat seemed inevitable. Down by 21 in the third quarter, losers of four of their last five games and reeling from yet another injury to one of their guards, they watched as one of the WNBA’s most prolific scorers struggled to get going.

Then, like so many times before, Kelsey Mitchell happened.

Limited to just four points in the first half, Mitchell erupted for 24 in the second half, forcing overtime, and then outscored the Sun by herself with 10 points in the extra frame. Her career-high-tying 38 points carried Indiana to a six-point overtime victory, the largest comeback in franchise history. It was also the second-highest-scoring performance by any WNBA player this year. On Tuesday, she was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week.

“Kelsey’s just so efficient in finding her groove,” first-year Fever coach Stephanie White said. “Our scoring perspective and shot distribution is not what it has been with these injuries, but we’ve continued to put the ball in her hands in a lot of tough situations, and she elevates.” 

The second overall pick in the WNBA’s 2018 draft, Mitchell has been the Fever’s constant through eight turbulent seasons marked by coaching changes, losing records and only one playoff trip — a first-round exit to Connecticut last year.

In this challenging season, Indiana has depended more than ever on Mitchell, a three-time All-Star. Fellow All-Star guard Caitlin Clark has been sidelined since July 15 with a groin injury, while backup point guards Sydney Colson and Aari McDonald are both out for the year with injuries.

“We’ve leaned on [Mitchell] heavily, and she has continued to step up and be exactly what we need,” White said. “She’s embraced the situation, she’s led by example, and she’s been able to carry the load for us.”

Last Sunday’s game against the Sun added another blow when guard Sophie Cunningham went down with a knee injury. On Tuesday, the Fever announced she will miss the rest of the season. Still, Mitchell’s eruption has kept the Fever’s playoff push alive, and the almost-seasonlong adversity has provided a boost. Currently, her career-high 20.4 points per game ranks fourth best in the league, and her 88 3-pointers made ranks No. 1.

“Our group is so resilient from a standpoint of we’ve been through things on every level, internally, externally, and behind closed doors,” Mitchell said. “We like to think that if things don’t go our way, we have to compete and play like somebody has to take it from us.”

The injuries to the starting and backup point guards mean Mitchell, at times, has been the lead guard and scoring guard. Mitchell hadn’t played point guard since her time at Ohio State until earlier this month against the Chicago Sky, when she finished with a team-high 26 points and eight assists.

The assists are nice, but it’s no secret that Mitchell’s strength is her scoring. She is the fourth all-time leading scorer in women’s college basketball.  

“I am who I am,” Mitchell said. “I’ve always been a downhill scorer, a downhill driver. I do my best to create plays and be aggressive.”

That aggression doesn’t come easily. Opponents throw waves of schemes at her, forcing outside shots, swarming with double-teams or sending three defenders to strip the ball. Still, she finds ways to produce. She hit 7 of 10 from 3-point range against Chicago on July 27. Against the Los Angeles Sparks earlier this month, she buried 7 of 12.

And when Mitchell, at 5-foot-8, gets in the open court? Watch out.

“She’s a threat off the dribble,” said Sparks forward Emma Cannon, who played with Mitchell for Indiana in 2021. “There’s so many things that she can do that a lot of players can’t stop, and that’s what makes her Kelsey Mitchell.”

Mitchell’s speed with the ball is among the league’s best, and her herky-jerky ballhandling and first step are legendary.

“One time, she made a girl fall to her knees and I yelled out, ‘You calling people to the altar to pray,’” Cannon said, laughing. “Being shifty is something the fans love because they get to ooh and ahh.”

Because of the opposition’s defensive focus on Mitchell, many of her shots are duly earned. She’s either getting by a defender and shooting over outstretched hands in the paint, or she’s able to get her shot off after getting bumped.

“No matter how difficult the shot, you expect it to go in,” White said. “She puts up incredible numbers against all kinds of defenses and against tough defenders night in and night out. Kelsey has at least one tough finish around the rim in every game.”

Despite all the earned praise for her scoring, Mitchell’s presence has always been about more than just putting the ball through the basket. Her leadership has been critical in steadying the Fever and guiding younger teammates such as second-year guard Clark and center Aliyah Boston. 

Mitchell describes her style as more display than chatter.

“I’m an action type of person,” Mitchell said. “I’m able to communicate certain things to the team, but action is always better if I can show you.”

However, action hasn’t always translated to attention. For most of her career, Mitchell has been one of the league’s most consistent scorers with little of the marketing push or spotlight that’s now attached to newer stars. As a rookie in 2018, a player could average nearly 20 points per game and still be largely invisible outside of box scores. 

The landscape looks very different now. 

Clark signed a record-breaking Nike deal before playing a single professional game. Boston has landed national ads and endorsements with brands such as Adidas and Kroger, and Fever games are setting viewership records and selling out arenas across the country. Meanwhile, Mitchell has carried the franchise through losing seasons and instability, yet she’s never benefited from the same kind of corporate backing or media spotlight.

Maybe that’s changing. 

“I’m happy that she’s finally getting the recognition that she deserves because she is a dawg, and she’s one of our greatest players in the league right now,” Cannon said. 

It’s proof of how much the WNBA’s visibility has grown in recent years — and also a reminder of how long Mitchell has flown under the radar.

“Since I’m on the team with Caitlin Clark, there’s a bit more marketability,” Mitchell said. “Shout out to that group and draft class that includes Angel Reese, who did a good job of marketing themselves. But for me, no one’s really knocked on my door for [marketing] anyway. I’m more concerned about my legacy.”

For Mitchell, that means representing her family name, pursuing her third academic degree and preparing for the future. Mitchell, who earned an undergraduate degree at Ohio State and a master’s at the University of Cincinnati, is taking online courses to obtain her Ph.D. in sports leadership at Liberty University.

“Losing my dad in 2024 was big because he was the one person that believed in me,” Mitchell said. “A part of my heart was broken when I lost my dad because we used basketball to fuel us. He was a coach and he taught me what I know, so it’s only right that I keep my mind focused on that, and hopefully when the ball stops bouncing I can fall back on my education.”