Kelsey Mitchell Wills Fever to Largest Comeback in Franchise History
The Indiana Fever looked finished last Sunday against the Connecticut Sun. Trailing by 21 in the third quarter, losers of four of their last five games, and dealing with another injury to their already-thin backcourt, defeat seemed all but certain.
Then Kelsey Mitchell took over.
After scoring just four points in the first half, Mitchell exploded for 24 in the second, dragged Indiana into overtime, and then outscored Connecticut by herself with 10 in the extra frame. Her career-high-tying 38 points carried the Fever to a six-point win—the largest comeback in franchise history—and marked the second-highest scoring output by any WNBA player this season. Two days later, she was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week.
“Kelsey’s just so efficient in finding her groove,” said first-year Fever coach Stephanie White. “With all the injuries, our scoring distribution has shifted, but we’ve continued to put the ball in her hands in tough situations, and she elevates.”
A Constant Through the Chaos
Mitchell, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2018 WNBA Draft, has been Indiana’s steady presence through eight turbulent seasons of coaching changes, losing records, and only one playoff appearance. This year, the Fever’s reliance on her has been heavier than ever.
All-Star rookie Caitlin Clark has been sidelined since mid-July with a groin injury, while backup guards Sydney Colson and Aari McDonald are both out for the year. Then on Sunday, guard Sophie Cunningham suffered a season-ending knee injury.
Despite the setbacks, Mitchell has lifted Indiana into playoff contention, averaging a career-best 20.4 points per game (fourth in the league) while leading the WNBA in made threes with 88.
“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, led by example, and carried the load.”
More Than Just a Scorer
Mitchell’s reputation is built on buckets. She left Ohio State as the fourth all-time leading scorer in women’s college basketball, and she has remained one of the WNBA’s most dynamic guards. Known for her first-step quickness, fearless downhill drives, and shiftiness off the dribble, she constantly draws defensive schemes designed to stop her—yet still finds ways to score.
“She’s a threat off the dribble,” said Sparks forward Emma Cannon, who played alongside Mitchell in 2021. “There are so many things that she can do that a lot of players can’t stop, and that’s what makes her Kelsey Mitchell.”
Her highlight reel is full of ankle-breaking crossovers, contested finishes at the rim, and deep-range daggers. And when she gets out in transition, few in the league can catch her.
“No matter how difficult the shot, you expect it to go in,” White said. “She puts up incredible numbers against tough defenders night in and night out.”
Leadership by Example
As much as Indiana leans on Mitchell’s scoring, her presence extends beyond the box score. She has been a steadying influence for younger teammates like Clark and center Aliyah Boston, providing both leadership and resilience in a season filled with adversity.
“Our group is so resilient—we’ve been through things on every level, internally and externally,” 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.”
That mindset is the heartbeat of the Fever’s late-season push. And as Mitchell keeps proving, when everything seems lost, she just might be the one to bring Indiana back.
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