Kelsey Mitchell had a great season and was one of the few players on the Indiana Fever roster who did not suffer any injuries throughout the year.
However, in Game 5 of the semifinals against the Las Vegas Aces, the 29-year-old guard collapsed on the court, exhausted, and was unable to continue playing. Now, some time later, Kelsey says she has no regrets about what happened.
Mitchell reflects on her extreme exhaustion in the playoffs
Kelsey was selected with the second overall pick by the Fever in the 2018 WNBA Draft and has been with the team ever since.
However, the Indiana star’s performance this season stood out above the rest: not only did it lead her to be one of the finalists for the league MVP, but it also earned her the respect and affection of the fans, her teammates, and even her rivals.
Mitchell’s last game came after the Fever forced a fifth semifinal game against A’ja Wilson’s Las Vegas Aces. The winner would secure a spot in the finals, and both teams were willing to do whatever it took to get there.
However, by the third quarter of the game, Mitchell had already scored 15 points, two rebounds, and two assists. She had just scored a three-pointer when she was seen rubbing her leg in obvious pain. Leaning on the referee, who helped her lie down, she had to be assisted and removed from the court amid a standing ovation from her fans.
The game continued with the Fever’s defeat, but Kelsey’s health remained a concern for everyone. She later revealed that she suffered from “rhabdomyolysis,” in which her “muscles stopped producing and reached their maximum capacity.”
Now, months later and fully recovered, Kelsey had her Unrivaled press day, where she expressed her feelings about it: “I feel great. I feel fine,” she told CBS Sports. “I think I just had hopefully a once-in-a-lifetime experience, something I hopefully don’t have to experience anymore. I think God sat me down on purpose.”
However, after this scare, Mitchell said she will not change her playing style because of this situation: “I did play until the wheels fell off, literally, but I think it was just for the better cause of what our season was. I would do it all over again,” Kelsey said. “I’m going to do my best to be me and try to be me. And if that does happen again, I guess it’ll happen again.”
The truth is that Mitchell and the Fever did not have it easy: injuries ended the 2025 season for Caitlin Clark, Sophie Cunningham, Sydney Colson, Aari McDonald, Chloe Bibby, and Damiris Dantas, and filling their gaps was no easy task. It is not surprising that Kelsey was exhausted at the end of the season.
Meanwhile, her continuity on the team is not confirmed as she will become a free agent, but the Fever has stated that retaining Kelsey is their priority. Only Caitlin, Aliyah Boston, and Makayla Timpson have contracts through 2026.
Now, Mitchell is preparing to join Hive, the 3-on-3 league team co-founded in 2023 by Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart, which will begin in January 2026. In addition, she already knows what she will be doing next WNBA offseason, as she is signed to play in Project B.
Without a doubt, staying on the move is an essential part of Kelsey.
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