Indiana Fever star player Kelsey Mitchell has made WNBA history after the team’s victory over the Las Vegas Aces, and she spoke to the impact her head coach had on her mental health, especially after losing his father.
After a record-breaking game with the Fever against the Las Vegas Aces, Kelsey Mitchell sat down for a post-game interview and went on to share that she has been able to be emotionally vulnerable with her team, specifically to her head coach Stephanie White.
“I’ve never had a coach, like, I cry off camera, because I really, never truly have the company, the culture, the organization that I have been surrounded by the last couple years,” Mitchell said, according to the IndyStar. “I’ve never had that. I’ve never seen that, and so to feel valued and to feel like somebody’s pouring into me, it seeks out my value. It’s everything to me, because I’m a loyal person, and my loyalty is in my character. It’s something I truly value.”
Kelsey Mitchell also highlighted how important it has been for her to feel that people believe in her, as it was the feeling that she missed the most from her late father.
“To know people believe in me? You gotta know how that feels because for a long time, nobody did. My dad was the only one,” she added. “So when you lose somebody, then you find somebody to replace that, it came for me.”
Mitchell and the rest of the Fever are set to chase another win against the Aces, with the hopes of advancing to this season’s Finals.
Kelsey Mitchell Carries Fever to Win Against Aces: “That’s The Growth”
Fever star Kelsey Mitchell made WNBA history recently by logging 34 points in a single playoff game, which is the second-most points made by any player in the league’s playoff history. She helped carry the Fever to an 89-73 win against the Aces for Game 1 of the semifinals.
Mitchell’s breakout performance capped a years-long journey through losing seasons and sparse individual recognition. A prolific scorer since entering the league in 2018, she never publicly demanded a trade or sat out in frustration as the Fever struggled to surround her with talent.
“That’s the growth,” Mitchell said. “That’s the experience, that’s the being at the bottom of the barrel, that’s the not being on anybody’s radar and being a loser. So I’ve seen that. I know what that looks like.”
So far this season, Kelsey Mitchell is averaging 20.2 points per game, 3.4 assists, and 1.8 rebounds. She shoots 45.6% from the field and 39.4% from beyond the arc.
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