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Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell (0) drives between Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas (25) and Mercury guard Monique Akoa Makani, right, during the first half of a WNBA basketball game, Thursday, July 9, 2026, in Phoenix.<\/p>\n
Ross D. Franklin\/AP Photo\/Ross D. Franklin<\/p>\n
Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell (0) drives against Las Vegas Aces guard Chennedy Carter (23) during the first half of an WNBA basketball game Sunday, July 5, 2026, in Las Vegas. (Steve Marcus\/Las Vegas Sun via AP)<\/p>\n
Steve Marcus\/Steve Marcus\/Las Vegas Sun via A<\/p>\n
Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White talks with Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) during the first half of an WNBA basketball game against the Las Vegas Aces Sunday, July 12, 2026, in Las Vegas. (Steve Marcus\/Las Vegas Sun via AP)<\/p>\n
Steve Marcus\/Steve Marcus\/Las Vegas Sun via A<\/p>\n
Indiana Fever center-forward Aliyah Boston (7) argues with a referee during the second half of a WNBA basketball game against the Phoenix Mercury, Thursday, July 9, 2026, in Phoenix.<\/p>\n
Ross D. Franklin\/AP Photo\/Ross D. Franklin<\/p>\n
Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell, right, chases down a loose ball as Phoenix Mercury guard-forward Kahleah Copper, left, Fever guard Raven Johnson and Mercury guard Monique Akoa Makani (8) look on during the second half of a WNBA basketball game, Thursday, July 9, 2026, in Phoenix.<\/p>\n
Ross D. Franklin\/AP Photo\/Ross D. Franklin<\/p>\n
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) \u2014 Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell has embraced her role as a steadying influence this season and the team has benefited.<\/p>\n
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After a 4-4 start, Mitchell calmly challenged teammates to improve defensively, put a higher priority on attention to detail and maintain their perspective for the long haul of the season.<\/p>\n
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It worked, and now the four-time All-Star also has been a key player in the midseason turnaround that has Indiana re-emerging as a WNBA title contender.<\/p>\n
\u201cKelsey\u2019s awesome,\u201d All-Star center Aliyah Boston said after finishing with 19 points and 11 rebounds in Sunday\u2019s victory at defending champion Las Vegas. \u201cShe shows up every single day and gives us everything she has. She hoops out of her mind. She\u2019s the fastest guard I\u2019ve ever seen and for her to continue to do that and make teams guard her, she deserves the world.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mitchell has done it before. Last year, she and Boston may have carried the injury-depleted Fever into the WNBA Finals \u2014 if not for Mitchell\u2019s severe cramping in her lower body where her legs and feet went numb for about seven seconds during a Game 5 loss to the Aces in a WNBA semifinal.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n This season, Mitchell is on pace for the best season of her nine-year career. She’s averaging 22.6 points while shooting 48.6% from the field and 41.6% from 3-point range \u2014 all career bests \u2014 and she’ll start next weekend at the All-Star Game in Chicago.<\/p>\n But even as her stats climb, it’s her impact behind the scenes that has really paid dividends.<\/p>\n Caitlin Clark’s early season shooting slump was followed by a sideline spat between the three-time All-Star and coach Stephanie White.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n That’s when the 30-year-old Mitchell jumped into the fray with some perspective about successfully navigating this environment.<\/p>\n \u201cI think hard times make you or hard times can break you, and hopefully it doesn’t break us,\u201d Mitchell said in early June. \u201cI think losing is important, I think you find out a lot about yourself, about where you need to be, where you’re missing the mark and I’m happy it’s happening now. If there are frustrations, I would rather it be now than later.\u201d<\/p>\n The team heeded the advice and has responded with a resurgence.<\/p>\n The Fever went 3-1 on a recent four-game Western swing, a trip that included two double-digit wins over the Aces. And though Wednesday’s 88-75 loss at home to Golden State dampened the ascent, Indiana remains tied for fifth with a 14-10 mark heading into home games Friday against Seattle and Saturday against Commissioner’s Cup champion New York.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Boston and Clark, also All-Star starters, have been on a roll.<\/p>\n Boston is averaging a career-best 17.2 points per game, and Clark is at a career-high 19.7 points per game while committing a career-low 4.6 turnovers.<\/p>\n Mitchell knows the next step is playing at a high level consistently.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s about the discipline and maintaining it,\u201d she said following Indiana’s win at Las Vegas. \u201cIf we\u2019re serious about being a top contender and being part of a championship culture, then we\u2019re going to have to do what we do. I think it\u2019s about us, and I think we can keep developing that culture and use these experiences we have as a group to put ourselves in a good position down the stretch.\u201d<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Just how good has Mitchell been?<\/p>\n The former Ohio State star scored 27 points in Sunday\u2019s 109-75 rout over the Aces, finishing her 300th game \u2014 all with the Fever \u2014 by becoming the fifth player in league history with six consecutive games of 25 or more points. That streak ended Wednesday when Mitchell scored 20 points.<\/p>\n She’s also broken Tamika Catchings\u2019 franchise record for consecutive double-digit scoring games with her 39th in a row in the loss to Golden State.<\/p>\n And when she earned another Eastern Conference player of the week award Wednesday, Mitchell joined Catchings as the only players in franchise history to win the award five or more times.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Las Vegas coach Becky Hammon said she\u2019s one of the toughest players to defend and Mitchell\u2019s teammates agree.<\/p>\n \u201cI’m not too excited about that,\u201d Clark said after learning she would not be Mitchell’s teammate in Chicago. \u201cI guess I’ll probably just let her go by me even if I was trying or not trying. I would have liked it if we were all together, but I knew that probably wasn’t going to happen with three of us. It will be kind of weird seeing Kelsey on the other side, though.\u201d<\/p>\n The question is whether Indiana can continue to play this well over its final 20 games and into the playoffs.<\/p>\n \u201cThe past is the past as far I’m concerned,\u201d Mitchell said. \u201cI just look forward to growing with my group, getting the experience we need to constantly compete.\u201d<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n<\/a>
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