The Indiana Fever are within the midst of their finest season in a decade. They’re on tempo to have their first successful file since 2015, they usually simply clinched a playoff berth for the primary time since 2016.
After all, it’s unattainable to speak concerning the workforce’s success with out mentioning Caitlin Clark, who’s having a unbelievable season and will win Rookie of the Yr.
However, maybe a very powerful participant on the workforce is her backcourt mate,
Kelsey Mitchell.
Though she’s solely 28, Mitchell is among the older gamers
on the Fever, and he or she’s been with the workforce since they drafted her in 2018. She
has needed to endure some lean occasions throughout her tenure — a five-win 2022 season
was maybe the low level — however she has at all times been a constant and dependable
participant, in addition to the workforce’s main scorer over the previous 5 years.
Fever common supervisor Lin Dunn. has had nothing but praise for Mitchell, and particularly admires her tenacity.
“Kelsey is a
basic instance of any person that is been right here six or seven years and by no means been
within the playoffs, and that is robust, being in shedding seasons,” she mentioned “…
she’s had a troublesome, robust time since she’s been right here. Hopefully these final two
years have reassured her the route that we’re going.”
Issues have actually rotated for the Fever this
season, and Mitchell has been an enormous purpose for this. She’s averaging profession
highs in factors (19.1), rebounds (2.7) and subject aim share (.461). Presently
she sits on the eighth spot for many factors per sport within the league, only a hair
behind teammate Clark.
It’s what Mitchell has achieved since play began up once more
following the Olympics break, nonetheless, that has maybe proven simply how invaluable
she is to the Fever and the way she helps to catapult them to the postseason.
In
the ten video games since play resumed, she averaged 24.9 factors per sport, together with a
season-high 36 in opposition to the Dallas Wings. The workforce went 8-2 in that span and is
taking part in their finest basketball of the season.
Wherever and every time the Fever find yourself taking part in within the
postseason, they’ll certainly proceed to draw a file variety of followers. And
whereas Clark would be the important attraction, it is clear that Mitchell deserves simply as a lot
consideration.
