Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell led her team to a convincing 93-78 victory over the Chicago Sky on Sunday. Mitchell led all scorers with 35 points. She added six assists, two rebounds, three steals while also shooting 12-19 from the field and 7-10 from deep. Mitchell also accomplished a feat that was not seen before in Fever history until Sunday, the team announced.
"Kelsey Mitchell became the first player in franchise history to score 35+ points in less than 30 minutes of action yesterday against the Sky," the Fever announced on X (formerly Twitter). "She's averaging 20.2 PPG this season, third most in the WNBA."
Mitchell is in the middle of a big season. The absence of Caitlin Clark due to injury has been a storyline, but Mitchell is helping Indiana find success despite the circumstances.
Mitchell, who earned her third All-Star selection this season, is averaging 20.2 points, 2.8 assists and 1.8 rebounds per outing. She is shooting 46.8 percent on her field goal attempts and 38.3 percent from beyond the arc. She is truly having a remarkable season.
Kelsey Mitchell emerging as true MVP candidate
Mitchell has been regarded as an All-Star caliber player in recent seasons. She did finish 10th in WNBA MVP voting in 2024 as well. At the moment, though, Mitchell is beginning to enter the conversation for serious MVP consideration.
Napheesa Collier is likely still on track to win the award. There are a number of other stars playing at elite levels as well. Mitchell, though, is unquestionably emerging as a true MVP candidate. She may even have an argument to finish within the top five of voting.
Her statistics are impressive to say the least, but the Fever's performance also stands out. Despite Clark missing time due to injury, Indiana is still 14-12 and in third place in the Eastern Conference. The Fever's depth has played a role and Aliyah Boston has made a significant impact as well. With that being said, the Fever would not be where they are without Kelsey Mitchell.
Indiana is a dangerous team. Once Clark returns, the Fever will feature one of the best all-around rosters in the league. Mitchell, Clark and Boston are stars, while players such as Lexie Hull and Sophie Cunningham provide valuable depth.
Mitchell and the Fever will look to earn another victory on Wednesday night against the Phoenix Mercury, with the game scheduled to begin at 7 PM EST.