Kelsey Mitchell just needed a changing of the season to heat up for the Fever

She simple hates May.
Indiana Fever v Washington Mystics
Indiana Fever v Washington Mystics / Greg Fiume/GettyImages
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Kelsey Mitchell is one of those players who sometimes needs a few games under their belt to finally settle in to a new season and get going. The 2024 All-Star came into this season with high expectations for herself and from the Indiana Fever, especially after signing a new deal that kept her with Indiana during this new contention push.

Mitchell, however, hasn't looked like the Mitchell from 2024 during the month of May. Her average of just 29 percent from three point range in the month of May so far this season in addition to just 38.7 from the field felt off, especially knowing how talented she is as a scorer for the Fever.

Those stats are a far cry from her 43.4 three point shooting from August of last year, and her 47.3 percent shooting from long range in September of 2024.

Well, if her bounce back performance against the Washington Mystics on June 3 - the Fever's first game of the new month - is any indication, it seems like Mitchell was just waiting for May to end before finally beginning to look like herself on the floor as a shooter. She finished up with a game-high 24 points along with four three pointers made.

Mitchell in May, historically, has just been cold. She's only had two seasons over the last eight in her career where she shot over 33 percent from three overall. So, it was really just a matter of playing a waiting game for Mitchell before we could see her as settled in as she was in the Fever's first June game of the year.

Mitchell settled in with shooting in first June game of the season

With the victory, Mitchell managed to help lead the Fever to their first win of the Commissioner's Cup tournament. It's a big deal, especially since charity money is involved in these games and the Cup allows for teams to get some bragging rights down the line when the championship teams are decided.

READ MORE: Kelsey Mitchell admits Fever's biggest weakness is off the court

It's a stretch to imagine a team with no Caitlin Clark to win out these Cup games, but with Mitchell and new signee Aari McDonald playing the way they did in their Mystics matchup, you could imagine a world where that happens.

Hopefully, she's able to take this game as a confidence booster, as she deserves it. She's such a great player for Indiana, and an integral part to their core alongside Clark and Aliyah Boston. Her being able to get going would be big for their chance to coast through this Clark-less period.

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