Editor’s Be aware: This story is a part of a sequence from SB Nation profiling the 2025 WNBA All-Star groups. As we speak, let’s get to know Kelsey Mitchell.
Corteva Coliseum is a novel however good encapsulation of Indiana.
It’s an area positioned within the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis that was recognized for years because the Indiana Farmers Coliseum, which seems like a joke that’s virtually just a little too on the nostril. It’s an area that sits simply a few hundred toes away from the Indiana Farm Bureau Fall Creek Pavilion, which doubles as a swine barn throughout the state honest every August.
It’s an area that, whereas able to internet hosting basketball video games, hardly seems like a basketball area.
However in 2022, it hosted half of the Indiana Fever’s dwelling video games. Maybe fittingly, that yr represents a low level for the franchise.
The Fever completed the yr with a 5-31 report, the fewest wins in franchise historical past. After beating the Sky on June 19, they didn’t win once more the remainder of the yr, dropping their closing 18 video games. They ranked final within the league in attendance, bottoming out at simply 960 followers of their sixth recreation of the season.
So whereas the Indiana Fever could now be the most well-liked workforce within the league with Kelsey Mitchell as one of many faces of the franchise, it’s been fairly a journey for her to get so far, and she or he has a novel perspective on the change and deep gratitude for it.
She’s certainly one of solely two holdovers on the present roster that was a part of that 2022 season, with Lexie Hull being the opposite. Whereas Hull was going via a rookie season of being out and in of the rotation and taking part in simply 12.8 minutes per evening, Mitchell led the workforce in minutes, factors, assists and steals.
“You needed to be right here to expertise it, and I’m glad lots of people wasn’t as a result of it made me stronger as an individual and as a hooper,” Mitchell mentioned of the lows the franchise went via. “Like that have I acquired my first 4 or 5 years when no one got here and no one knew who the Fever was…I’m grateful for the chance as a result of it gave me a possibility to be my finest model of myself.”
The most effective model of Mitchell is precisely what the Fever have gotten. This season, she’s averaging a career-high 19.3 factors to associate with 2.8 assists. Whereas it is likely to be a slight statistical step down from final yr when she had probably the most environment friendly (55.9% efficient subject objective share) scoring season of her profession, it’s nonetheless simply top-of-the-line years of her profession.
It’s additionally a season nonetheless loads worthy of an All-Star nod. For the third straight yr, Mitchell was named an All-Star and might be joined by teammates Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston. It’s the second straight season that trio will characterize the Fever within the mid-season exhibition as nicely.
“It’s an enormous alternative, personally, for myself and my household, however I believe for the group and the place it’s going,” Mitchell mentioned of being named an All-Star. “I believe now we all know issues are large for town and for the state, and for us to characterize, play nicely sufficient to be known as All-Stars, I believe I’m grateful.”
Statistically, this season for Mitchell can be remarkably just like her 2022 season, however the vibes across the Fever couldn’t be extra totally different.
Now, the variety of followers in attendance is measured within the tens of 1000’s, quite than the lots of. Gainbridge Fieldhouse is the one place in consideration to host video games as they common over 16,000 followers per recreation.
Their recreation in opposition to the Dallas Wings earlier this season at American Airways Middle drew 20,409 followers. On 4 totally different events during the last two seasons, the Fever have performed in entrance of no less than 20,000 followers, one thing that’s solely occurred 10 occasions in league historical past, in accordance with Throughout The Timeline.
Throughout Mitchell’s first six seasons, the Fever went simply 49-149. They ranked within the backside half of the league in dwelling attendance each a type of years, not even together with 2021 when followers weren’t allowed to attend because of the COVID-19 pandemic. They ranked final in dwelling attendance in 2022 and second-to-last in 2023.
By means of all of it, Mitchell saved bettering and saved producing. Even when so few followers confirmed up, she nonetheless did on a nightly foundation. And now, she will get to reap the simply rewards.
“She’s simply such an ideal particular person and has an ideal coronary heart and has been via so much with this franchise,” Clark mentioned of her fellow All-Star. “[She] has had some actually, actually powerful years as a workforce right here and everyone that is aware of Kels and has adopted her profession, she’s at all times been a bucket getter. She’s at all times been an incredible participant, and she or he’s been an enormous a part of our success during the last couple of years.
“So for her to have this chance and to play an All-Star recreation in entrance of the sort of crowd that we’re going to have…I really feel prefer it’s going to be just a little bit full circle for her.”
Indianapolis has proven up for the Fever in an enormous approach during the last two seasons, creating one of many loudest environments within the WNBA.
Now, town will host the All-Star Sport, signaling each how far it has come and the place the sport goes within the state. Gainbridge Fieldhouse will even be a sold-out area for the competition, giving many hometown followers an opportunity to look at their longest-tenured participant full her full-circle second.
“I’ve had a one hell of a profession, and nobody might inform me the way it was and the way it wasn’t,” Mitchell mentioned. “So I can stand on enterprise and say I knew what it was like when no one was in right here and now I do know what it’s like when individuals are. It simply goes to indicate…the place the sport goes and so that you recognize what it’s now.”
