Indiana Fever star Kelsey Mitchell has enjoyed the best season of her nine-year WNBA career, from finishing third in the league MVP race to breaking the WNBA’s single-season scoring record, finishing the year with a mammoth 1,086 points (surpassing five-time MVP A’ja Wilson’s 1021) to earning her fourth consecutive WNBA All-Star selection and winning back-to-back Player of the Month honors. Having spent her entire career in Indiana, Mitchell is one of the most loved Fever players, and on her 31st birthday, she received that love tenfold.
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“Wishing the happiest of birthdays to Kelsey Mitchell 🥳,” the official Indiana Fever account posted on Instagram.
“Happy birthday to my girl, you know how we rockin’… more life, more everything,” Fever assistant coach Karima Christmas-Kelly posted on her Instagram story. Mitchell reposted it and wrote, “thank youuuu Rim, till the end of time….”
In September, the four-time All-Star also celebrated Christmas-Kelly’s birthday. Mitchell uploaded a photo of Christmas-Kelly coaching her on the sideline on her Instagram story with a heartfelt caption that read, “more life, Queen, yk i’m coming for you. believed when no one else didn’t…. 🥳💕.”
During the 2025 WNBA season, Mitchell and Christmas-Kelly developed a special bond that extended beyond the hardwood. Stephanie White’s assistant also paid Mitchell a heartfelt tribute after the season, highlighting how she battled through personal loss and adversity to deliver a fantastic season for the Fever. Last year, Mitchell averaged 20.2 points in the regular season and led the Fever to the semifinals in the absence of Caitlin Clark.
“The past few years of closely witnessing the growth in your game have been nothing short of amazing… the circumstances you’ve endured, the loss you’ve encountered, and the adversity you’ve constantly overcome. But never did you waver in the love you have for the game, the work you put into perfecting your craft, and the professionalism you constantly put forth,” Christmas-Kelly wrote in an Instagram post dedicated to Mitchell.
“You held me up when no one else did. You saw my vulnerability and let me feel all my grief. you was wit me SHOOTING IN THE GYM! I love you, Coach! Forever indebted to you, Rim.” Mitchell commented and even posted some kind words on her Instagram story.
Ahead of the 2024 season, Mitchell lost her father, Mark, also known as “Coach Mitch.” He was Mitchell’s longtime mentor and a former college football standout, helping her develop her game as Ohio State University’s assistant coach from 2013 to 2018, overlapping directly with Kelsey’s collegiate career playing for the Buckeyes from 2014 to 2018.
“Happy birthday babessss… love your life! have the best day,” Aliyah Boston posted on her Instagram story. “Til infinity, 7.” Mitchell reposted and wrote on her story. Mitchell and Boston are part of the Fever’s Big 3 alongside Caitlin Clark, and the two share amazing chemistry, both on and off the court. When Mitchell broke the league’s single-season scoring record, Boston commented, “goat talk” in one of the Fever’s posts highlighting that accomplishment.
While Mitchell is currently being flooded with birthday wishes from her Indiana Fever faithful, her future with the franchise is yet to be decided. The now 31-year-old guard is an unrestricted free agent this offseason and said in her exit interview that she needs to be “selfish” about her future. The Fever franchise is already busy having an upstairs shake-up, with team president Kelly Krauskopf and general manager Amber Cox seeing the door, so it will be interesting to see how both parties come to a conclusion this offseason.