Kelsey Mitchell has lived through the Indiana Fever’s darkest days. Since arriving as the No. 2 pick in 2018, she has seen six straight losing seasons. Now, she’s the heartbeat of a revival. Mitchell has steered an injury-depleted roster to the franchise’s biggest moment in over a decade, and with her latest headline-grabbing performance, she’s forced the league to pay attention. Coach Stephanie White made sure that the message rang loud and clear.

Stephanie White told the media, “I mean, I know for me, Kelsey’s just a tough shotmaker. She’s always in constant motion. She’s fast, as I’ll get out. I think probably the fastest player in the league with the ball in her hands. And she has to work incredibly hard for every shot that she gets. So, for her to be able to do what she does at the efficiency with which she does it is pretty incredible.” It’s not only White saying this.

Multiple players across the league have named Mitchell as the player they find hardest to guard, including Sparks’ Kelsey Plum. “You know who’s really hard to guard that doesn’t get enough flowers is Kelsey Mitchell,” Plum has said. “She’s so fast. She can stop on a dime.” It’s not the fact that Mitchell is only fast and flashy. Almost every time she gets the ball, Mitchell takes time to assess and makes the right decision.

Kelsey’s ability to go downhill and weave through defenses is guaranteed extra attention, but she manages to mix it up with her passing ability. She uses handoffs to gain extra space and get her shot off. That extra second is enough for Mitchell. That is why, despite being the focal point of this Fever side, she shot at 45.6% from the field and 39.4% from the three-point line, both top 15 in the league among guards.

Mitchell amassed 34 points in 34 minutes on the day, along with 3 assists and 2 steals, to outshine 2025 MVP A’ja Wilson, the day she got the award. Mitchell also finished top 5 in the MVP race, but with just 93 total points. For the Fever, she is already an MVP as Caitlin Clark could barely contain her excitement after the Game 1 win and credited Mitchell on her social media.

MVP debate aside, Mitchell plays more than the average guard at 31.4 minutes per game, and she is the fifth most efficient guard if we filter it to a minimum average of 25 minutes. On the day, she held an exhibition of her efficiency. Mitchell went 12-of-23 from the floor, 4-of-6 from deep, and a perfect 6-of-6 at the line, but White explained that it is not enough to get consistent Ws. 

White further said, “There have been multiple times this season, where she’s put us on her back. And she’s carried us, and as we’ve gone through that, she’s continued to lead and pour into everybody else, and see days like today where we get production from multiple people. That’s what it’s going to take for us to be successful.”’

Mitchell had 24 20+ point games in the regular season for the Fever, which is more than half of the total. In the playoffs, she is averaging 26.0 points per game, matching A’ja Wilson band for band. Mitchell needed Odyssey Sims’ 17 points and Natasha Howard’s 12 points to round out the win.

The Fever’s playoff surge isn’t built on one star alone. With four players averaging double figures, their balanced scoring has been just as decisive as Kelsey Mitchell’s heroics. They entered the matchup as clear underdogs. As Michael Voepel wrote, “The @IndianaFever were 8.5-point underdogs going into today’s game at @LVAces. Their victory ties for largest upset in @WNBA semis or Finals since 2017.” That win didn’t just shock the odds, but it reshaped the narrative, with Indiana suddenly emerging as the favorite after Game 1.

Aces’ 17-win streak in question as Kelsey Mitchell and Co. build momentum

The Las Vegas Aces and the Indiana Fever are at opposite ends of their development. The Aces are reaching for a title with their firepower of multiple veterans. On the other hand, the Fever are already well past what anyone expected, with 5 of their core players injured, including Caitlin Clark. Every ESPN analyst has predicted the Aces to win this series, but their power index has turned the tables after the Fever’s Game 1 win.

ESPN’s Power Index has Indiana sitting at a 62.5% chance to make the Finals and 11% to win it, second only to Minnesota. Lynx defeated Phoenix in Game 1, and the No.1 seed is the favorite to win the title at a 78.4% chance. As far as the Fever are concerned, the chances have rocketed up from 36.1% to make the finals and 6.8% to win the title before tip.

That is majorly courtesy of Kelsey Mitchell and Aliyah Boston. Both are playing arguably the best basketball of their careers, with Mitchell’s best playoff performance on the offense and Aliyah Boston stopping A’ja Wilson on defense. In addition, Natasha Howard has slotted in as the third scorer along with Odyssey Sims. While we discuss points and assists, Lexie Hull has gone largely unnoticed. Hull had the highest +/- in Game 1 against the Aces (+24), and her defense, along with clutch moments, is key for the Fever to advance.