When the Indiana Fever was trying to build for the future, with the strong young core at their disposal, they prioritised Kelsey Mitchell’s re-signing before making any trades in the 2024 off-season. She has been a part of Fever’s Big-3 and a standout player, making them a strong contender in the league. And why not? Drafted in 2018 as the second overall pick, Fever already had plans to build a team around her. This guard with tremendous potential has shone at all levels during her basketball journey.

Kelsey played for Princeton High School. Leading the school in scoring, Kelsey won the State Championship in 2014. Rolling back the calendar, during her childhood in Ohio, Kelsey frequently played ball at the Woodlawn Recreational Center, even competing against seniors. Her presence was so memorable that the Village of Woodlawn named one of the courts “Kelsey Mitchell Court” in 2019!

Joining the Ohio State College, Kelsey struggled a bit early in her basketball career. But later picked up her game and ended her career as the No. 2 scorer in NCAA history for Ohio State! One of the greatest point guards in the NBA, Oscar Robertson, called her career ‘probably underappreciated’ while UConn legend Geno Auriemma once praised her for her ability to score every possible shot! Her journey to such accolades has been a very humble one, with her family playing a key role in shaping Kelsey as a player.

Who is Kelsey Mitchell’s Father, Mark? Was He a Professional Basketball Player?

“I’m the blueprint of what he taught. It’s all of me.” Kelsey Mitchell famously said about her father, who was a player, coach, and mentor on her basketball journey. Mark Mitchell, though, never played basketball professionally. He was a standout lineman. He attended a few NFL tryouts but never made a roster. So, he joined as a high school basketball coach and gym teacher throughout the Cincinnati area.

Kelsey would play basketball with big kids when she was just 4. At that age, too, her scoring touch would surprise Mark, as she could easily defeat the boys. Mark, recalling her funny memory, once said, “When she was 4 years old, she chased a little boy who pushed her. She chased him around for the whole game. It took her the whole game to push him back. And then she got the ball, score three or four points and won the game.”

Experiencing her passion and love for the game, Mark recognised her potential early on and took an active role in her development. Kelsey often credits her father for shaping her approach to the game. Upon his untimely demise, she said in an interview with ESPN, “That was my best friend, and we did everything together. We kind of lived through each other on so many levels. He was my father, but we could talk about everything. And it sucks.”

Who is Kelsey Mitchell’s Mother?

Kelsey’s mother, Cheryl, was also an athlete and played basketball during her college days. Cheryl (Palmer) transferred to Eastern Kentucky from Mississippi Valley State and was the seventh top rebounder for the school. Although she never took an active part in coaching Kelsey, she was seen as a constant support system for the Fever star. Working as a social worker, Cheryl instilled a ‘giving’ nature in Kelsey.

Recalling Kelsey’s passion for the sport, Cheryl said, “She would just go with her dad everywhere, and her brothers. She’d just go, and she’d follow and she always had a basketball. I don’t care what gym, wherever we were, she always had it. Even when we were at the house, she always had a ball.”

While Kelsey is a hard worker and dedicated student of the game, her parents certainly instilled a high level of work ethic in her. “She always had that determination to be a great player. I don’t care what it was, whether it was a Sunday, whether it was on Tuesday or whether it was Wednesday. Kelsey always took two hours out of her day to prepare and get better,” her mother said. It’s not only her parents who helped Kelsey develop into the star she is now, but her siblings also played a vital role in the Fever star’s initial phase.

Does Kelsey Mitchell Have Siblings?

Kelsey Mitchell has three siblings. Elder twin brothers Kevin and Cameron, and her twin sister Chelsea. With four children at home, Mark and his wife always thought of letting them pursue their dream of sport. “So my wife and I, we say that our kids probably did everything you could do,” Mark Mitchell said. “They did swimming, they did golf, bowling, Taekwondo, Tai Chi you name it, they did it. And, they were really, really good at it.”

It was not difficult for them as well. Growing up in a family with an athletic background, Kelsey’s brothers and sister also took up sports. Interestingly, they all tried their hand in multiple sports, both indoor and outdoor, and chose different sports altogether.

Cameron chose to be a budding football star who had the athletic prowess to excel in the game. His twin brother Kevin was a standout soccer player and even made it into the Team USA Development camps. Sadly, he gave up soccer when he joined his father at Taft High School, where there was no soccer team.

Chelsea was outspoken and also possessed the athletic skills to play games, while Kelsey chose to take basketball as a career once she reached the seventh grade. Four of them used to play basketball in the backyard of their suburban Cincinnati home, and it was this time playing against her brothers and their friends and sister Kelsey developed a competitive nature and skill set to reach the top level.