"I cried about that" - Kelsey Mitchell Reflects on Her Injury Heartbreak During Fever’s Potential Finals Push

Kelsey Mitchell's horrific rhabdomyolysis injury was perhaps the biggest what-if moment in the WNBA in the 2025 season. The Indiana Fever took the defending champions, the Las Vegas Aces, to a series decider, Game 5, in the semifinals after Mitchell collapsed in the third quarter.

If anything, the Fever had shown throughout the 2025 playoffs, it was their grit and tenacity, and there were expectations that the Fever might come out victorious against A'ja Wilson and Co. However, that hope died once Mitchell went down with the scary muscle injury.

On Friday, when Kelsey Mitchell appeared on Sue Bird's "Bird's Eye View" podcast, she had a similar emotion. The Fever star said that she felt like the 2025 season was the "moment" for the Fever.

"I felt like that was a moment for our group. ...I felt like where we were and what we were doing and the path we were taking and the way start to play and the way like TH started to rebound a little bit more. I was like, if this going to be a time, this is going to be our time," Mitchell said.

"You know, like that's how I felt like and I think that I cried about that more than anything because...I felt like I was prepared for the moment."

Mitchell added that after her injury and when the Fever lost Game 5, she started having wild ideas in her head.

"I was like wow maybe like you know the spiritual or whatever to God like maybe he didn't want this moment for me and so my mind started to play tricks on me for a while." (Timestamp 1:04:25)

Kelsey Mitchell credits Stephanie White for renewing her confidence

As soon as the Indiana Fever got the chance, they acquired Stephanie White as the head coach, and apart from trading for crucial pieces, it proved to be a crucial piece for Indiana's success. Kelsey Mitchell also credited her breakout season to her coach.

During the interview, Sue Bird asked Mitchell about the impact of White on her game this season. Mitchell poured her heart out, saying that it was the first time in her career that she felt protected under a coach.

"Oo, Steph was big because I think for me, Sue, uh, we talked about having five coaches, eight years," Mitchell said. "This was one of the first times in my career that I felt like I felt safe through my coach."

"Like I felt that's big. I felt I could be me and not be overly criticized about being me, but instead, help me be a better me. I just think that she didn't take away confidence. She instead poured it into us." (Starts at 57:15)

Kelsey Mitchell revealed that when Lexie Hull was going through a shooting slump, White made sure to keep her spirits high. Mitchell said that the Fever coach instead told Hull to continue shooting.

"It was like it's dope because it's like you get that you get that coach or a leader that like believes in your abilities, and knowing that whatever system she did and want for us, she knew that we could do," Mitchell added.

Even without two of her big stars, White inspired her team to Game 5 of the WNBA semifinals. With Caitlin Clark, Sophie Cunningham and other stars back in the lineup, Indiana's 2026 season could prove to be big.