Kelsey Mitchell Holds Back Tears After Personal Revelation

After seven years in the WNBA, all of which were played for the Indiana Fever, Kelsey Mitchell will finally get a taste of the playoffs for the first time. This is after the Fever broke an eight-year postseason curse behind an incredible rookie campaign from Caitlin Clark.

There's no denying, however, that Mitchell has also played a pivotal role in Indiana's success this season. She's arguably having her best season as a pro, and this has been a big reason why the Fever are headed to the playoffs.

On Thursday, September 19, ahead of their final game of the regular season against the Washington Mystics, Mitchell was asked by reporters what all this means to her. The two-time All-Star could not help but get emotional as she made a personal revelation about playing for the legacy of her dad.

"It'll be an experience from a standpoint, I've never been a part of it," she said. "So the spectacle, the fans, that'll be new for me. So I'll be like a kid in a candy store, probably.

"But ultimately, I got a legacy to uphold. I got a legacy to keep. And that's my dad. And so my mindset and my focus is to go and have that maintain focus for 40 minutes and compete. Not for myself, but the Fever, but ultimately, I got a lot to fight for."

Mitchell was clearly emotional as she spoke about her dad, who passed away suddenly in March 2024 at the age of 56. Kelsey was on the brink of tears, and she had to dig deep within her to hold her emotions back.

As she said, Kelsey Mitchell will have a lot to play for as she takes a major step in her WNBA career. At the end of the day, however, her thoughts will be with her dad and her family when she steps on the court for the first time in the postseason.

The Connecticut Sun and the Las Vegas Aces are both in action on Thursday as they battle for the No. 3 seed. This will determine which team Indiana (No. 6) gets to face in the opening round.

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