After back-to-back seasons of winning the lottery, the Indiana Fever is finally in a position to make the WNBA Playoffs. After a murky start to 2024, Indiana appears to be hitting its stride at the right time, led by its All-Star backcourt of Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell.
On Aug. 26, Mitchell led the Fever with a season-high 29 points to go along with 7 rebounds in an 84-79 win over the Atlanta Dream.
“I think for us, it’s about playing uptempo, and I like to play that way, and I have teammates who want to play that way,” Mitchell told Atlanta reporters after the game. “So for me, it’s about being confident in my play, but playing alongside my teammates, and letting that chemistry flow. When I find my spots and utilize my team to find those spots, I look decent.”
This season, Mitchell has made her second All-Star Game, and supporting her courtside at one of the matches was rapper Skylar Blatt.
“Skylar and I grew up together,” Mitchell told rolling out after the game. “We came up from the city of Cincinnati, West End, and I got a chance to hoop [with her].”
Blatt, who dropped “Wake Up” featuring Chris Brown this summer, also remembers playing ball with Mitchell.
“Her dad was a teacher at our school,” Blatt told rolling out. “He was the gym teacher and basketball coach.”
Mitchell’s profile has soared from being known as the league’s most underrated player to a starter on the most-watched WNBA team this season thanks in large part to her rookie teammate, Clark. Blatt told rolling out she loves the added attention Clark has brought to the league and the Fever because they deserve it. The rapper said she doesn’t believe Mitchell’s efforts get overshadowed by Clark’s popularity, like on May 24 in Los Angeles when Mitchell fueled a fourth-quarter comeback, but Clark got the postgame on-court interview and headlines after the win over the Sparks.
“Kelsey’s not forgotten,” Blatt said. “She’s a veteran. It’s a difference. Caitlin deserves the recognition she’s getting. Clearly, she worked for it. So it’s not like [fans] forgot about Kelsey Mitchell. Kelsey Mitchell is a dog. She’s a veteran, and it’s impossible to forget about her. They’re on the same team, so if they come to see you, they’re coming to see me.”
