Kelsey Mitchell was visibly taken aback when she learned live on air that she had made WNBA history during the Indiana Fever’s decisive victory against the Toronto Tempo on Friday night.
Now in her ninth WNBA season with the Fever, Mitchell has steadily risen to become a key offensive force, helping position the team as genuine title contenders this year. In Indiana’s first game after the FIBA World Cup break, Mitchell dominated with an impressive stat line: 33 points, two rebounds, two assists, and two steals over 33 minutes. She was incredibly efficient, shooting 12-of-17 from the field, including 7-of-11 from three-point range, and going a perfect 2-of-2 from the free-throw line.
This standout performance led Mitchell to break a new WNBA record by surpassing A’ja Wilson’s 1,021 points scored in 2024, giving her the highest single-season point total in league history. The announcement was fresh news to her, revealed during the ION postgame broadcast. “I think you just told me, to be honest,” she admitted in surprise.
In the 103-85 road win over the Tempo, Mitchell’s scoring outburst was complemented by Caitlin Clark, who contributed 28 points, 14 assists, and six rebounds. Clark shot 7-of-15 from the floor, including 2-of-8 on threes, while maintaining perfection at the free-throw line with 12-of-12 attempts. Myisha Hines-Allen added nine points and seven rebounds, and Aliyah Boston chipped in eight points and five boards.
With the victory, Indiana improved to a 27-14 record on the season, placing them second in the Eastern Conference, tied with the Atlanta Dream for first place, and ahead of rivals New York Liberty and Washington Mystics. Riding a three-game winning streak, the Fever look ahead to hosting the Mystics on September 20 at 4 p.m. ET.
Fan Take: Kelsey Mitchell’s historic scoring feat isn’t just a personal milestone—it signals the growing talent and excitement within the WNBA that fans crave. This achievement underscores the rising star power in the league and could attract even more attention and respect for women’s basketball nationwide.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
