Indiana Fever star Lexie Hull witnessed first-hand how Kelsey Mitchell carried the team following Caitlin Clark‘s injury during the 2025 season.
Clark played just 13 games in the past campaign due to a groin injury. As a result, guard Kelsey Mitchell was tasked with carrying the majority of the offensive load for Indiana, and she delivered, averaging 20.2 points on 45.6% shooting — all while playing in all 44 regular-season games.
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With Mitchell leading the way, Indiana finished with a 24-20 record, good for sixth in the WNBA standings. They qualified for the playoffs and exceeded expectations by making it to the semifinals.
Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell (0) looks on during a game.© Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
Mitchell gave it her all for the Fever, to the point that her body literally gave up. To recall, in Game 5 of the WNBA semifinals against the Las Vegas Aces, the 30-year-old veteran was forced to exit after suffering from rhabdomyolysis, a medical condition in which her “muscles stopped producing and reached its maximum capacity.”
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Hull has nothing but respect and admiration for Mitchell, especially after the sacrifice she made to carry the Fever. The former Stanford star shared as much during media day at Unrivaled, noting that Mitchell is the “ultimate teammate.”
“She pushed herself and her body to the absolute limits and laid everything she had on the line for us,” Hull shared, via the Fever.
“She led the way just showing up every day and really doing whatever the team needed. She’s put so much into the Fever franchise and she’s been there for a long time and continuing to believe in the process.”
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Hull knows that Mitchell would have wanted to finish their season better instead of being injured, but regardless, she’s proud of her and what she has accomplished.
Both Hull and Mitchell will be playing in Unrivaled, which kicks off on Jan. 5. The former will be returning to her old team, Rose BC, while the latter will play in her first season in the 3-on-3 tournament for new team, Hive BC.
While they won’t be on the same side this time around, both players will look to make an impact in the upstart league, just as they did in the WNBA with the Fever.
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Related: Caitlin Clark’s Appearance in Fever’s Throwback Photo Grabs Attention
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Dec 22, 2025, where it first appeared in the WNBA section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
