Bird's Eye View with Sue Bird

Episode: Kelsey Mitchell on Her Leg Injury and the Indiana Fever’s Impressive Playoff Run

Date: October 24, 2025
Host: Sue Bird
Guest: Kelsey Mitchell (Indiana Fever All-Star guard)

Episode Overview

In this episode, Sue Bird sits down with Indiana Fever star Kelsey Mitchell for a deep, candid conversation covering her harrowing leg injury during the 2025 WNBA Playoffs, the Fever’s journey back into playoff prominence, personal loss, growth as a leader, and navigating the ever-changing world of women's basketball. Kelsey offers insight into her mindset, her development both on and off the court, and the unique chemistry of the Fever’s new core—featuring herself, Caitlin Clark, and Aliyah Boston. The episode alternates between laughter, vulnerability, and tactical basketball discussion, making it a valuable listen for any fan of the WNBA.

Key Topics and Insights

Opening: College Greatness and NIL Talk

[02:11–11:38]

• Sue Bird, with guest co-host Tommy, reflects on recent lists ranking the greatest women’s college basketball players. They discuss the importance of criteria in such rankings (championships, influence, stats), debate the placement and omission of players like Maya Moore, Sabrina Ionescu, Simone Augustus, and Shamiqua Holdsclaw.
• The conversation shifts to the impact of NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) and private equity on the future of college basketball, especially for women. Sue predicts coaching legacies will remain crucial but recognizes the unpredictable disruption NIL and money will bring.
  • Sue: “Everything about women's basketball right now is wild, Wild West.” [11:27]
  • Tommy: “Hard to predict, because nobody... there's no blueprint for any of this.” [11:13]

Kelsey Mitchell Enters: Coping with Injury, Grief, and Legacy

[11:59–13:19]

• Kelsey discusses being humbled by her recent injury and the emotional challenge of her season’s end, sharing how the trauma lingered beyond just basketball due to personal grief over her father’s death.
  • Kelsey: “For a good two weeks, I was just down... I'm glad I can be having this conversation with you.” [12:16]

Her Leg Injury: The Scare of “Rhabdo”

[13:19–15:16]

• Kelsey recounts her health scare with rhabdomyolysis (“rhabdo”), describing it vividly as an “out of body experience,” total numbness and panic—momentarily feeling paralyzed and grieving the possibility her career might end in that instant.
  • Kelsey: “I felt the worst of the worst... I was paralyzed. I was like, wow, is this really how it’s going to end?” [14:35]

Playing Through Grief, Passion, and Purpose

[15:53–18:03]

• Kelsey opens up about channeling the loss of her father into her game (“allowing hoop to kind of save my life at that time”).
  • She describes him as a hard-nosed disciplinarian whose love language was “shut up and work,” which continues to guide and motivate her.
  • Kelsey: “That’s like the love language that I had my pops... character, like who you are when no one’s watching.”

Career and Development: Adjustments, Leadership, and Scoring

[19:16–29:00]

• Making All-WNBA First Team: Kelsey reflects on the honor and humility of being named All-WNBA First Team, crediting both her competitors and personal perseverance.
• Transition from Ohio State to WNBA: The biggest challenge was managing pace and learning how to channel her speed and decision-making among equally athletic pros.
  • Kelsey: “Learning how to be a pro takes time, and I don’t think people really recognize that.” [21:07]
• Consistency and Improvement: Kelsey credits her relentless work ethic and refusal to rely on luck; describes “saving herself” by focusing on her craft through a stretch of instability in the Fever organization.
• Developing “Pace”: She attributes much of her unique tempo to early football-inspired speed training, guided by her father and continued with a running-back-style coach.
  • Kelsey: “People ask about my speed... we take footwork serious from the standpoint of stamina... my footwork and using it in bursting speeds... is how you gotta manage your game control.” [25:29–26:53]

The Art of Efficient Scoring and Team Balance

[31:03–33:43]

• Kelsey addresses the fine line between “hunting shots” and playing within the team, crediting her own maturation and the value of having dynamic teammates (A.B. – Aliyah Boston, Caitlin Clark).
• Top Five Bucket Getters in the WNBA (per Kelsey):
  • A'ja Wilson
  • Brittney Sykes (“she can go get one”)
  • Naphessa Collier (“best footwork... simple but lethal”)
  • Allisha Gray
  • Kahleah Copper

Leadership Philosophy: Bringing Others Along

[36:03–39:19]

• Kelsey explains how she learned to lead—not by being vocal, but by literally bringing teammates along in workouts and off-court preparation.
  • Kelsey: “If I go, I'm going to ask Lex if she want to go... I want us all to do it together.” [38:31]

Navigating New Dynamics: The Fever’s Core, Chemistry, and Public Scrutiny

[39:19–47:38]

• Sue and Kelsey discuss how Caitlin Clark’s arrival and media attention created “adjustment periods” for the roster and organization. Kelsey lauds Clark’s humility, work ethic, and her ability to fit in (“she never was bigger than the program”).
  • Kelsey: “She could have easily not been that person.” [42:18]
• The Fever’s new core of Kelsey, Clark, and Boston is built around pace and complementary skills (“I felt like a kid in a candy store”).
• Kelsey praises AB’s professionalism, maturity, and family ties that immediately clicked on and off the court.

2024–2025 Season: New Coach, New Vibes, and Playoff Breakthrough

[47:38–58:12]

• Discuss the excitement for the 2025 season as stars align for the Fever (All-Star Game, new coach Stephanie White, improved roster).
• The transformational impact of winning the Commissioner’s Cup, highlighting Natasha Howard’s leadership, and how adversity (injuries, roster shuffling) created resilience and togetherness.
  • Kelsey: “It tightened us in a different way.” [51:26]

Playoff Run Breakdown

[58:13–61:12]

• Kelsey talks about the “never say die” identity that fueled upset wins, especially in the Atlanta series, and how defeating adversity built confidence for the harder Vegas matchups.

The Steph White Effect: Feeling “Safe” with a Coach

[61:13–62:19]

• Kelsey: “This was one of the first times in my career that I felt like I felt safe through my coach... she poured [confidence] into us.” [61:27]

“Game of My Life”—The Injury in Game 5

[65:41–68:47]

• Kelsey reveals no warning before her breakdown in Game 5; she describes the sensation mid-game, and the emotional aftermath wondering “why the moment didn’t happen” for her and her team.
  • Kelsey: “…for the first or two times in my life, I felt like I was prepared for the moment… maybe [God] didn't want this moment for me.” [68:43]

Reflection: Building from the Pain

[70:04–72:10]

• Sue and Kelsey agree that the heartbreak and adversity will ultimately fuel future growth and resilience.
  • Kelsey: “We were the standard of not giving up… I think we were like, not that movie story, but in a lot of ways, a movie story. We could have tucked our tails too… but we didn’t.” [71:00]

Free Agency and the Future

[73:05–75:39]

• Kelsey discusses her loyalty to Indiana but realistically weighs family, new CBA rules, and her own value as she contemplates free agency.
  • Kelsey: “In both realms of life, I get to choose based on where I'm valued, and hopefully... I want to feel valued and let it all flow from there.” [75:39]

Lasting Legacy: Pride in Perseverance

[76:01–77:10]

• Kelsey’s biggest source of pride? Never folding, pushing through hardship, and always giving her best effort—in basketball and life.
  • Kelsey: “Folding is real... the part I'm most proud of so far is not letting everything we all go through every day be an excuse not to give my best.” [76:01]

Memorable Moments & Notable Quotes

• Sue Bird on Leadership: “The most important part about leadership is it being authentic.” [38:54]
• Kelsey on her unique routine: “To this day, I go to [my speed trainer] three times a week. To this day.” [25:28]
• Kelsey on the playoff run: “The mindset, it had, it put me in a different realm of growth. I felt like I was growing.” [63:56]
• On Steph White: “This was one of the first times in my career that I felt safe through my coach.” [61:27]
• On playing with Caitlin Clark: “She never was bigger than the program… but her style of play ended up complimenting me.” [41:07–41:23]

Notable Sections and Timestamps

• NCAA Greatest Players List Debate: [02:11–08:55]
• Future of College Hoops (NIL & Private Equity): [08:55–11:27]
• Kelsey on Injury and Grief: [12:10–14:35]
• Rhabdo Experience and Aftermath: [13:19–14:35]
• Evolution as a Scorer and Pro: [21:07–29:00]
• Discussion on Team Chemistry with Clark & Boston: [39:19–46:54]
• Winning the Commissioner’s Cup: [49:56–51:26]
• Playoff Identity and Atlanta Series: [58:12–61:12]
• Steph White’s Coaching Impact: [61:13–62:19]
• Game 5 Playoff Injury Breakdown: [65:41–68:47]
• Kelsey's Career Reflection: [76:01–77:10]
• Heartfelt closing and mutual respect: [78:15–78:38]

Final Thoughts

Sue Bird and Kelsey Mitchell take listeners behind the scenes of an extraordinary season in Indiana. They explore the heartfelt, human side of high-level women’s basketball—grief, resilience, leadership, and the realities of chasing greatness through change. Kelsey’s candor, optimism, and tenacious spirit shine, offering fans a richer understanding of both her journey and the Fever’s sudden resurgence. The episode strikes an ideal balance of tactical discussion, emotional depth, and authentic locker room energy.

For new listeners:
If you want to understand the Indiana Fever’s transformation, see inside Kelsey Mitchell’s mind, and get a sense of what fuels her—and perhaps, any great player—this conversation is essential.