Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell has shed light on the frightening medical emergency that forced her out of the Fever’s decisive Game 5 semifinal clash against the Las Vegas Aces on Tuesday. Indiana ultimately lost 107-98 in overtime, ending their playoff run, but Mitchell’s sudden collapse became the bigger storyline of the night.
The 29-year-old All-Star went down in the third quarter after appearing to cramp. Teammates quickly formed a huddle around her to shield the scene as medical personnel rushed to the floor. A stretcher was brought out, but Mitchell refused it, instead being carried off by teammates and later escorted to the locker room with trainer support. She did not return.
On Wednesday, Mitchell confirmed she had been hospitalized and diagnosed with Rhabdomyolysis, a condition that occurs when overworked muscles break down and release contents into the bloodstream. In her post on X (formerly Twitter), she detailed what happened:
“I suffered from something called Rhabdomyolysis last night,” wrote Mitchell. “My muscles stopped producing and reached their maximum capacity. I went into a sense of numbness/paralyzing feeling with no movement from my lower extremities for up to 5 to 7 seconds. Because my muscles stopped producing positive blood into my bloodstream, my body locked up from a physical standpoint, and from there, fatigue and cramping settled in.
“It sucked. I panicked because I began to think the worst when I felt like I couldn't move my legs. It was an out-of-body experience for me, and I thank God for covering me at a time like that.”
“So today, on Oct. 1, I am walking and moving at a slow pace, but I will be fine very soon. I want to thank the Fever medical team, Vegas medical team, and the staff at the local hospital for keeping me safe.”
“In other words, I played literally 'til my wheels fell off, lmao. THANK you for the prayers, love, respect, and support throughout all of this. If you rode with me through this journey, then I love you!”
The guard had been leading the Fever throughout the postseason, averaging 23.3 points per game, up from her 20.2 points per game in the regular season. She scored 15 points before exiting Game 5. Her consistency has been the bedrock of her career, as she had previously missed only five games across eight WNBA seasons.
Indiana's loss to the defending champion Aces brought the curtain down on a historic year for the franchise. Hamstrung by injuries, with five players lost to season-ending setbacks, including rookie sensation Caitlin Clark, the Fever nevertheless reached the semifinals for the first time in team history.
