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The last time WNBA fans saw Kelsey Mitchell was the third quarter of Game 5 of the semifinals against the Las Vegas Aces. Despite the Indiana Fever losing Caitlin Clark and four other players to season-ending injuries ahead of the playoffs, the young and scrappy team was within reach of making the Finals for the first time since 2015.

The Aces were up, though barely, at home. Mitchell, who already had 15 points in the game, was driving to the rim when the refs stopped play to call an offensive foul on Aliyah Boston, which was her fifth foul of the game. On its own, that was a massive blow to the Fever.

However, it was what happened to Mitchell that would cause more concern. The team's leading scorer hunched over in pain and reached out to the nearest official to indicate something was wrong. Mitchell was guided to the floor, where she remained as players from both teams rushed to cover her behind towels for her privacy. A stretcher was brought out, though Mitchell would eventually walk off the court with her arms around two Indiana personnel.

The Fever would lose Game 5 107-98 in overtime to the eventual WNBA champions, while Mitchell was taken to the hospital, where she was diagnosed with Rhabdomyolysis, a scary condition in which damaged muscle tissue breaks down and releases harmful proteins into the bloodstream. 

On Monday, during Unrivaled's media day, Mitchell provided an update on her health.

"I feel great. I feel fine. I think I just had hopefully a once-in-a-lifetime experience, something I hopefully don't have to experience anymore," she told CBS Sports. "I think God sat me down on purpose." 

The 'ultimate teammate'

Rhabdomyolysis is brought on by several factors, including, in Mitchell's case, intense exercise. But Mitchell, who will play in Unrivaled in early 2026 and is signed up to play in Project B next WNBA offseason, says she doesn't plan to change her approach to basketball due to the injury. 

"I did play to the wheels fell off, literally, but I think it was just for the better cause of what our season was. I would do it all over again," Mitchell said. "I'm gonna do my best to be me and try to be me. And if that does happen again, I guess it'll happen again."

 It is not a surprise that Mitchell was spent at the end of the season. She carried a very heavy load for the injury-ravaged Fever last season, especially during a grueling and surprising playoff run, and had the best season of her eight-year WNBA career, averaging a career-high 20.2 points per game in the regular season and 22.3 points in the postseason. The Game 5 against Vegas was her 52nd WNBA game of the season.

On Monday her Fever teammate and Unrivaled colleague Lexie Hull praised Mitchell's dedication.

"Kelsey is just the ultimate teammate. She pushed herself and her body to the absolute limits and laid everything she had on the line for us," Hull said. 

"She just does that every single day, and obviously, really sad to see how the season ended for our team, but also just how it ended for her, because I know more than anything, she'd want to be out there for the last buzzer went off. So I love her. She's a great teammate, and just so proud of the effort she continues to put in every day," 

An uncertain future

Mitchell has been with the Fever since they drafted her with the No. 2 overall pick in 2018.  But Mitchell is a free agent right now -- as is the majority of the WNBA -- and will have to wait until the new CBA is signed to start planning out her future. The CBA deadline has been extended twice since the 2025 season ended, and is currently set to expire on Jan. 9, a few days after Unrivaled tips off. 

In its inaugural year, Unrivaled proved to be the league where players' free-agency conversations took place. Mitchell, who explored free agency for the first time last season, opted to re-sign with the Fever. The Fever have expressed a desire to re-sign Mitchell, but on Monday she said she will be open to all conversations when the time comes. 

While the new CBA will hopefully lead to clarity about where she will play next season, Mitchell hopes it also will lead to healthier players and better development opportunities across the league. In their latest proposal, the WNBPA is pushing for a CBA that requires teams to carry 12 players and two additional developmental players at all times. Additional roster spots has long been a topic of conversation among players, some suggesting roster expansion should happen before team expansion. 

"Anything that you do that can withstand us being who we need to be, without, you know, overcompensating so much [is good]," Mitchell said. "If you have a developmental league, I think the players that are on the team ... you get the chance to grow with each other." 

For now, Mitchell is grateful for the opportunity to hit the court with Unrivaled to assess her health and her game.

"I feel good getting back into it. Is it easy? Heck, no. One of the hardest things ever is when you have to reset and then come back and do everything all over again. But honestly, man, I think it's worth it. It made everything worth it," Mitchell said.