The Indiana Fever’s remarkable playoff journey ended in a heartbreaking 107-98 overtime loss to the Las Vegas Aces. The game itself was a nail-biter, with the Fever pushing the defending champions to the absolute limit despite being short-handed. The team’s spirit was visibly shattered, however, when a key player suddenly collapsed on the court late in the third quarter. This unforeseen medical emergency shifted the focus from the scoreboard to the well-being of one of their brightest stars.
That star was Kelsey Mitchell, the team’s leading scorer and an All-Star guard whose performance had been instrumental throughout the postseason. The scary scene unfolded as Mitchell drove toward the basket, only to suddenly stop and lean on an official for support before sinking to the floor. Teammates and trainers quickly surrounded her, holding up towels to block the view from the crowd and cameras as a stretcher was brought out. Mitchell was eventually helped to her feet and assisted off the court, leaving fans and players alike deeply concerned for her health. A recent tweet from the web revealed what Mitchell said about the event.
In a tweet shared by reporter Scott Agness, Mitchell has now revealed the frightening details of that incident. She explained the cause was a condition called rhabdomyolysis, which she attributed to overuse. “I feel fine. … I probably should take a lot of time to reset because I lost a lot of fluid,” Mitchell stated. She described the terrifying moment her body shut down, saying, “In that moment, I felt scared because my legs were numb … and I couldn’t feel my feet.” The condition left her unable to move her lower body for several seconds during the crucial semifinal game.
Mitchell elaborated on the experience in a lengthy social media post, providing more context to her initial comments. “i suffered from something called Rhabdomyolysis last night. my muscles stopped producing and reached it’s maximum capacity,” she wrote. The guard detailed an “out of body experience” where she felt a paralyzing numbness. She was transported to a Las Vegas hospital, where she received fluids and was released later that same night. By the next day, she was already walking again, albeit slowly, and expected to make a full recovery from the serious muscle condition often linked to extreme exertion.