A four-time All-American at Ohio State, a two-time Big Ten champion and now a WNBA All-Star.
The WNBA announced the reserves for the 2023 All-Star Game on Saturday, and former Buckeye great Kelsey Mitchell made the cut for the first time in her sparkling professional career.
JUST ANNOUNCED: Your 2023 @ATT #WNBAAllStar Reserves pic.twitter.com/AxhNvHl0Sg
— WNBA (@WNBA) July 1, 2023
KELSEY MITCHELL IS A @WNBA ALL-STAR!
— Indiana Fever (@IndianaFever) July 1, 2023
https://t.co/3uq8oit3o0 pic.twitter.com/YDLrIKttt4
The Cincinnati native is averaging exactly 17 points a night and shooting 38.4% from three for an improved Indiana Fever squad. Mitchell is one of just five players in the league that has scored at least 17 points per game in each of the past three seasons.
The first half of Mitchell’s sixth campaign has been filled with standout performances, but perhaps no moment was more impressive than the step-back game-winner that she buried on the road in Chicago.
KELSEY MITCHELL GAME WINNER pic.twitter.com/hGKaxGEpZj
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 16, 2023
Mitchell has endured several All-Star snubs through the years, with detractors pointing to the Fever’s abysmal records. But with Indiana in the thick of the playoff chase this season, both Mitchell and star rookie Aliyah Boston were included in the field.
The 27-year-old joins Hall of Famer Katie Smith and 2016 champion Jantel Lavender as the only Ohio State players to make a WNBA All-Star team.
Mitchell left an incredible legacy in college; she remains second on the Division I women’s all-time scoring list. Her skill set has translated to the league beautifully, and only the legendary Tamika Catchings has tallied more points as a member of the Fever.
Breanna Stewart and A’ja Wilson will serve as captains of the All-Star Game for the second consecutive year. The two perennial MVP candidates are set to draft their squads on Saturday, July 8 (1 p.m., ESPN) and Mitchell makes her long-awaited debut in the contest on Saturday, July 15 (8:30 p.m., ABC) in Las Vegas.
