This year, Kelsey Mitchell became the first player in WNBA history to lead the league in both made threes and 3-point percentage in the same season.
She cashed in on 135 triples at a 45 percent clip, which is phenomenal efficiency for that volume; it’s the highest single-season percentage out of those who have made 100 or more 3s. For a career, it’s not unprecedented, as Jennifer Azzi shot 45.8 percent (first all time) with 158 makes.
Mitchell’s 135 treys set the new single-season record. For her to
lead the league in efficiency in the same year she accomplished that feat is simply incredible.
The only other player in W history to have a season in which they led the league in makes and a season in which they led in percentage is current Las Vegas Aces head coach Becky Hammon. Hammon came out on top in efficiency in 2003 at 46.9 percent with just 23 makes. Nine years later, her 80 makes tied Katie Douglas atop the W, with Hammon achieving hers at a 43.5 percent clip.
This was Mitchell’s second year in a row leading the league in makes; she recorded 111 last year at a rate of 39.4 percent. This was her fourth year in a row dropping at least 100 triples on better than 39 percent efficiency. Her career clip of 39.1 percent on 804 makes is ridiculous, though still topped by the great Sue Bird’s 39.2 percent on 1,001 makes. Mitchell ranks sixth all time in makes; Bird is the only player ahead of her who has a better percentage.
At age 30, with a lot of time left to play, Mitchell should easily pass Bird for second all time in makes; perhaps only Diana Taurasi’s 1,447 is out of reach, and even that might not be if Mitchell rivals DT’s longevity. One active player, Kayla McBride, has more makes (848) than Mitchell, but is four years older.
Kelsey Mitchell has earned those MVP chants from the Fever faithful
This 3-point excellence was a huge part of Mitchell averaging 24.7 points per game this year, which is the fifth-highest scoring average of all time and second this year to presumptive MVP A’ja Wilson (26.2).
Mitchell scored 20 or more points in 27-straight games from June 22 to this past Tuesday, creating a good amount of MVP buzz in the process. She finished fifth in voting for MVP last year and 10th the year before that. She has a chance to finish third this year. Our Edwin Garcia has her making her second-straight All-WNBA First Team on his official ballot.
Last year, with fellow superstar Caitlin Clark missing all but 13 games and a number of other teammates going down, Mitchell led her Indiana Fever to the No. 6 seed in the playoffs. At the time, I wrote about her having conquered the old demon of missing the playoffs repeatedly when not a lot of talent surrounded her. The fact that she made it without Clark is what made it so notable. She proved she could win as a team’s best player.
I then said if she were to lead Indiana to a first-round upset of the Atlanta Dream, “the noteworthiness of her season would go through the roof, greatly adding to her Fever legacy.”
I really didn’t think Indiana would get it done with all of their absences, but they did, with Mitchell averaging 23.3 points per game over the three-game series.
Her accomplishments became even more unthinkable in the semifinals, as she helped push the mighty Aces to overtime of Game 5. If she hadn’t had to exit the game with rhabdomyolysis due to the immeasurable effort she put in all playoffs long, Indiana might have gone to and won the Finals.
“I played literally til my wheels fell off,” Mitchell explained at the time.
Then, you add on everything she has accomplished this year. She doesn’t have a championship yet, but, boy, is she beloved by the Fever faithful. That legacy of hers really did go through the roof.
The Fever knew they were going to improve when they drafted Aliyah Boston at No. 1 in 2023, and even more so when they took Clark at No. 1 in 2024. What nobody saw coming amid the hype surrounding Boston and Clark was Mitchell elevating to superstar status as she hit her prime, becoming arguably the best player of the three.
I always knew Mitchell was really good, and really underrated while the Fever were struggling. But she has now messed around and become one of the best players in the entire league. It just speaks to her work ethic, and a drive that apparently knows no limits.
On Sunday, the Fever take on the Aces in Game 1 of the first round of the 2026 playoffs (4 p.m. ET, ABC). Boston is questionable with a lower leg injury, meaning Mitchell may have to step up even more than usual. But we already saw her do that last postseason.
Some people have an issue with Mitchell getting more MVP love than Clark, who is also in the conversation. This team probably faces more drama than any other team in league history ever has.
The noise has been quieted on and off, with the Fever at times looking like championship contenders, only to then end the season by losing two of their last three games to fall to the No. 6 seed. Now it’s really time for Indiana to prove themselves in the playoffs. Unlike last year, expectations are high for them to make a run at the title.
