"Never had a coach that poured into me": Kelsey Mitchell details how Stephanie White's influence fueled her rise WNBA stardom

Stephanie White's appointment at the start of the year was met with optimism by Indiana Fever fans and she has delivered in her first season. Kelsey Mitchell has improved the most under White's tutelage and detailed how the coach fueled her rise to WNBA stardom.

During the post-game conference after the Fever's win over the Atlanta Dream on Thursday, Mitchell opened up about White's influence and her role in helping her become a better player.

"I've never had a coach that poured into me, respectfully, like Steph has," Mitchell said (Timestamp: 5:54 onwards). "I go where I'm valued. I've never really felt that as a pro. So for the first time in my career, I really feel like I have someone who values what I bring to the table as a player and a person."

Continuing to express her views on White as a coach, Mitchell showed love to her coach before thanking her for the continued belief.

"I always love Steph because she gave me an opportunity to kind of be who I am," Mitchell continued. (6:13 onwards) "And it's hard to do that and be that as a professional athlete. And when you find coaches that believe in you, I'll never take it for granted. So thank you, coach."

Mitchell's words of adoration stem from her enjoying her best season in the league this season. The guard has been the Fever's best player in Caitlin Clark's absence this term, averaging 20.2 points and 3.4 assists.

Kelsey Mitchell has continued this fine form in the playoffs, averaging 23.3 points in three games, as she helped Indiana reach the semifinals for the first time in over 10 years.

Kelsey Mitchell shows love to her team as they overcome the Atlanta Dream with a resilient performance

The Indiana Fever have struggled with injuries throughout the season, with their backcourt missing several key players, including Sophie Cunningham and Caitlin Clark. In their absence, Kelsey Mitchell has stepped up to lead the team, as they continued their playoff journey with a win over the Atlanta Dream on Thursday.

Despite being their best performer, Mitchell showed love to her teammates after their win at Gateway Center.

"It's a resilient group," Mitchell said. (TS- 0:11 onwards) "We seen the worst of the worst, the lowest of the low. And right now, it's about making sure that we make plays and be there for each other."

The Fever will face the Aces in the semi-finals, with the first game slated for Sunday.

About the author

Arian Kashyap is a basketball journalist at Sportskeeda with over two years of experience at Essentially Sports and Spice Bite and a Bachelor's in Physical Education and Sports Sciences.

Arian's favorite team is the Miami Heat and it’s mainly down to Dwyane Wade being his favorite player of all time. Arian loved how explosive Wade was as a player and he had all the attributes, whether that be shooting, defending or passing. Arian really liked how he won titles both with and without a dynasty behind him.

Arian has also worked with Bhaichung Bhutia Football Schools and was the manager for a Delhi-based women’s team called Garwhal Untied. Garwhal won the Delhi league and were runners-up during his tenure.

Arian has judged essay writing competitions for the Commonwealth Students Welfare Group of India in 2023 and was a part of the U-14 team for the Bhaichung Bhutia Football Schools academy that qualified for the AIFF Round in 2023.

When not working or watching sports, Arian likes riding his motorcycle and reading.

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Edited by nagpaltusharn25