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Kelsey Mitchell Rejects Fever Teammate's High Five Amid Playoff Loss Frustration

Indiana Fever star guard Kelsey Mitchell showed some frustration when a teammate tried to embrace her on Wednesday.

Grant Young

Sep 25, 2024; Uncasville, Connecticut, USA; Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) talks to Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell (0) during the first half during game two of the first round of the 2024 WNBA Playoffs at Mohegan Sun Arena. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images
Sep 25, 2024; Uncasville, Connecticut, USA; Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) talks to Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell (0) during the first half during game two of the first round of the 2024 WNBA Playoffs at Mohegan Sun Arena. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images / Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images

The Indiana Fever's 2024 season has come to an end.

Indiana suffered an 87-81 loss to the Connecticut Sun on Wednesday, meaning that the Fever went 0-2 in the WNBA playoffs.

Given that Connecticut might be the most experienced team in the league and nearly all of Indiana's roster has not so much as sniffed the postseason until this point, perhaps this result should not come as a surprise.

Yet, given the sustained excellence of the Fever's dynamic backcourt duo of Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell, many fans were convinced Indiana could overcome this tough first-round opponent.

While the Fever nearly pulled off a Game 2 upset, they ultimately fell short; and Mitchell struggled in the defeat. She finished the game with 17 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists, and a couple of mistakes in the fourth quarter that cost her team dearly.

Although it was a second-quarter interaction between Mitchell and Fever teammate Erica Wheeler that social media is dissecting.

A few minutes into the second quarter, ESPN's broadcast caught a visibly frustrated Mitchell nudging off a high five from Wheeler.

It's unclear what exactly Mitchell was frustrated about. Yet, given how cheerful and humble the longtime Fever veteran typically is, fans don't see this side of her very often.

While Mitchell may be upset about Wednesday's outcome (both individually and collectively), nobody can take away the excellent season that she produced, nor discount how important of a roster piece she is for the Fever.

Mitchell will now most likely become a free agent. Will she re-sign with the Fever? Only time will tell.

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Grant Young

GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young covers Women’s Basketball, the New York Yankees, and the New York Mets for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco (USF), where he also graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and played on USF’s Division I baseball team for five years. However, he now prefers Angel Reese to Angels in the Outfield.

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