13 hours ago
11
Indiana Fever star Kelsey Mitchell has shared a concerning update on the health issue that forced her to exit the team's final game of the season.
Mitchell, the standout star for the Fever, had to be helped off the court during the third quarter of Indiana's season-ending Game 5 loss to the Las Vegas Aces on Tuesday evening.
The 29-year-old went down with a non-contact injury with around five minutes remaining in the quarter and was seen rubbing her left leg.
The Fever said in a statement on Wednesday that the guard had suffered 'extreme cramping' in her lower body and was transported to hospital before being released late on Tuesday night.
However, Mitchell has now shared more terrifying details about the reason behind her early exit from the 107-98 defeat.
She revealed that she suffered from Rhabdomyolysis, which is a life-threatening health condition where damaged muscle tissue breaks down, releasing muscle components into the bloodstream, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Indiana Fever star Kelsey Mitchell (left) has shared a concerning health update with fans
The guard went down with a non-contact injury during the third quarter of Tuesday's loss
The condition can lead to kidney failure and heart problems, and can even prove to be fatal.
'My muscles stopped producing and reached it's maximum capacity,' Mitchell wrote in a statement. 'I went into a sense of numbness/paralyzing feeling with no movement from my lower extremities for up to 5 to 7 seconds.
'Because my muscles stopped producing positive blood to my bloodstream, my body lucked up from a physical standpoint and from there fatigue and cramping settled in.'
She described the incident as an 'out of body experience' but assured fans that she is back to 'walking and moving at a slow pace.'
After being released from hospital on Tuesday night, Mitchell is expected to make a full recovery.
It ended up being the final game of Indiana's season as the Aces outlasted the Fever 107-98 in overtime to set up a WNBA Finals series against the Phoenix Mercury.
Rising star Caitlin Clark tweeted after the loss, 'So much to be proud of [heart emojis] shoutout the fans for staying with us all year.'
In a season defined by injuries for the Fever, Mitchell was by far and away the team's best player - finishing in the top-3 for MVP voting in the league.
The Fever standout had to be helped off the court by training staff and was taken to hospital
Multiple players on the Fever sustained season-ending injuries - including Clark (groin), Sophie Cunningham (MCL), Sydney Colson (torn ACL), Chloe Bibby (knee) and Aari McDonald (foot).
In addition to the above, Damiris Dantas (concussion) missed part of the playoff series. Guard Lexie Hull admitted that she had been playing through a back injury.
Indiana fought through a frantic final minute to reach overtime, but did so without star Aliyah Boston - who fouled out late in the fourth quarter.
The Aces outscored the Fever 21-12 in the overtime period to reach their fourth WNBA Finals in six seasons.
