“Sports are in our DNA,” says Kelsey Mitchell, having had athletes for parents. Soon to be one herself, she grew under their guidance, a little more of her father’s who also coached her at Ohio State University and shaped her life in the process. So even as she soared on the WNBA court this year for her best seasons yet, a spot remains empty in her heart for the late Mark Mitchell, impossible to be filled by any amount of success. 

Even months after her dad passed away, the 2x WNBA All-Star is still feeling the weight. In a conversation with ESPN, she said that her father built her entire game. “My dad trained me my whole life. I’m the blueprint of what he taught. It’s all of me,” she shared. According to the Indiana Fever star, her dad wasn’t just a parent, he was also her best friend, and they ‘did everything together.’

Mark Mitchell was a football player as a student at Eastern Kentucky. But in the early 2000s, he would make his mark as an assistant basketball coach at Winter Woods High School. Picking up from there, Mitchell went on to be the assistant coach for Ohio and found an opportunity to really shape the Fever guard. Under his tenure, she became the program’s all-time leading scorer, their first four-time All-American in women’s basketball, and the fastest to reach 2000 career points.

These are just the impact we could attach a name to. Having known 27 years with him, Kelsey reveals to be doing her best to adjust to the dreadful fact.

“It sucks. Man, it sucks,” she said, wishing she could turn back time and have just one more moment with her dad. She added, “I try to do the best job emotionally to keep myself intact, knowing how much my dad played a role in my life and being grateful for that… It’s not always easy.”

Mark Mitchell passed away in March earlier this year, cause not reported. The Dawn Staley Awardee confesses that there are tough moments, but instead of avoiding the sadness, she embraces it. “I don’t think I’ll ever be over it,” Kelsey said, “but my dad will always be with me.”

A Bittersweet Father’s Day For Kelsey Mitchell

This Father’s Day was hit differently for the WNBA star. Although she had just helped the Indiana Fever snag a win against the Chicago Sky, her mind was elsewhere. After the game, Kelsey took a moment to honor him and all the dads out there. 

“To all the fathers out there, happy Father’s Day,” she said. She added, “I’ve been fortunate to have a really great father in my life for the past 28 years who passed recently. To all the fathers out there, keep doing your thing, we couldn’t be here without you guys.”

Despite the pain, Mitchell continues to push forward. According to her, her dad prepared me for every kind of moment. Anything you throw at her, she is going to get back up. And that’s exactly what she’s doing. She had the best season of her career yet, averaging 19.2 points and leading the team in scoring. She also shot career-best from the field at 46.8% and joining forces with Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston for “three-headed monster,” as Christie Sides puts it, lead the team to its first playoff in 8 years while attaining the feat for the first time herself.