There's no denying that Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell is one of the WNBA's most elite players. For the first time in her professional career, she will be participating in Unrivaled, a 3-on-3 league beginning next month in Miami. This fast-paced competitive league is the right fit for Mitchell. Anyone who has watched her, even dating back to her days at Ohio State, knows that she is the single, most lethal player on the floor. She draws the most attention from her opponents, and rightfully so. Her quick bursts into the paint make her next to impossible to defend, creating a nightmare scenario for anyone brave enough to guard her in a 3-on-3 scenario during Unrivaled.
Mitchell is coming off one of her strongest seasons in 2025 where she averaged 20.2 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game. She finished second in total points (890) in the entire league, which led to an All-WNBA First Team honor and a strong MVP candidacy, and she was a key component that helped get the Indiana Fever to the semifinals. Her fast-paced tempo into the paint isn't her only dangerous tool. She has also consistently been dominant beyond the arc. In fact, she led the league in 3-pointers made (111). All in all, Kelsey Mitchell will wreak havoc in Unrivaled. Her teammates on Team Hive, however, are thrilled to have her. Mostly because teaming up with Mitchell means not having to go up against one of the toughest players to guard.
Saniya Rivers "excited" to play alongside veteran Kelsey Mitchell
There isn't a single player more thrilled to have Kelsey Mitchell on Team Hive than Connecticut Sun rookie Saniya Rivers. In a recent interview with WNBA on NBC, Rivers mentioned Kelsey Mitchell when asked what she looks forward to the most about competing in her first Unrivaled season.
"First of all, I'm glad I don't have to guard Kelsey Mitchell for three months. That alone, excites me the most," she said.
Rivers also went on to say she looks forward to gaining any knowledge she can from Mitchell since this is their first time being teammates. Everyone will have eyes on Team Hive in anticipation of what Kelsey Mitchell will bring to the table competing in an environment and system that fits her skills. This isn't the first time she has received so much 'awe' and admiration. Several players can likely attest to Rivers' comments praising Mitchell's elite talent. Los Angeles Sparks veteran Kelsey Plum expressed her praise for Mitchell in an interview back in July that originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
"You know who's really hard to guard that doesn't get enough flowers is Kelsey Mitchell. She's so fast. She can stop on a dime," Plum said.
"A lot of guards I feel like, are either one way or the other. Like, they significantly prefer either to pull up outside or or go to the rim. But she, I swear, it's 50/50. You don't know which way she's going," Plum added.
This will be an outstanding opportunity for Saniya Rivers, a young and promising guard, to develop and polish her skills while playing alongside someone who just repeatedly dominates and attacks the game. What makes Unrivaled so admirable is not only that it’s giving players an opportunity to continue to earn a salary during the offseason, but it also allows them to play at a completely different level and pace with the 3-on-3 rules, exposing areas that need improvement. Once they are able to harness this knowledge, they can lean on their veteran teammates in Unrivaled to give them a different perspective on their style and skills that need further development. It also works well for veteran players because it allows them to bounce back from underperforming seasons in the WNBA.