Indiana’s Kelsey Mitchell stepped in as a last-minute replacement for her Fever teammate Erica Wheeler in the WNBA All-Star skills challenge competition.
Unfortunately, Wheeler couldn’t make it to Phoenix due to a malfunctioning software update that caused widespread technological disruptions on Friday, leading to flight delays.
Despite efforts from Pacers CEO Mel Raines to arrange a charter flight, there were no options available on such short notice for the Fever guard who was en route from Atlanta to Phoenix.
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Although Mitchell has never been in the skills challenge before, she did participate in the 3-point contest last year. She will be competing alongside Phoenix’s Brittney Griner and Sophie Cunningham, Connecticut’s Marina Mabrey, and Atlanta’s Allisha Gray in the event.
“I’m excited about it,” Mitchell expressed in a video. “I don’t know how I’ll measure up to Erica, but I’ll do my best to represent the Fever organization, aim for the win, and most importantly, have fun!”
The champion of the competition will receive $2,575 from the league as per the Collective Bargaining Agreement, along with an additional $55,000 from Aflac through their partnership with the WNBPA.
