Kelsey Mitchell’s name being announced as a member of the Associated Press All-WNBA First Team sent a clear message to the league: her excellence can no longer be overlooked.

After years of elite-level scoring and leadership, Mitchell has finally received the national recognition she deserves. The Indiana Fever guard has consistently delivered high-level performances, and her 2025 campaign elevated her from perennial underrated star to undeniable top-tier talent.

Mitchell’s selection marks a major milestone not only for her personally but for the Indiana Fever franchise as a whole. Her journey with the team—through rebuilding years, coaching changes, and a revolving door of supporting casts—has been a lesson in perseverance.

This season, her game reached new heights. She averaged over 20 points per game, shot efficiently from all three levels, and took on added responsibilities as a leader for a young, surging squad. With Caitlin Clark drawing most of the media attention, Mitchell’s role as the team’s consistent offensive engine became even more vital.

Despite the presence of high-profile rookies and stars in Indiana, it was Mitchell who often served as the closer—hitting tough shots in crunch time, stabilizing the offense during droughts, and defending opposing guards at a high level.

Her basketball IQ and maturity were key in navigating the Fever through high-pressure situations. She didn’t just play well—she elevated those around her, and that’s the mark of a true All-WNBA performer.

But while Mitchell’s selection to the First Team was a well-earned triumph, the snub of her teammate Aliyah Boston from the AP All-WNBA Second Team raised more than a few eyebrows.

Boston, the 2023 Rookie of the Year and a pillar of Indiana’s resurgence, had another strong season that many assumed would earn her back-to-back All-WNBA honors. That assumption, as it turns out, was misplaced—despite the numbers and impact saying otherwise.

Boston’s season was statistically sound and strategically invaluable. She averaged a near double-double, remained one of the league’s most efficient post scorers, and anchored the Fever’s interior defense. Her presence in the paint changed games.

She was consistently tasked with guarding the opposing team’s best post player and still managed to stay productive on the offensive end. Boston’s footwork, vision, and passing out of double teams improved significantly from her rookie year, demonstrating both development and dominance.

When compared to other players who earned Second Team honors, Boston’s omission becomes even more difficult to justify. While some may point to a few quieter stat lines or Indiana’s midseason struggles, the advanced metrics tell a different story.

Boston ranked in the top five among bigs in player efficiency rating (PER), win shares, and defensive rating. She was more than deserving—she was essential to her team’s success, both statistically and in terms of intangibles.

Part of the issue may be that Boston’s game isn’t flashy in the traditional sense. She’s not launching logo threes or posting gaudy highlight reels every night. Instead, she dominates with fundamental skill, elite positioning, and basketball IQ.

It’s the kind of game that coaches and teammates appreciate more than highlight-hungry voters. But in postseason award voting, substance should always trump style—and in Boston’s case, it didn’t.

There’s also the undeniable reality that team narrative plays a role in award voting. With the arrival of Caitlin Clark and the media frenzy that followed, much of Indiana’s attention went to the rookie phenom.

While Clark deserved her spotlight, it sometimes came at the expense of recognizing the continued excellence of veterans like Boston. Her quieter consistency may have been overshadowed, even though her impact remained just as profound as last year, if not more.

For the Fever, the contrasting outcomes of Mitchell and Boston’s All-WNBA cases paint an interesting picture of where the franchise is headed. On one hand, having a First Team selection validates their rise from the lottery basement to playoff contention.

On the other, Boston’s snub underscores how difficult it is to receive consistent recognition in a league as competitive and talent-rich as the WNBA—especially when the spotlight shifts.

The sting of the snub is likely to fuel Boston moving forward. She’s already one of the most composed and focused young players in the league. Add in a bit of extra motivation, and she could take another leap in 2026 that leaves no room for voters to overlook her.

That chip on her shoulder—however quiet—could become a cornerstone of the Fever’s culture as they continue building around their young core.

It’s worth noting, too, that Boston’s leadership off the court is as crucial as her play on it. She is one of the locker room’s vocal leaders, setting standards for preparation, effort, and professionalism. In a team with such a youthful roster, that kind of presence matters.

She’s helping to shape the identity of a team that is transitioning from rebuild to contender. That kind of influence, while hard to quantify, is a major reason the Fever exceeded expectations this season.

Meanwhile, for Mitchell, this recognition represents the culmination of years of being overlooked. Since entering the league, she’s had to battle for respect on a national level, despite regularly ranking among the top guards in scoring.

With the Fever finally getting national attention, voters could no longer ignore what Mitchell brings to the table. Her First Team selection is long overdue—but it’s a validation she fully earned.

In the broader context of the league, Mitchell’s rise and Boston’s snub are reminders of how subjective awards can be. They highlight the need for voters to look beyond headlines, past social media buzz, and into the nuances of how players contribute to winning.

The WNBA is in a golden age of talent, and sometimes that leads to deserving players being left out. But it also makes it all the more meaningful when the recognition finally arrives.

As the Fever prepare for the next round of the playoffs, they do so with a team that’s more motivated than ever. Mitchell is playing the best basketball of her career, now with the honor to match.

Boston, fueled by what many see as an oversight, is ready to let her play do the talking. Together, they’re the foundation of something special brewing in Indiana—a franchise reborn, with its stars rising fast.

For fans, this season has already been a win. Watching Mitchell earn her flowers and Boston continue to evolve into a franchise cornerstone is the kind of story that energizes a fanbase.

The best part? This is just the beginning. The league is watching now, and next time around, it will be a lot harder to ignore the stars shining in Indiana.