Kelsey Mitchell rewrites WNBA history with new single-season scoring record

Kelsey Mitchell has established a new benchmark for offensive output in the Women’s National Basketball Association, breaking the single-season scoring record during a match against the Toronto Tempo on Friday night. The Indiana Fever guard finished the contest with 1,023 points, a total that places her in exclusive company within the league’s historical records.

The record-breaking moment arrived less than four minutes into the third quarter, when Mitchell sank a three-pointer to surpass the previous mark held by Las Vegas Aces forward A'ja Wilson. Wilson, the reigning four-time WNBA MVP, had held the record prior to this season. Mitchell entered the game needing 20 points to tie Wilson’s total, and she had already scored 16 points by the end of the first half.

This achievement adds to a list of statistical milestones Mitchell has reached this campaign. She previously broke Wilson’s record for consecutive 20-point scoring games earlier in the season and has now extended that streak to 25 straight performances. By eclipsing the 1,000-point threshold, Mitchell joins Wilson as the only two players in WNBA history to achieve that feat in a single season.

Beyond total points, Mitchell is also in contention for the single-season three-point record. She made five three-pointers in the Friday game, bringing her season total to 126. However, the race for this specific mark remains fluid, as Atlanta’s Rhyne Howard recently broke Sabrina Ionescu’s 2023 record and enters the weekend with 129 makes.

The performance underscores the shifting landscape of scoring dominance in the WNBA. While Mitchell’s total is now a fixed historical record, the three-point race continues to evolve as the season progresses. For the Indiana Fever, the milestone provides a significant statistical landmark, even as the team navigates the broader competitive dynamics of the league.