INDIANAPOLIS — When the buzzer rang out on the Fever's Father's Day matinee against the Chicago Sky, Indiana players were in good spirits. They had just won their fifth game of the season — their second against the Sky — and now sit in playoff contention nearly halfway through the season.

But seven-year veteran Kelsey Mitchell had other things on her mind. Mitchell had just finished the game with 17 points on 7-of-13 shooting, along with four rebounds, and had a message for fans following the on-floor postgame interview.

"To all the fathers out there, happy Father's Day," Mitchell told fans from the floor of Gainbridge Fieldhouse. "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."

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Mitchell's dad, Mark, died suddenly at March at 56 years old. He is survived by his wife, Cheryl Mitchell, as well as Kelsey and her three siblings Cameron, Kevin and Chelsea.

His death came just a month before Kelsey was due to report to 3x3 Olympic Training Camp in April, as well as WNBA training camp with the Fever. In these past few months, family has been paramount for Kelsey — she goes back to her hometown Cincinnati to visit her mom as much as possible, including on every off-day.

"Family has been everything, obviously, and I've been able to see my mom in decent spirits, considering losing the love of her life," Mitchell said. "For me, my support system is my family and friends, I think has taken me over the top."

Her dad was always involved in sports, playing football at Eastern Kentucky before becoming a basketball coach. Sports came naturally to all of his children — both Kelsey and Chelsea played basketball at Ohio State, where Mark was an assistant coach for their entire college career. In 2018, after both Kelsey and Chelsea graduated from Ohio State, he went on to coach in the Cincinnati Public School System, as well as Wilberforce University.

After Kelsey was drafted to the Fever, she and her dad would frequently talk about basketball — he was the first person she called to vent her frustrations or celebrate her wins. Living just a couple hours away, her parents would frequently come to home Fever games in Indianapolis to support her.

Now, she's working through a new normal in her first WNBA season where she can't see her dad in the stands cheering her on.

"I just miss my dad a lot," Mitchell said. "Just having to do this without him, this lifestyle, I always expected my parents to be around, both of them, so it's a new experience for me, but I'm embracing it. I feel good about the 28 years I had with my dad."

Mitchell also has a new normal in the number of eyes on her longtime Fever team. With the addition of Fever rookie Caitlin Clark, Indiana has been breaking viewership records across multiple networks. Those extra eyes, though, come with extra criticism — especially with diehard fans who expected their favorite player in Clark to win with the Fever immediately.

But Mitchell, who had a slow start to the season because of an ankle injury, knows how to block out the noise — it's something her dad taught her while she was growing up.

"A lot of people can say a lot of things about you, but I feel prepared," Mitchell said. "My dad prepared me for every kind of moment. I can go into any atmosphere, any circumstance, and be able to come out smelling like fresh air, and that's because of my dad. Anything you throw at me, I'm gonna get back up."

Now, Mitchell is averaging 15.4 points a game for a team that has won four of its past six games. And she's building a legacy with the Fever — much like her dad built a legacy in Ohio — with him by her side the entire time.

"I say that all the time that legacy is everything, and I feel like my dad left that," Mitchell said. "I feel like even though he's not here, I feel him everywhere I go, so spirits are high."

Follow IndyStar Fever Insider Chloe Peterson on X at @chloepeterson67.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Fever star Kelsey Mitchell feels dad's presence despite his death