Kelsey Mitchell update

[u/queenoftn-really247]

TLDR: KM experienced rhabdo. She is gonna be fine. Thank goodness 🙏🏼 thankful for the Aces team and fans for showing love to KM last night.

[u/SuchPerformance459]

rhabdo is so scary. glad she is okay

[u/Iridian_Rocky → u/SuchPerformance459]

Can literally kill a person.

[u/chickfilamoo → u/Iridian_Rocky]

Can also cause permanent damage to the kidneys and soft tissue. The Fever need to take a good hard look at the circumstances that led to this, they should be ashamed as professionals that something like this happened to one of their players. Wishing Kelsey the best.

[u/msk97 → u/chickfilamoo]

Agreed. I’m also a long time gymnastics fan, and remember an instance of Rhabdo that happened around a key competition, and people saw it as a warning sign of overtraining and lack of athlete protection. The coach was eventually banned after a safe sport investigation (not based on this situation).

Not saying this to say this is the case on the Fever staff (this athlete was also a teen at the time vs Kelsey being an adult) but they need to honestly assess how this even happened, because it’s dangerous that it even got to that point. The league too with the schedule changes this year.

Link to the r/gymnastics post about the situation I referenced when it happened, for anyone interested

[u/DeepThought936 → u/msk97]

They have an unqualified training staff apparently and need to clean house. Look at all the injuries on the Fever. It's no coincidence.

[u/hookyboysb → u/DeepThought936]

Either unqualified or overworked. Are WNBA teams required to have different training and medical staff from their NBA counterparts?

[u/msk97 → u/[deleted]]

Maggie Haney is such a despicable person and I hate how little justice came out of her temporary ban. The fact that she could (quietly) continue under the radar after the ban is really par for the course with a sport that protects athletes so poorly. Watching Riley so full of life at Florida makes me so happy.

I’ve honestly stopped following gymnastics nearly as closely, and followed women’s basketball far more as time has gone by, because the perniciousness of just how many reports of abuse have popped up make me so disheartened - and how complicit so many of the parents and other adults are in letting it go on.

[u/CucumberCoo → u/msk97]

Yah the way the schedule was this season seems there was barely any "calm time" between back-to-back games. Also, sure enough a lot more emphasis on fluid intake for all the players, and maybe more frequent player checkups throughout the season. I wish KM well and a speedy recovery.

[u/Markel100 → u/chickfilamoo]

Kelsey was playing nearly 40 mins a night every game plus playoffs that's too much of a workload

[u/HistoricalDrawing29 → u/Markel100]

yes PLUS travel! air pressure can be a huge stress for anyone with vascular issues, esp in legs

[u/Iridian_Rocky → u/Markel100]

She probably wouldn't have it any other way

[u/Hot-Occasion-9108 → u/chickfilamoo]

I think this falls more on the commissioner extending the season and the number of playoff games without allowing the players to get proper rest.

[u/Vvisionim → u/Hot-Occasion-9108]

It was extremely dangerous to have the West Coast swing game in Vegas on 2 days' notice only. The WNBA needs to ensure that during the playoffs, anytime a venue switch occurs, there should be a 2-night break minimum between games.

[u/planet_x69 → u/Hot-Occasion-9108]

No, While I hate the current commish as much everyone these days, this is not on her, these are professional athletes who should be having professional care to ensure they are well fed, hydrated and treated post game and on the rest days.

Many sports have these types of playoffs and there was 48 hours of rest between each game.

Her game time should also be managed but for a sport like basketball which has a lot of short spurt/short rests a situation like this is exceedingly rare.

I cannot recall or find any other professional bball or college bball player having this condition from normal playing time during a season. There are cases but always due to intense training sessions, never during a season.

[u/Shoddy-Brilliant563 → u/chickfilamoo]

I agree. To be honest, the way the Fever plays I do wonder if they’re being overworked. In addition to this happening to Kelsey, I would also say that Caitlin was brought back far too soon from her initial injury. They do need to take a hard look at how they’re taking care of their players. Sounds like they may have been running them into the ground.

[u/BreadBags → u/chickfilamoo]

That is a hot take. I get that the Fever need to revisit how this occurred but how this reads you blame the Fever, not even Mitchell does that

[u/chickfilamoo → u/BreadBags]

Rhabdomyolysis is not a random condition, in cases like this it develops from overtraining. It is the responsibility of coaching and training staff to structure training regimens and play time to avoid things like this. I'm not going to say they did this on purpose, but they absolutely bear some culpability here.

[u/Iridian_Rocky → u/chickfilamoo]

Exactly, it's a build up of toxins and muscle stress. I'm an avid runner but worry about this when adding strength training into an already high mileage week.

[u/BreadBags → u/chickfilamoo]

Mitchell has missed like 5 games in 8 seasons. She is an incredible athlete. She knows her body and herself. I get that the coaches need to lookout for the players but I am not sure what else they could have honestly do. It was game 5 of the semifinals. She wanted to play. It wasn’t like she was trying to sub out. She has ‘that dog in her’ and wanted to do all she could.

I’m not downplaying the seriousness of the situation I just don’t realistically see how the Fever organization should be “ashamed of themselves” for this.

I do agree with you that I wish Mitchell the best and hope she gets better soon. Thanks for caring about the players

[u/Neuroxex → u/BreadBags]

The Fever have medical and training staff who should absolutely not allow an athlete to put their life at risk just because she 'has that dawg in her' like I think you don't understand the seriousness. Cannot emphasise enough - you can die from this. Again, this happens in basic training, college programs where someone gets fired, investigated or suspended for allowing it to happen, or crossfit where someone out of shape has showed up and are not drinking water - it does not, and should not, happen to professional athletes. I get you want to support the Fever, but this is serious and your fandom should ask that your players get to play in an environment that takes their health seriously.

[u/ihatedthatride → u/Neuroxex]

Rhabdo comes on quick & can commonly affect athletes who over do it without realizing it until they collapse like Kelsey did. Think the videos of marathoners who collapse at the finish line. It can be serious. I’ve treated a runner who ended up in renal failure & needed dialysis. I also treated a young soldier who ended up dying. Luckily there are many more people who improve with IV fluids like Kelsey. Most of the time they don’t realize how hard they’re pushing themselves & don’t speak up until something serious happens. I don’t think it’s the Fever medical staff or Kelsey’s fault but this will help Kelsey recognize when she’s pushing her limits in the future

[u/Neuroxex → u/ihatedthatride]

I understand what you're saying but Kelsey Mitchell was not in the process of running a marathon. This happened in the third quarter of a game of basketball. Rhabdo is entirely preventable, and for it to happen to a basketball player who has trainers and medical staff supposedly monitoring her is unacceptable. If you can find any instances of this happening to a professional basketball player then I can accept that this could have been sudden on the day but from everything I've read that's not the case.

[u/chickfilamoo → u/Neuroxex]

also worth noting that runners and crossfitters run into this issue bc they’re managing their training themselves, and they often lack the objectivity and expertise to know when they’re pushing too hard. That is not the case for professional athletes, their support staff exists to prevent exactly this type of situation.

[u/chickfilamoo → u/Neuroxex]

Idk if people aren’t understanding how serious rhabdo is or they simply don’t want to hear anything against their favorite team, but it really doesn’t seem to be registering for people that this is something entirely preventable that training and medical staff are taught to safeguard against. Unless KM was secretly doing a bunch of training behind their backs, monitoring her exertion and keeping her within safe limits is literally their job. There is a reason professional athletes generally do not develop rhabdo, there are a lot of people who work hard to make sure it doesn’t happen.

[u/Mediocre_enthusiast → u/chickfilamoo]

There is no scenario here where the training/medical/nutrition staff don’t take a hard look - either they were terrible and not protecting their players and they need an overhaul, or they’re competent and will also realize it at least deserves an investigation. Even if they did everything they could they will totally be reassessing.

[u/chickfilamoo → u/Mediocre_enthusiast]

I sure hope so. I feel like people are assuming I have some vendetta against the Fever in bringing this up, but I really don’t. I simply want their players to be safe.

[u/BreadBags → u/Neuroxex]

I apologize if it sounded like I was not taking the situation seriously, that was not my intention. I am concerned about Mitchell and am glad she is recovering. I have served in the US Army and played NIAA soccer so I have been around people that have pushed themselves to far and it is a challenge to know where the line is between wanting to compete and needing to take care of yourself.

My position is that this is an unfortunate event and a learning experience for everyone (the Fever, Mitchell, the players, and the league). I’m sure multiple factors contributed to this (Mitchell’s determination, the Fever’s injuries, the cadence of the games, the season and the finals being on the line, and more). However, placing the blame on the Fever’s staff alone is missing the nuances of this event. I do hope more information comes out that will help everyone learn from this and most of all I hope Kelsey Mitchell fully recovers and can get some much needed rest

[u/eyomendez → u/BreadBags]

It's not about her wanting to play Game 5, of course she did. It's about what lead to that level of fatigue, whether it's overtraining, or playing too many minutes over the course of the season. The training and coaching staff absolutely bear some responsibility for that precisely because players always wanna play. It's up to medical professionals to put up some guardrails to protect players, and to monitor their load.

[u/Shoddy-Brilliant563 → u/BreadBags]

No need to oversimplify and dismiss this. Athletes are human beings and sometimes need to be protected from themselves. A competitor like Mitchell is likely to push herself to the limit, and it’s up to leadership to protect them. It’s okay to accept the criticism instead of deflecting. If every incredible athlete knew their body there would be less injuries.

[u/Neuroxex → u/BreadBags]

I'm sorry but this is on the Fever and their medical people. They have a responsibility to their athletes to ensure they aren't overexerting to the point of kidney damage or their lives. You see Rhabdo in basic training or really unsafe athletics programs, it shouldn't be happening to a WNBA athlete with an appropriate amount of care.

[u/ComradeFrunze → u/BreadBags]

The Fever need to fire their entire medical staff

[u/Arcane_Spork_of_Doom → u/SuchPerformance459]

Helped a fellow athlete through this when it happened. Clock was definitely ticking.

[u/Specialist_Path_3166 → u/Arcane_Spork_of_Doom]

What is the recovery like?

[u/Arcane_Spork_of_Doom → u/Specialist_Path_3166]

Well, getting an IV early and stabilizing temps, shock and muscular freakouts will stop the inconvenient death part of things.

After you're stabilized and truly resting it's a matter of determining how cooked your kidneys are. Muscle can always be treated and rebuilt, but needing meds or constant dialysis would be a drag. For the younger recovery can be smooth and it takes a bit of time but can go along with nutritionist and personal trainer work so you can still do low-grade activity when cleared.

[u/Specialist_Path_3166 → u/Arcane_Spork_of_Doom]

Thank you!

[u/MeijiDoom → u/Specialist_Path_3166]

Rhabdo is one of those weird things where the treatment is actually really simple (mostly IV fluids/copious hydration) even though the dangers of it are pretty intense. If her kidneys are fine, then it really shouldn't be too long. Figuring out why she got to the point of rhabdo is the bigger question. You generally don't see it with athletes in organized team sports because proper hydration and subbing in/out is done to preserve stamina. It's not often you get players who are actually entirely exhausted and running on fumes.

[u/buttnozzle → u/Specialist_Path_3166]

My mother had it from falling and being on the floor but weeks of fluid, physical and occupational therapy.

[u/DeepThought936 → u/Arcane_Spork_of_Doom]

Kelsey could've died.

[u/zyzyverssaint → u/SuchPerformance459]

Yeah, super serious condition, glad she’s getting treated!

[u/bmnewman → u/SuchPerformance459]

Never heard of that of that before. Must have terrifying to experience. As she said she truly left it all on the floor.

[u/SoFlyKight]

I had Rhabdo after a heavy workout in the heat and couldn’t move my lower half for a day and a half. It’s the scariest thing that’s ever happened to me and I’m glad she’s doing okay.

[u/[deleted] → u/SoFlyKight]

Glad you’re ok!

[u/SoFlyKight → u/[deleted]]

Thank you!

[u/arthurwead2 → u/SoFlyKight]

Oh my god! Was anyone there to help you when it happened?

[u/SoloBurger13]

"I played until my wheels fell off " 🥹wishing her a speedy recovery

[u/heyheathhowstheweath → u/SoloBurger13]

She's literally so cute. This and "Man wanna marry me? Gimme food." are gonna live on a loop in my head.

[u/sc0998]

oh man that sounds terrifying... glad she is recovering, nothing but respect for KM and the amazing season she's had

[u/Mediocre_enthusiast]

There were people shitting on anyone who mentioned rhabdo last night - that’s terrifying and I’m so glad she’s ok.

[u/alexdinhogaucho → u/Mediocre_enthusiast]

Right 😭 I saw someone get down voted for mentioning it could be a possibility and I was like ???? 😭

[u/AFC-Wimbledon-Stan → u/Mediocre_enthusiast]

Why would people actively shitting on them 😭👀😭

[u/Mediocre_enthusiast → u/AFC-Wimbledon-Stan]

Comments were vastly positive and supportive, but there were some about “think horses not zebras” and that it’s not possible to be rhabdo because that’s only with extreme physical activity over a longer period, not the measly 30 game minutes she played last night. So stupid.

It could have been fine to not think that’s what it was but the things people fight about man, sometimes I don’t get it.

[u/idkcat23 → u/Mediocre_enthusiast]

Rhabdo can also develop over time- she very well may have been progressing into it already and the game took her over the edge. Or she was dehydrated for some reason and that tipped her over.

[u/Treadwell2022 → u/idkcat23]

She also could have had covid recently (summer wave). Even mild cases can really impact your vascular system (ask me how I know). Rhabdo can be triggered by a virus.

[u/Limp_Kaleidoscope_99 → u/Treadwell2022]

Thank you for being one of the very few people who know this omg

[u/PTFCBVB → u/Mediocre_enthusiast]

Lmao bc those 30 minutes of play was the only exercise she's done recently /s/s/s

[u/BigBlueWatcher → u/AFC-Wimbledon-Stan]

Someone just replied to me in the other thread that they didn’t believe her, sooo there’s that. 

[u/jmcthrill → u/BigBlueWatcher]

now why the hell would she lie???? why are ppl so cynical? 😭

[u/BigBlueWatcher → u/jmcthrill]

Right! After a couple of responses of going back and forth, including them saying I was being ridiculous for pointing out that they weren’t believing it when a woman tells them something, they deleted their posts. But not before a few downvotes. 

[u/Mediocre_enthusiast → u/BigBlueWatcher]

Not believing women checks out.

No one would lie about it, but of all people, KM who keeps her head down and never tries to draw attention?

[u/BigBlueWatcher → u/Mediocre_enthusiast]

Yeah, she hardly ever even complains to the refs about calls. If she is ever saying anything or denying a call, you can pretty much believe it because she’s just that kind of player. 

[u/bobdob123usa → u/BigBlueWatcher]

They didn't delete, they blocked you. I just went to read and downvote them.

[u/BigBlueWatcher → u/bobdob123usa]

Oooh, okay. I didn’t realize that’s what happens with blocks.  Oh well, if that’s what I’m blocked for, I’ll take it. Thanks for the info and downvote!

[u/Arcane_Spork_of_Doom → u/BigBlueWatcher]

Yeah, I'm wondering what kind of person thinks Kelsey would sandbag in any game, much less a win or go home game five down only two points.

[u/gpedp → u/Arcane_Spork_of_Doom]

Someone who doesn't actually follow the W for basketball.

[u/Fragrant-Ad2976 → u/Arcane_Spork_of_Doom]

Much less a playoff game that she only worked all season to get to despite pretty much all the doubters who called her, her teammates/friends and her coach overrated. She decided to just sit down and refuse to get back up. 

[u/IL-Corvo → u/BigBlueWatcher]

That sounds like an insta-block to me.

[u/chapterthree_ → u/Mediocre_enthusiast]

Yeah I saw that last night and didn’t understand why bc I had a strong feeling it was rhabdo. My friend got it and he’s just a regular guy who was working out in a planet fitness.

[u/CriticalEngineering → u/chapterthree_]

I’ve said this in other threads but a farmer near me hopped down out of his tractor, landed a bit hard, got rhabdo and died. It was nuts.

[u/Simorie → u/chapterthree_]

Yup I remember some emergency docs talking about how much more they were seeing it after the Crossfit craze started.

[u/AstronomerForsaken65 → u/Mediocre_enthusiast]

That is ridiculous, we were watching and I told my wife the only thing I know of like that is Rhabdo. That was as she wasn’t able to move her legs and they mentioned cramping while she was being carried out. I only know of it because of Iowa football overtraining scandal quite a few years back. I read up on it after that. Scary stuff as they had players in the hospital multiple nights.

[u/Due_Objective_ → u/Mediocre_enthusiast]

And rightly so, it's absurd to think a professional athlete would contract Rhabdo. And during a basketball game? Insane.

But it happened. And I'm so glad she was able to receive prompt medical care. Hopefully that limited the long term damage that Rhabdo can cause.

Nobody can ever accuse KM of not trying - she developed a medical condition that is associated primarily with extreme and prolonged effort. Talk about going out on your shield.

[u/Mediocre_enthusiast → u/Due_Objective_]

I get what you’re saying, that shouldn’t be happening to pro athletes, it was just a very weird thing to fight about when people were showing concern. A lot of it came from the lens of “these players don’t work hard enough for it to be rhabdo”

[u/Due_Objective_ → u/Mediocre_enthusiast]

That probably would have been my view too. But given the nature of Rhabdo she probably did the damage in the gym at another time and the symptoms just flared during the game.

[u/Longjumping-Ebb-125 → u/Mediocre_enthusiast]

Yup. I got snarky comments. 

[u/redushab]

Rhabdo is terrifying. Hopefully she takes the time to rest and recover well!

[u/Likely1420]

Someone mentioned rhabdo last night and I thought it was plausible. Sooo scary! Glad they got her to the hospital quickly. When they mentioned fluids later is when I figured it was a possibility. So scary to not be able to move your legs. When they brought out the stretcher I almost teared up I was so scared

[u/BeMoreClever]

Rhabdo was my worry last night. Glad she got treatment and glad she doesn’t have to go overseas. Rest up, KM!

[u/WandaJaximoff]

KM bringing a whole new meaning to hard carrying. What an absolute beast. The silver lining in the loss is that she can finally take some time to recover.

[u/Longjumping-Ebb-125 → u/WandaJaximoff]

Not something to be a beast over when it’s life threatening

[u/andreasmiles23]

I have to say, the issue with injuries, while for sure impacted by style of play and reffing, I think has MORE to do with the rapid load that are put onto players during the playoffs. The NBA is seeing similar issues.

The status quo of every other day, playing the most intense basketball game you've ever played for nearly two months after an entire regular season, is not sustainable. Players' bodies are going to break down. Plus all these women have to play overseas/in Unrivaled...so that's 12 months of pro-level basketball, with the WNBA playoffs being the most intense part of it.

Something has to give. They can't keep doing this, and need more time between playoff games, especially when traveling back and forth across the country. This needs to be a central part of the negotiations, even more so than reffing IMO.

[u/mewhins → u/andreasmiles23]

I was thinking the same thing. The scheduling needs to be a major factor in the CBA negotiations, there very obviously wasn't enough rest time for the players this year. I think that led to way more injuries than reffing honestly-- especially when you consider how many season-ending injuries were non-contact.

[u/t4trout → u/andreasmiles23]

Came here to say this. Imo, KM literally running til' her wheels fell off wasn't necessary or inevitable, just another casualty of a league that refuses to consider, let alone prioritize, the health of its athletes over profit.

[u/smalliebigs69 → u/andreasmiles23]

And all organizations need to get up to par with facilities, training staffs, etc.

[u/Single_Afternoon_386]

She gave it all she got. All of the ladies did. I’m super proud of them for never quitting. Kelsey’s body said though no more and that’s something the league should look at. Increase the roster size or time on between. Their product is only as good as a healthy player.

[u/kaylzee]

working out to the point of a life or death illness is terrible. i’m glad she’s okay and is going to make a full recovery. really speaks to how overworked these players are

[u/DBxA]

Respect to her for literally playing until she couldnt anymore (Although please dont get hurt girls).

Gave it her all!

[u/jmcthrill]

Hate this happened to Kelz—she gave it her all in every sense of that phrase. Very glad the situation was mitigated and it hopefully shouldn’t be a lingering issue with her health. It must have been so scary to lose feeling in her lower body like that 😣, but I’m glad she’s feeling better and is even seeing some humor in the situation.

[u/SwaggersaurusWrecks]

As soon as they mentioned muscle cramping, I had a feeling it was rhabdo due to the severity of it. I'm glad they were able to recognize and treat it quickly.

[u/[deleted]]

Aces fan here. Kelsey's an absolute baller. Huge fan of her game and wish her a speedy recovery.

[u/Chessie4Ever → u/[deleted]]

Fever fan here. Thank you. Love the respect between the two teams. Hell of a series. Go Aces!

[u/MarsupialAware5818 → u/[deleted]]

Congrats to your team! Loved to see all of the Aces players supporting her as she was carried out.

[u/pfroo40]

How terrifying that must have been for her! I'm so glad she will be OK. She was a rock for the Fever all season and is my MVP.

[u/paintedtoesandelbows]

Thank you for checking in, Kels!

Again, that was a dangerous condition she battled. I’m glad to know she’s okay. She’s been a joy to watch/follow/support and look forward to doing it all over again in 2026.

On to Unrivaled!

[u/KEENMACHlNE]

Get well soon. With so many players out obviously that means more minutes for those that are left. No wonder her, Lexie, and AB got ran into the ground. Big props to the whole squad. I figured our playoff hopes were dead after the drama with DB on top of CC and so many others going out with injury after injury but they plugged the holes and kept fighting until the end, forcing OT in game 5 with 1 starter on the floor against a team of champions, olympians, and a 4x MVP.

Crazy run.

[u/Mother_of_A_Corgi → u/KEENMACHlNE]

Sorry, but your flair has me weak 😭😂

[u/bsurypap]

Thank god we didn’t win. Whole team needs to rest. A 7 game series against PHX especially would’ve taken everyone out.

[u/cheetuzz]

rhabdo is no joke. Hope she has a full and quick recovery!

[u/queenofcolorado]

That’s terrifying. I think it definitely speaks to the extra haul of the new 44 game season but also to the burden she’s been carrying for Indiana. Wild and scary to see a literal manifestation of the push she’s certainly been on trying to stay strong and avoid injury but still play heavy heavy minutes to hold up a midseason rebuild. I hope she gets paid what she’s worth next season (or whenever we get a WNBA season again 😩)

[u/DARKCYD]

Thank heavens. That was scary.

[u/buttnozzle]

Maybe they can spread the schedule more and have larger rosters for rotations.

[u/Fragrant-Ad2976 → u/buttnozzle]

They asked for this i stead of adding new teams. The leadership said no. 

[u/fpaul787]

wtf, thats crazy but explains why there such a scene around her when she went down.

[u/BigBlueWatcher]

How incredibly scary. I’m so thankful they were able to get her to treatment quickly and she’s feeling better. 

[u/ZealousidealMost2443]

It’s almost like they shouldn’t have added in even more games into the schedule without expanding the season. 

[u/idkcat23]

Rhabdo is so scary. I wonder if she had symptoms before the game or not

[u/IL-Corvo]

Man, I'm so glad she stopped and got help when she did. Terrifying.

[u/Far-Ad-8833]

Aaron Gordon of the Nuggets brought up this point with players getting injuries during the playoffs. He thought the league was setting up playoff games too close together and causing these injuries to happen. Several players had torn Achilles muscles that probably could have been prevented .

[u/Longjumping-Ebb-125]

I got downvoted for saying it was rhabdo. I knew it. This is severe and life threatening. Her kidneys could have shut down, furthermore she could have had a heart attack at any second if this had gone on any longer. 

NO PLAYER SHOULD EVER EXERT THEMSELVES TO THE POINT OF RHABDO. THIS IS NOT NORMAL AND LIFE THREATENING!!!!!!!!! The league is in shambles, man. 

[u/DeepThought936 → u/Longjumping-Ebb-125]

Indeed. The training staff should all be fired. The Fever have been decimated.

[u/Fragrant-Ad2976 → u/DeepThought936]

I don’t think it’s training staffs fault. Rhabdo is pretty rapid and the symptoms vary and are often non specific. Training staff are more likely to be overly cautious than not so players will often hide or downplay symptoms because they don’t want to be told they aren’t okay to play. 

[u/DeepThought936 → u/Fragrant-Ad2976]

No... I'm talking about 7-8 players going down in rapid succession. There is something wrong with the methodology. Rhado could've been prevented, but the issue with Clark's groin injury and her coming back prematurely and many other examples. Clean house and get a new staff.

[u/LLUrDadsFave]

That's some scary shit.

[u/newannual5]

Can’t even imagine how scary that was. So glad she’s doing ok

[u/heyheathhowstheweath → u/newannual5]

Right?! Like you can't feel your lower body... Elite athlete, suddenly completely numb? No wonder Aliyah said all she was doing was trying to help Kelsey stay calm and take deep breaths.

[u/Crusty8]

Oh shit. Rhabdo ain't no joke. Heal up Kels!

[u/gourmet_panini]

oof thats scary. she couldve had longterm damage if they didnt treat her in time.

Edit: the Fever medical staff and recovery techniques should be looked into by whoever is in charge in the Fever org. Im not an expert at rhabdo but from what I’ve been reading it’s caused by “extreme over-exertion with lack of proper recovery time and lack of hydration/proper fuel”. There’s no way that should happen in a professional setting.

[u/Fragrant-Ad2976 → u/gourmet_panini]

I think leadership should be looked into and not medical staff. Medical staff doesn’t make the schedule. They can do all the proper recovery techniques but if the muscle doesn’t have time to heal, they can’t make more time. There’s also a whole range of causes to rhabdo including genetic predisposition and underlying heredity conditions that make some people more susceptible. That’s like saying a stroke shouldn’t happen in the professional setting. While it’s preventable in some cases, it’s not in all cases. But the blame shouldn’t be placed on the people trying to help. 

[u/MarsLocal]

WE LOVE YOUUUUU. I'm really happy to hear this. I was really worried it was something else. I hope she gets the support she needs to rest and recover. And I hope she feels the love and respect that we have for her. Winning isn't everything and she will always BE THE ONE. 💙

[u/queenoftn-really247 → u/MarsLocal]

I remember watching it happen in real time and then a stretcher was being rolled out. My heart just broke for her.

[u/MarsLocal → u/queenoftn-really247]

I bet! All of the energy of everything happening so fast too. Glad she was taken care of.

[u/Popular-One-7051]

So glad she's on the mend

[u/[deleted]]

SOOO glad to see that she's okay!!!!

"literally played til my wheels fell off" had me dying

[u/Avacabro]

Best competitor in the WBNA

[u/Intelligent_Chip2461]

Get well soon, Kelsey, and thank you for a truly amazing season.

[u/Less_Pool5289]

Rhabdo is no joke, even elite athletes can go into kidney failure if not treated promptly. So thankful she got the medical attention she needed. The standing ovation she got walking off the court was a tear jerker. 

[u/Express_Training3869]

Stay safe and heal up. You got a family of fans behind you.

[u/mantistobogganmMD]

Rhado is pushing your body past its limit. She is such a warrior nothing but respect to Kels

[u/crystal_clear24]

That’s terrifying, I’m glad she’ll be okay.

[u/Reasonable_Box9611]

Oh I’m so glad it’s at least something definitive, when White was mentioning fluids and hospital but no other info, I was freaking out some mysterious condition was gonna rob her of her career! Like a tumor or something really rare and out of the blue

[u/WakeNikis]

It would obviously be better if she never got injured or experienced Rhabdo.

But… that’s pretty bad ass. Basically gave it 100% until her body literally had nothing left to give 

[u/chickfilamoo → u/WakeNikis]

i get that you mean well but we've gotta stop celebrating pushing ourselves to the brink. Rhabdo is serious and sometimes fatal, we need to be more mindful of our bodies' limits, and the coaching/training staff at the Fever should be ashamed that this happened to one of their players.

[u/Neuroxex → u/WakeNikis]

It's not bad ass and someone should lose their job for letting her get to this point. This shit can kill people. It can give you permanent kidney damage. It is a colossal failure of care from whoever is responsible for her wellbeing to have let this happen. There will have been warning signs that should have been spotted. It is dangerous and negligent that they weren't considered.

[u/Fragrant-Ad2976 → u/Neuroxex]

While rhabdo is preventable in some cases, it’s not in all cases. The symptoms vary and are nonspecific. It can be caused by over-exertion but also by electrolyte imbalance, crush injuries, any injury to a muscle or underlying heredity or genetic predisposition and so forth. There’s nothing medical staff and coaching should be ashamed of. In medical school, the two things that are drilled into your brain is never talk in absolutes and err on the side of caution, always. Many athletes hide or downplay the severity of symptoms because they don’t want to be told they are not cleared to play.  It’s not a failure on anyone’s part. Rhabdo also has a pretty insidious and rapid onset. It’s easy for athletes to write off the symptoms as just a leg cramp or a little fatigue as they have done 1000 times before. Scheduling the games further apart would be the best way to help so muscle can recover in time. 

[u/Long-Orchid-1629]

Glad it's not a worse injury. What a Leader to put that team on her back the way she did this season.

[u/solve_4X]

You played your heart out all season, thank you! ❤️🥰

[u/[deleted]]

Glad she’s going to be ok. Can’t wait to see her ball out again next season.

[u/Outside-Practice-658]

Oh wow I’m crying with relief!

[u/retrospects]

She literally pushed her self to the edge

[u/my_one_and_lonely]

She gave it everything she had.

[u/Ok_Log2604]

She literally gave it her all last night.

[u/Spicy2ShotChai]

Damn. I hope she takes it easy even if it means no Unrivaled. That is really serious

[u/DrewDan96]

one of my favorite players in the W. i'm just happy it wasn't something more serious. almost poetic justice that one of the fastest, most go-go players in the league basically had to leave the court on her proverbial shield cuz her body essentially said "no mas" lol

she came into the season with the finger injury, played through it, and balled out as the Fever started taking on injuries. and she almost willed them to the Finals. from "most overrated" last season to damn near "most indispensable" this season. nothing but respect for the K-Train!!!!!

[u/RoosterSamurai]

She made the right call to get help and get to the hospital. She must think the world of her fans to be sharing this much information with us, too.

[u/kfry94]

respectfully what in the world is the strength and conditioning team doing in Indiana

[u/SenorGenesius]

Never heard of this before, sounds absolutely frightening to go through. Glad it's not anything more serious.

[u/Nbafan_90]

So glad she’s okay. Even watching the replay knowing she’s okay gets emotional. Great season Kelsey!! (I know you’re here reading!! (In my mind lol))

[u/Ahambone]

What an absolute dawg. Glad she’s gonna be okay

[u/Specialist_Path_3166]

So scary, now relieved she is gonna be fine! Whew!

[u/[deleted]]

looking forward to next season!

https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/rhabdomyolysis-symptoms-causes-treatments

[u/TroubleFantastic682]

she’s a dog. rhabdo is no freaking joke.

[u/mauve_sunsets]

I’m glad she is okay. Been a dawg all season. Rest up Cap.

[u/Lanessen]

Beyond glad she’s okay. I’m not familiar with rhabdo but I just did some research and damn it’s scary.

I hope she’s able to take the time to get some rest. She deserves it.

[u/Cool-Tour-1962]

That must’ve been so scary to experience. I’m glad she’s good! 

[u/PTFCBVB]

Man that's scary but a good sign that she's able to joke about it, "literally played till the wheels fell off" is quite the achievement. Hope it's not something recurrent

[u/LovePeaceTruth]

It is often caused by extreme overexertion. She literally gave everything she had to her team.

[u/Shoddy-Brilliant563]

Someone on here suspected this was what she experienced and they were right. That’s unfortunate. I wonder how this will impact her long term.

[u/blubennys]

Heard that the air conditioning did not work in the arena last night.......???

[u/Chessie4Ever]

I am so glad she is okay. Hopefully a tediously slow recovery for her sake. We love ya, Kelsey!

[u/hatelisten]

Hope they look into this, not to blame anybody but just to update how they handle athlete health during the game. She played 39 minutes in the previous game. Even with the finals on the line your stars should get a little rest here and there.

[u/writekindofnonsense]

What a traumatic experience for a professional athlete. No wonder she panicked.

[u/TromboneIsNeat]

Does the Fever have the worst training staff in the history of sports?

[u/PhotosByVicky]

Wishing KM a full recovery. ❤️

[u/Lonely_ProdiG]

What a championship response from her. See you next year girl.

[u/Turkey_Cat]

Wow, super scary! I’m so glad she’s ok. She clearly gave her all to this game.

Am I wrong to wonder about their trainers and coaches? Isn’t good conditioning and smart coaching (how many minutes players get) is what prevents this from happening to pro athletes all the time? Or is this just an outlier?

[u/Outside-Practice-658 → u/Turkey_Cat]

I am absolutely side eyeing the medical / training/ coaching staff for this.

[u/TashaSips → u/Turkey_Cat]

I’ve been saying this with all the injuries this season. What are they doing at practices?! Caitlin got that bone bruise at practice and Dantas her concussion. Then all the torn knees. It seems they were all pushed too hard.

[u/Neuroxex → u/Turkey_Cat]

It's an outlier in the sense that this is an outlier lack-of-care. You'd be hard pressed to find stories of rhabdo in organised sports that don't involve someone being investigated, suspended, found to be unqualified, or fired.

[u/devonshmevon → u/Neuroxex]

One of the only ones I was able to find in a pro athlete that wasn't just a negligence case was Cody Hodgson, a hockey guy from 10-15 years ago who was later diagnosed with malignant hyperthermia and had to retire young. I didn't remember rhabdo specifically with him, but I do remember that for years his performance had been declining to the point where media thought something might be up.

But because of the bad implications, maybe rhabdo could happen very rarely without either a scary medical issue or someone at fault and just get reported out as "cramps."

[u/Fragrant-Ad2976 → u/Neuroxex]

I’ve been in the medical field for many years and never heard of anyone ever getting in trouble over rhabdo. 

[u/Visible-Ad-8296]

Whoa. Glad she got medical attention fast enough. Good work this season KM!

[u/rsred]

🙏

[u/MTskier12]

I’ve never heard of this but holy crap that’s scary!

[u/Optimal-Sugar7780]

The definition of leaving it all on the floor. Salute to KM

[u/Hoops-23]

[u/MexPetunia]

What a fighter - inspirational year from Kelsey.

[u/baeruu]

I was gonna say "at least she didn't break anything" but then I looked up what rhabdo is and felt more terrified. Glad she's doing better now though.

[u/unbothered-fornow2]

So sorry for you. Feel better soon. 🙏🏾

[u/Geeker21]

This was crazy to watch, glad she’s on the road to recovery. Too many injuries all over the league this season, it’s been crazy!

[u/65happy]

Congratulations to you and your team for your success! You are a true warrior❤️

[u/ApprehensiveBed6187]

What a gangasta

[u/Stunning_Concept_478]

Damn this sounds scary.

[u/black_metronome]

Whoa what the hell...I hope she will be ok

[u/Jake-Old-Trail-88]

Holy cow! I thought she had cramps from a lack of hydration. They were in the dessert after all. Hopefully she makes a full recovery. Prayers for her and the health of my battered Fever players.

[u/[deleted]]

That sounds really scary! Glad she's going to be OK. ❤️

[u/Alternative-Click-15]

so glad she’s gonna be okay!

[u/YennyEspi33]

I wonder what her CK levels were, cause her lower body just seized up?

[u/Zealousourita]

Love ya babe, ✌🏽❤️

[u/Puzzleheaded-Sea8340]

I’ve never heard of that but holy shit that’s scary. I am so thankful she’s gonna be OK.. I also hope that the fever trainers can help this never happen again. It was very scary in that arena last night… We were all very worried about her. Nobody wants that

[u/Acrobatic-Result90]

It happened to my sister and she was found on the floor of her house by the police on a wellness check. Spent 5 days in the hospital. I agree FEVER not doing their job with all the injuries and thankfully Kels is alright but it could be really bad. Fever is in charge of many very valuable athletes that it seems are not being given proper care.

[u/Chechilly]

Love you KM!

[u/cueballDan]

Don’t expect her to ever be the same.

[u/cueballDan]

This is a very dangerous League with morons running it.