Erica Wheeler (basketball)

Last updated

Erica Wheeler
Erica Wheeler (52964603001) (cropped).jpg
Wheeler with the Indiana Fever in 2023
No. 17–Seattle Storm
Position Point guard / shooting guard
League WNBA
Personal information
Born (1991-05-02) May 2, 1991 (age 34)
Miami, Florida, U.S.
Listed height5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)
Listed weight143 lb (65 kg)
Career information
High schoolParkway Academy
(Miramar, Florida)
College Rutgers (2009–2013)
WNBA draft 2013: undrafted
Playing career2013–present
Career history
2013Leonas de Ponce
2013–2014Mersin Kurtulus
2014–2015Sport Club do Recife
2015 Atlanta Dream
2015 New York Liberty
2015Atenienses de Manati
2015–2016Sampaio Basquete
2016–2019 Indiana Fever
2016–2017 Perfumerias Avenida Salamanca
2017–2018 Beşiktaş
2018–2020 Nadezhda Orenburg
2020–2021 İzmit Belediyespor
2021 Los Angeles Sparks
2021–2024 BC Polkowice
2022 Atlanta Dream
2023–2024Indiana Fever
2024–2025 Nesibe Aydın GSK
2025–present Seattle Storm
Career highlights
Stats at WNBA.com
Stats at Basketball Reference   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg

Erica Wheeler (born May 2, 1991) is an American professional basketball player for the Seattle Storm of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). Wheeler was undrafted out of Rutgers, but eventually made her way into the WNBA in 2015.

Contents

Early life

Wheeler grew up in the Miami neighborhood of Liberty City. Liberty City is one of the worst, most crime-ridden inner cities in America, and Wheeler saw two of her close friends die when she was young. [1] Wheeler attended Parkway Academy and was a member of the basketball team there. [2]

College career

Wheeler committed to play at Rutgers in 2009. Rutgers reached the NCAA Tournament in each of her first three seasons. Wheeler contributed as a junior, leading the team in steals, and averaging just under 10 points per game. [1] Prior to her senior year, Wheeler's mother died of cancer. However, Wheeler finished her senior season and graduated from Rutgers. [1]

Professional career

WNBA

Wheeler earned a try-out in 2015 for the Atlanta Dream after not being selected in the WNBA Draft. [1] Wheeler appeared in 17 games for the Dream in 2015, alongside Angel McCoughtry and Tiffany Hayes, but was eventually cut. Wheeler then moved to the New York Liberty, playing with Tina Charles and Swin Cash. [1] In 2016, Wheeler was signed after training camp by the Indiana Fever and started in 25 games alongside Tamika Catchings. [3] In 2017, Wheeler continued with the Fever and was second on the team in scoring, and led the team in assists. [3] In 2019, Wheeler became the first undrafted player in WNBA history to be named All-Star Game MVP. [4]

Before the start of the 2020 WNBA season, Wheeler tested positive for COVID-19, and developed health complications including fluid buildup around her heart. She was not cleared to resume playing basketball again until October, missing the entire COVID-shortened 2020 season, which ended October 6. [5]

Prior to the start of the 2021 WNBA season, Wheeler signed as a free agent with the Los Angeles Sparks to be their new starting point guard alongside Nneka Ogwumike. [5] Then, before the start of the 2022 WNBA season, she signed with the Atlanta Dream for a second stint, playing with rookie Rhyne Howard.

Preceding the start of the 2023 WNBA season, Wheeler signed as a free agent with the Indiana Fever, returning to the franchise for a second stint. During the 2024 WNBA season, Wheeler served as the main backup to rookie Caitlin Clark. Wheeler was originally named as a contestant of the 2024 Skills Challenge at 2024 WNBA All-Star Weekend, but was unable to attend due to the global computer outages delaying her travel. [6] She was replaced by fellow Fever teammate, Kelsey Mitchell. [6]

On February 12, 2025, Wheeler signed with the Seattle Storm. [7]

Overseas

After missing the 2020 WNBA season due to COVID, Wheeler signed with Turkey's Izmit Belediyespor and played in 16 games of their 2020–21 season and ranking second on the team with 15.1 points per game. [8] In the winter seasons of 2021/2022, 2022/2023, 2023/2024, she played for BC Polkowice in Poland. [9]

Career statistics

Legend
  GPGames played  GS Games started MPG Minutes per game RPG  Rebounds per game
 APG  Assists per game SPG  Steals per game BPG  Blocks per game PPG Points per game
 TO  Turnovers per game FG%  Field-goal percentage 3P%  3-point field-goal percentage FT%  Free-throw percentage
 Bold Career best°League leader

WNBA

Regular season

Stats current through end of 2024 regular season

WNBA regular season statistics [10]
YearTeamGPGSMPGFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGTOPPG
2015 Atlanta 17011.9.457.400.5000.91.50.50.01.24.5
New York 308.7.385.0001.0001.30.31.30.02.04.7
2016 Indiana 342523.9.418.298.8332.12.80.60.02.08.4
2017 Indiana 342626.4.400.331.7923.04.11.40.02.211.8
2018 Indiana 342221.7.351.276.7972.94.10.80.21.47.8
2019 Indiana 343425.0.426.384.8723.05.01.20.12.910.1
2020Did not play (opted out)
2021 Los Angeles 323230.2.417.359.8273.14.81.30.32.713.6
2022 Atlanta 303026.3.355.329.7563.13.91.10.12.58.4
2023 Indiana 40°40°26.8.398.309.8783.05.01.10.12.19.9
2024 Indiana 39214.0.411.288.8461.41.80.40.10.93.6
2025 Seattle 201326.9.434.405.8283.33.71.10.31.811.5
Career10 years, 5 teams31722423.5.402.336.8212.53.71.00.12.08.9
All-Star1018.8.529.538—4.07.01.00.00.025.0

Playoffs

WNBA playoff statistics
YearTeamGPGSMPGFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGTOPPG
2015 New York 302.7.333——0.30.00.00.00.70.7
2016 Indiana 1126.0.5001.0001.0003.03.00.00.01.010.0
2024 Indiana 209.5.000—.7500.01.50.00.00.51.5
Career3 years, 2 teams618.8.4001.000.8330.71.00.00.00.72.5

College

NCAA statistics [11]
YearTeamGPGSMPGFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGTOPPG
2009–10 Rutgers 34414.1.292.268.8751.10.80.70.11.53.4
2010–11Rutgers332130.4.380.362.7113.01.81.70.12.29.7
2011–12Rutgers322228.2.351.302.8002.81.51.60.12.18.6
2012–13 Rutgers302931.4.354.292.7503.22.42.50.12.810.5
Career1297625.8.352.314.7702.51.61.60.12.18.0

Off the court

Philanthropy

In February 2024, Wheeler joined the WNBA Changemakers Collective and their collaboration with VOICEINSPORT (VIS) as a mentor, "aimed at keeping girls in sport and developing diverse leaders on the court and beyond the game." [12] [13]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Andrew Kahn (July 28, 2017). "Humble and hungry, Erica Wheeler becomes Fever standout after circuitous road to WNBA". ESPN. Retrieved August 6, 2018.
  2. ↑ "Erica Wheeler basketball profile". basketball.eurobasket.com. Retrieved August 6, 2018.
  3. 1 2 "Erica Wheeler Bio". WNBA. Retrieved August 6, 2018.
  4. ↑ Ryan Young (July 27, 2019). "WNBA: Erica Wheeler leads Team Wilson at WNBA All-Star Game". Sports.yahoo.com. Retrieved July 28, 2019.
  5. 1 2 Megdal, Howard (March 1, 2021). "C. Vivian Stringer Is the Thread Between the W.N.B.A.'s Emerging Stars". The New York Times . Retrieved September 24, 2021.
  6. 1 2 Peterson, Chloe (July 19, 2024). "CrowdStrike outage grounds Erica Wheeler; Kelsey Mitchell to step in WNBA Skills Challenge". Indianapolis Star .
  7. ↑ "Ten-Year Veteran Erica Wheeler Signs with the Storm". Seattle Storm. NBA Media Ventures, LLC. February 12, 2025. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
  8. ↑ Nguyen, Thuc Nhi (February 3, 2021). "Erica Wheeler is back in WNBA and says Sparks can win the championship". The LA Times. Retrieved September 24, 2021.
  9. ↑ "Erica Wheeler, Basketball Player, News, Stats - Eurobasket".
  10. ↑ "Erica Wheeler WNBA Stats". Basketball Reference.
  11. ↑ "NCAA® Career Statistics". NCAA. Retrieved August 6, 2018.
  12. ↑ "WNBA and the WNBA Changemakers Collective Team Up with Digital Community Platform VOICEINSPORT to Keep Girls in the Game". WNBA. February 7, 2024. Retrieved February 1, 2025.
  13. ↑ Ayala, Erica (February 7, 2024). "Nneka Ogwumike, Aliyah Boston among 12 players to participate in WNBA's girls in sports mentorship program". CBS Sports . Retrieved February 1, 2025.
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