John Wheeler Makes Friends and Fans at Horizon League Tournament

John Wheeler has heard cheers before.

He is a state champion with the Special Olympics Indiana Shelby County basketball team and a national champion with Team Indiana after all.

Last week at the Horizon League Tournament, Wheeler added what might be his biggest cheerleader.

Indy Star columnist Gregg Doyle.

Doyle was part of a media gaggle that interviewed Wheeler and ESPN commentator Debbie Antonelli at the Indiana State Fairground.

Doyle and other media members listened in as Antonelli and Wheeler shared basketball origin stories.

Antonelli played at North Carolina State before starting her marketing career. After about a decade working at the University of Kentucky and Ohio State University, she began calling games for ESPN.

Thirty years later, Antonelli is one of the most trusted voices in women’s basketball broadcasting.

Wheeler has loved basketball for as long as he can remember. His story, though, begins with disappointment.

Cut from the Shelbyville High School basketball team, he joined Special Olympics three days later. At around 6-foot-6, he knew he had some game in him, and the Shelby County team gave him a chance to prove it.

“Special Olympics changed my life,” Wheeler told Antonelli. “Special Olympics taught me not to quit. It helped me not be a lone wolf. I’m on a team, and they’re my family. We compete against Boone County and Madison County, but when the games are over, they’re my family, too.”

Wheeler averaged 18 points per game on that Team Indiana title run. He has written two books about it.

His long jumper sealed the win over New Jersey, and hearing about it drew smiles from both Antonelli and Doyle.

Antonelli is mom to a Special Olympics athlete. Her son is a Clemson University graduate and found his way through the South Carolina program. Her Nothing But Net free-throw shooting fundraiser helps give back to South Carolina athletes.

“It’s because of Special Olympics,” Antonelli told Doyle. “In our society, we’ve lost the value that sport is supposed to be about. Special Olympics captures it perfectly: You do your best, you try your best, you learn, you fail, you get back up, and you try again. What’s wrong with that? Why shouldn’t students with a disability have the same opportunity to compete and learn the same skills?

“Set a goal, try your best, train, work hard. Not everything is going to go your way. Solve it! Think about taking five shots and missing all five, and then you make the sixth and celebrate like it’s greatest thing that ever happened. That’s how you get confidence. You try, try, try – and then it goes your way. That’s what Special Olympics has done for Frankie.”

Inspired by all the basketball talk, Doyle challenged Wheeler to see if he still had it. First person to make two free throws in a row.

It took Doyle five tries to sink back-to-back free throws – miss, make, miss, make, make.

Wheeler?

Even in taking this year off the court to help coach the Magic, the first two tries go through, never touching the rim.

Doyle nods impressed. Wheeler sheepishly grins. They hug.

“Best loss of my life,” Doyle said.