Erica Wheeler went from being undrafted to All-Star MVP

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The Indiana Fever hooper joined an episode of Pretty Big Plays to discuss her love of the game, playing overseas, and more.

TLDR

• Erica Wheeler has spent time around different teams over her career and even played overseas. The point guard now returns to Indiana to play for the Indiana Fever.

• Of the many places basketball has taken her, Erica had the opportunity to play overseas in Brazil for two years.

• Erica has consistently worked on her craft and earned success early on in her career because of it. She made history as the first undrafted player ever in the WNBA to be named All-Star Game MVP in 2019.

• Regardless of the praise and the accolades, Erica remains humble and dedicated. She is eager for this upcoming season to reunite with the Fever and use the experience she has accumulated to be a strong leader for the team.

Erica Wheeler is in her eighth season in the WNBA and has spent time around several different teams while even playing a stint overseas. Although she was not even selected in the WNBA draft initially, Wheeler earned a try-out in 2015 for the Atlanta Dream. Since then, the guard has played with the New York Liberty, Indiana Fever, Los Angeles Sparks and now returns to Indiana to play for the Fever.

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“Indiana is a second home for me. So it's always good to go back where you're loved,” Wheeler said. “And the staff is completely different from when I was there a couple of years ago… It's a kind of whole rebuild that's super dope, because they have a new facility, practice gym, locker room— everything is just brand new. So it's almost like a remodeled house, so it’s very refreshing.”

Wheeler initially played on the Fever from 2016-2019 and for a season in 2017, she led the team in assists and was second on the team in scoring. She hopes to make a similar impact and bring that same vigor for her second stint. Because of the ups and downs that she’s had in her journey, there is no doubt Wheeler is eager to rejoin her old team and take on any more challenges that may come her way.

“I tell people all the time, if you are in it for the money, you're not going to get very far because as you know, the pay is a constant conversation,” Wheeler said. “So you got to love the game, man. I love the game. This game saved my life. This game has brought many people in my life that I never thought I'd be able to meet. It's taken me places that I never thought I'd be able to go.”

Of the many places basketball has taken her, Erica had the opportunity to play overseas in Brazil for two years. Playing in a different country is a different landscape than what the WNBA is, but Erica was more than appreciative of the ride and took it all in.

“The game is the game. Everything is the same,” Erica said. “Of course, I think overseas is a lot more aggressive and a little bit more dangerous. I think the WNBA kind of protects us as players…You can speak two different languages when it comes to basketball, but it all aligns to being the same. So I will say being able to play in front of family is a plus, but you gotta do what you got to do when you grow overseas.”

Erica took that time to develop as a player and was steadily putting in the work throughout her career. After all, she made history as the first undrafted player ever in the WNBA to be named All-Star Game MVP in 2019.

“I still can't tell people how that even happened,” Wheeler said. “As a basketball player, we make goals for basketball, and All-Star MVP was not on my list at all… When I first got the call, I thought it was a prank.”

Erica revealed how WNBA greats like Chelsea Gray and Brittney Griner paid respect to her. The accolade was well-deserved, but even as a young player at the time of winning the award, Wheeler still hasn’t let it get to her head. Regardless of the praise, Erica remains humble and locked all the way in.

“I think when I first signed my two year contract in Indiana, I was like, okay, I belong. But even still now I'm eight going into a year eight, I'm still not comfortable,” Wheeler said. “Because the league is so tight. It's only 144 spots. The game is constantly changing, which is great. I love it. But at the end of the day, you have to be special to be in this league and you have to bring something that somebody doesn't have, or even if you have something, you have to be consistent at it.”

As Erica reunites with her former team, she has that much more knowledge than when she played in Indiana more than five years ago. Just as the game changed, so has Erica and she hopes to utilize the experience she has gained to now serve as a leader on the Fever.

“As a point guard, it's just by default, you are the leader,” Erica said. “You have to gain your teammates' trust to be able to run the team, even your coaches as well. So Atlanta kind of gave me an eye-opener of what that leadership role can be for the youth. And I think it prepared me for Indiana.”

As a disciplined and dedicated player in this league, the work has shown itself. This upcoming season, Erica will continue to lead by example to guide her team and represent the essence of the WNBA.

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