After spending a year in Atlanta, Erica Wheeler is heading back to the franchise where she’s spent her most time in the W. On the first day of free agency, Wheeler inked a deal to return to the Indiana Fever, per Winsidr’s Rachel Galligan.
Wheeler, 31, was an interesting name to watch this offseason. The veteran PG and former All-Star Game MVP is a two-way player capable of both running an offense and locking up on defense. Last season, new head coach Tanisha Wright leaned on Wheeler’s leadership within the Atlanta Dream locker room. Though initially an adjustment, Wheeler met the challenge, earning praise from players like Aari McDonald and Rhyne Howard.
Wheeler’s 8.4 points per game (PPG) and 3.9 assists per game (APG) in 2022 were significantly lower than the 13.6 PPG and 4.8 APG she’d averaged the year before with the Sparks, but that came with the adjustment to her new role.
This will be Wheeler’s eighth season in the W. Wheeler’s longevity is an impressive feat for any player, let alone an undrafted one. While she previously played four campaigns with the Fever, she’s been with four different franchises in total: Atlanta, Indiana, Los Angeles, and New York.
