Ranking the Contenders: Roosevelt Wheeler
One of the top big men in the class of 2021, Roosevelt Wheeler continues to get stronger and more assertive.
Now pushing 6-foot-11, Wheeler is originally from Atlanta but moved has been at Richmond (Va.) John Marshall for all of his high school years. He blocks shots, he runs the floor, scores around the rim and has really started to fill out over the last year.
Wheeler hasn’t been very public about his recruitment and has double digit offers from high major programs. Reading his recruitment isn’t easy, he doesn’t yet have any finalist and there are known leaders but we do our best to Rank the Contenders for his commitment.
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2021 Rankings: Rivals150 | Position
2022 Rankings: Top 75
1. NC STATE
Wheeler has been on campus a few times and the Pack’s leader, Kevin Keatts, has clearly made him a priority target. They already have a Rivals150 prospect in combo guard Terquavion Smith, like to push the pace and Wheeler has the speed to run rim to rim in an uptempo system like the one in Raleigh. His shot blocking and blooming offense would be a fit at NC State.
2. VCU
Some will read this and say that putting VCU in second place is too high. Maybe it is but they have worked him hard and are definitely in the mix. Now, Wheeler has kept things pretty quiet in regards to his recruitment, but nobody could argue against his opportunity to be an impact player. At most, the Rams return one player bigger than 6-foot-8 next season and there’s an argument that nobody else on his list is in more need of a big man.
3. LOUISVILLE
Chris Mack and his staff just added another piece from 2021 in faceup four man Eric Van Der Heijden. But Louisville needs a more traditional post and word has been that Wheeler feels like the Cardinals value what he does. He could be a defensive anchor in the ACC and the way the roster is being built, the shooters he would play with would help to open the floor for him.
4. MEMPHIS
When it comes to Wheeler and his recruitment, Penny Hardaway and Memphis are the newest program to really go all-in. They had James Wiseman in 2019, they will feature Moussa Cisse in the 2020-21 season and when Wiseman bailed out on this last season, Precious Achiuwa was featured and flourished. The sell from the Tigers is to come to a hoops crazy city and be the next featured big man in what they are hoping becomes a long line of successes.
5. LSU
Look at the results Will Wade and his staff have had over the last few years and it is hard to bet against them. Wade has shown that he will get big guys the ball and they can be fun to watch. That’s all good, but after landing Josh Gray late in the 2020 cycle and having three-star big man Bradley Ezewiro who reclassified from 2020 to 2021 and top 50 Jerrell Colbert committed, pitching need and minutes could be tough.