Roosevelt Wheeler, the 6-foot-10, 240-pound forward/center from John Marshall High School in Richmond, Va., has signed a national letter-of-intent to continue his basketball playing career at Louisville.
He becomes the fifth member of the Cardinals’ 2021 recruiting class, which is now ranked among the top 10 classes in the nation, including sixth by Rivals.com and 10th by 247sports.com.
Wheeler averaged 15.8 points, 11.9 rebounds and 4.3 blocked shots as a junior last season as one of five John Marshall High School players who averaged double figures in scoring. He helped his team achieve a 23-2 record and the 2020 Virginia 2A state championship, John Marshall’s second state title in his three years there.
“Roosevelt is a load,” said head coach Chris Mack. “He has ability, but the one thing that sticks out about Rose is his motor and his toughness. He is not afraid to put his nose in a scrum. His agility for his size will be an asset in the ACC. He has an ability to score, command a double-team and rebound the ball. We look forward to adding Big Rose to the roster in 2021-22.”
A first-team all-state and all-region selection last season, Wheeler is ranked No. 42 nationally by Rivals.com, 60th in the 247Sports.com composite rankings and No. 82 in the ESPN 100.
Known as “Big Rose,” Wheeler grew up in Atlanta before moving to Hampton, Va. in August of 2016. He moved to Richmond in 2017 and as a freshman, came off the bench to help John Marshall win the Virginia state 3A championship. In Wheeler’s sophomore year, John Marshall fell in overtime in the semifinals of the 3A state championship during its 21-5 season before the school moved to Class 2A for the 2019-20 season.
His Team Loaded AAU VA squad produced a perfect 40-0 record during the summer of 2018, won the Adidas Gauntlet Championship and was the top-ranked 15U team in the nation.
Wheeler chose to attend Louisville after narrowing his options to also include LSU, NC State, VCU and Hampton.
Wheeler joins four other impressive signees who inked with the Cardinals on Nov. 11, including El Ellis, a 6-3, 175-pound guard from Durham, N.C. and Tallahassee (Fla.) Community College; Mike James, a 6-6, 195-pound guard/forward from Oak Ridge High School in Orlando, Fla.; Bobby Pettiford, a 6-1, 175-pound guard from Durham, N.C. and South Granville High School in Creedmore, N.C.; Eric Van der Heijden, a 6-8, 205-pound guard/forward from Millbrook High School in Raleigh, N.C.
(Release via Louisville)
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