# Clinton Wheeler > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Clinton_Wheeler > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Clinton_Wheeler.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clinton_Wheeler > Source revision: 1350480430 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) American basketball player (1959–2019) Clinton Wheeler Personal information Born (1959-10-27)October 27, 1959 Neptune Township, New Jersey, U.S. Died February 14, 2019(2019-02-14) (aged 59) Middletown, New Jersey, U.S. Listed height 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) Listed weight 185 lb (84 kg) Career information High school Long Branch (Long Branch, New Jersey) College William Paterson (1977–1981) NBA draft 1981: 7th round, 150th overall pick Drafted by Kansas City Kings Playing career 1984–1995 Position Point guard Number 5, 10, 11 Career history 1984–1985 Albany Patroons 1985 Jersey Jammers 1985–1986 Albany Patroons 1986–1987 Tampa Bay Thrillers 1987 Miami Tropics 1987–1988 Indiana Pacers 1988 Rapid City Thrillers 1988 Miami Heat 1989 Portland Trail Blazers 1989–1993 Bayer Giants Leverkusen 1993–1994 Rochester Renegade 1994 Jacksonville Hooters 1994–1995 Rapid City Thrillers Career highlights CBA champion (1987) CBA Playoff/Finals MVP (1987) 2× All-CBA First Team (1985, 1989) 4× CBA All-Defensive First Team (1985–1987, 1989) CBA steals leader (1986) Stats at NBA.com Stats at Basketball Reference **Clinton Wheeler** (October 27, 1959 – February 14, 2019) was an American professional [basketball](/source/Basketball) player. He was a 6-foot-1-inch (185 cm) 185 pounds (84 kg) [point guard](/source/Point_guard) and played collegiately at [Division III](/source/Division_III_(NCAA))'s [William Paterson University](/source/William_Paterson_University).[1] In his brief NBA career from 1987 to 1989, he played for three teams. ## Life Wheeler played high school basketball at [Long Branch High School](/source/Long_Branch_High_School) in [Long Branch, New Jersey](/source/Long_Branch%2C_New_Jersey).[2] A product of the William Paterson University program where he played four years, Wheeler scored 1,624 points for WP, which put him in third position on the school's all-time list, when he left college in 1981. In the 1979–80 season, he averaged 26.1 points a contest and 22.4 points a game in 1980–81.[3] During the 1980s, Wheeler played frequently in the Jersey Shore Basketball League which was a Pro-Am league that played outdoors at the Headliner in Neptune, NJ. NBA players and NJ residents like [Kelly Tripucka](/source/Kelly_Tripucka), Roy Hinson, and Mike O'Koren also played. Wheeler's spectacular plays were memorialized by the PA announcer with "Wow Wheeler!" after an impressive basket. Wheeler was selected by the [Kansas City Kings](/source/Kansas_City_Kings) in the 7th round (12th pick) of the [1981 NBA draft](/source/1981_NBA_draft).[4] Wheeler played in the [Continental Basketball Association](/source/Continental_Basketball_Association) for the [Albany Patroons](/source/Albany_Patroons) and the [Tampa Bay / Rapid City Thrillers](/source/Rapid_City_Thrillers) from 1984 to 1989.[5] He won a [CBA championship](/source/CBA_champion) with the Thrillers in 1987.[6] He was selected as the CBA Playoff/Finals Most Valuable Player in 1987, and named to the All-CBA First Team in 1986 and 1989 and All-Defensive First Team in 1985, 1986, 1987 and 1989.[5] He is ranked eighth on the Albany Patroons' all-time regular season scoring list.[7] From 1989 to 1993, he played for [Bayer Leverkusen](/source/Bayer_Giants_Leverkusen) in Germany's top flight [Basketball Bundesliga](/source/Basketball_Bundesliga), where he formed a successful duo with fellow American [Kannard Johnson](/source/Kannard_Johnson). Wheeler won four German national championship titles with Leverkusen.[8] He died February 14, 2019, at age 59.[9] ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** [Augsburg's Devean George in the NBA with the Dallas Mavericks!](http://www.augsburg.edu/athletics/mbasket/devean.html) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20070911145107/http://www.augsburg.edu/athletics/mbasket/devean.html) 2007-09-11 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** [Clinton Wheeler](http://www.basketballreference.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=WHEELCL01) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20090403193239/http://www.basketballreference.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=WHEELCL01) 2009-04-03 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine), database Basketball. Accessed October 1, 2007. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Men's Basketball All-Team Statistical Records"](https://www.wpupioneers.com/sports/2014/10/9/MBB_1009144148.aspx?id=216#c%20pts%20per%20game). *www.wpupioneers.com*. Retrieved May 25, 2019. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** [1981 NBA Draft](http://www.basketballreference.com/draft/draftyear.htm?yr=1981&lg=N) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20070824180810/http://www.basketballreference.com/draft/draftyear.htm?yr=1981&lg=N) 2007-08-24 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine), *basketballreference.com* 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-sc_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-sc_5-1) ["Clinton Wheeler minor league basketball statistics"](https://www.statscrew.com/minorbasketball/stats/p-wheelcli001). *Stats Crew*. Retrieved February 21, 2025. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["1986-87 Tampa Bay/Rapid City Thrillers Statistics"](https://www.statscrew.com/minorbasketball/stats/t-CBATBT/y-1986). *Stats Crew*. Retrieved March 9, 2025. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** [Albany Patroons History](http://www.albanypats.com/patroons_history.html) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20070917063625/http://www.albanypats.com/patroons_history.html) 2007-09-17 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["BAYER GIANTS trauern um Clinton Wheeler"](https://www.giants-leverkusen.de/index.php/teams/pro-b/news-prob/394-bayer-giants-trauern-um-clinton-wheeler.html). *www.giants-leverkusen.de*. Retrieved May 25, 2019. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** Edelson, Stephen (February 21, 2019). ["Former Long Branch star Clinton Wheeler, who played in NBA, dies at 59"](https://www.app.com/story/sports/high-school/basketball/2019/02/21/former-long-branch-star-clinton-wheeler-who-played-nba-passes-away-59/2934030002/). *Asbury Park Press*. Retrieved February 21, 2019. ## External links - [NBA stats](https://web.archive.org/web/20090403193239/http://www.basketballreference.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=WHEELCL01) @ basketballreference.com --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Clinton Wheeler](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clinton_Wheeler) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clinton_Wheeler?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.