Oklahoma State University Athletics
Up Next ... Karli Wheeler
October 30, 2015 | Cowgirl Basketball
By Matt Mitchell
Karli Wheeler has never been the type of person to stay inside the lines.
"I still just can't color a whole page and stay inside the lines," Wheeler said. "It makes me mad."
The Cowgirl freshman can best be described as a "Jack of all Trades," especially when it comes to playing sports. She has done everything from softball and volleyball to skateboarding and snowboarding.
"I started playing basketball when I was about three years old," Wheeler said. "When I was little I also played every other sport, too. Football, tee-ball, soccer, you name it and I've played it."
But of the all the sports she played growing up, basketball always stood out to her more than any other.
"I don't know," Wheeler said. "There was something different about basketball and I just went with it."
Wheeler grew up in a "sports family," so it should come as no surprise her world has revolved around sports. Wheeler's uncle, Ronnie Ortegon, played professional baseball and is currently an MLB hitting instructor for the Atlanta Braves organization. He has been one of Wheeler's biggest influences and a mentor for many years.
"I really liked softball, too, and he [Ortegon] would give me and my brother and one of my brother's friends lessons whenever we would go and see him in Dallas," Wheeler said. "He also gives me tips in basketball, too, so he's been a really big impact on me."
Karli's older brother, Nathan, has also been somewhat of a mentor, taking on the natural role that comes with being an older sibling. A mechanic who lives in Fort Worth, Texas, Nathan played all kinds of sports with Karli growing up. He pushed her in everything they played, with Karil only ever consistently besting him in basketball. Karli said playing against her older helped make her tougher and drove her to be more physical and aggressive, bringing on her competitive nature.
"I didn't want him to beat me at anything and I always wanted to fight back," Karli said. "I think that carried over into sports and helped my competitiveness."
Jeff Gonzalez, who coached Wheeler for more than 10 years, has also had a big impact on Wheeler's life. He formed an all-star team and a summer select team when Wheeler was around 8 years old. Wheeler credits Gonzalez for where her basketball career has taken her.
"He really developed my game," Wheeler said. "He really motivated me to stick with it and he's one of the big reason I'm here at Oklahoma State right now."
Wheeler was a highly sought after recruit coming out of high school. A native of Plainview, Texas, Wheeler was a four-time Texas Girls Coaches Association all-state pick, a three-time District 4-4A Most Valuable Player, and she was named the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches Class 5A Player of the Year as a senior at Plainview High School.
Wheeler had offers from Mississippi State, Washington and nearby Texas Tech among others. Yet instead Wheeler ended up in Stillwater at Oklahoma State.
"The environment here is super homey," Wheeler said. "I know people say that a lot, but it's absolutely true. Everybody is really nice and welcoming. Also, I didn't want to travel too far away from home. It's about six hours to my hometown from here and I really like that I have family close and I can travel home whenever I need to or whenever want to. I also love the players and the coaching staff. "
For Wheeler, Oklahoma State is now a home away from home.
"I just felt like this is where I belong," Wheeler said. "It just felt right."
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Karli Wheeler has never been the type of person to stay inside the lines.
"I still just can't color a whole page and stay inside the lines," Wheeler said. "It makes me mad."
The Cowgirl freshman can best be described as a "Jack of all Trades," especially when it comes to playing sports. She has done everything from softball and volleyball to skateboarding and snowboarding.
"I started playing basketball when I was about three years old," Wheeler said. "When I was little I also played every other sport, too. Football, tee-ball, soccer, you name it and I've played it."
But of the all the sports she played growing up, basketball always stood out to her more than any other.
"I don't know," Wheeler said. "There was something different about basketball and I just went with it."
Wheeler grew up in a "sports family," so it should come as no surprise her world has revolved around sports. Wheeler's uncle, Ronnie Ortegon, played professional baseball and is currently an MLB hitting instructor for the Atlanta Braves organization. He has been one of Wheeler's biggest influences and a mentor for many years.
"I really liked softball, too, and he [Ortegon] would give me and my brother and one of my brother's friends lessons whenever we would go and see him in Dallas," Wheeler said. "He also gives me tips in basketball, too, so he's been a really big impact on me."
Karli's older brother, Nathan, has also been somewhat of a mentor, taking on the natural role that comes with being an older sibling. A mechanic who lives in Fort Worth, Texas, Nathan played all kinds of sports with Karli growing up. He pushed her in everything they played, with Karil only ever consistently besting him in basketball. Karli said playing against her older helped make her tougher and drove her to be more physical and aggressive, bringing on her competitive nature.
"I didn't want him to beat me at anything and I always wanted to fight back," Karli said. "I think that carried over into sports and helped my competitiveness."
Jeff Gonzalez, who coached Wheeler for more than 10 years, has also had a big impact on Wheeler's life. He formed an all-star team and a summer select team when Wheeler was around 8 years old. Wheeler credits Gonzalez for where her basketball career has taken her.
"He really developed my game," Wheeler said. "He really motivated me to stick with it and he's one of the big reason I'm here at Oklahoma State right now."
Wheeler was a highly sought after recruit coming out of high school. A native of Plainview, Texas, Wheeler was a four-time Texas Girls Coaches Association all-state pick, a three-time District 4-4A Most Valuable Player, and she was named the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches Class 5A Player of the Year as a senior at Plainview High School.
Wheeler had offers from Mississippi State, Washington and nearby Texas Tech among others. Yet instead Wheeler ended up in Stillwater at Oklahoma State.
"The environment here is super homey," Wheeler said. "I know people say that a lot, but it's absolutely true. Everybody is really nice and welcoming. Also, I didn't want to travel too far away from home. It's about six hours to my hometown from here and I really like that I have family close and I can travel home whenever I need to or whenever want to. I also love the players and the coaching staff. "
For Wheeler, Oklahoma State is now a home away from home.
"I just felt like this is where I belong," Wheeler said. "It just felt right."
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