This is true. Isn't it amazing how quickly Wheeler is criticized but not a word can be said about Wallace? The group think here is this: Wallace is great. Wheeler is awful. Slam Wheeler and get cheers. Say one word about Wallace and you're a loon.
But here, let me say both good and bad about Wallace...
I applaud him for playing in that game with his obvious pain. I was hurting watching him try to move around.
But, the negative. He was terrible initiating the offense. He turned it over, yes a couple lame calls there, but he struggled running the offense so badly that Cal put Thiero at the point. What more needs to be said? And Thiero was better than Wallace, although he struggled as well.
But folks can't even admit that Wheeler certainly would have done better at initiating the offense. Can't say it. I have to laugh. If you say the name Wheeler, your next word must be "sucks" or "benched" or "not even UK caliber." These are the accepted talking points. Don't break the norm! It doesn't matter what the numbers say if your eyes tell you he sucks.
Here's the reason we think Wheeler sucks. I had an epiphany of sorts earlier while replying to someone. Wheeler's biggest problem is that when he is forced to step up and try to force plays, force shots, or do something to save the team, it means the team is losing. So, when Wheeler is the 2nd leading scorer behind Oscar, as he was against St Peter's, it means the supporting cast is sucking horribly. Wheeler doesn't play terribly until the rest of the guys are playing terribly and he thinks he has to try to win by himself. And he usually finishes what they started, while trying to do too much, he blows it. He turns it over. He takes bad shots.
It's the same thing when Wheeler ENDS UP with the ball at the end of shot clocks. Why has that happen SOOO much this season? Because all season the entire team has refused to make a play, to take a shot, or to take the chance at failing. They've deferred to Wheeler again and again, so who takes the shot? Wheeler. Who gets blamed for the bad play? Wheeler. He's holding the ball at the end of every loss. That's how it works.
But what did we see against Tennessee? (It actually started in the 2nd half of SC but the Gamecocks kept making shots out their butts and it was too little too late.) Something changed with Fredrick and Reeves. They were hunting shots. They were aggressively cutting and going around screens. They and others were taking the ball at Tennessee and forcing them to foul. They were taking contact and going through it. And then they made free throws. They stopped fading away, shying from contact, backing off, and deferring. That is what I saw.
So, my bottom line: I think Wheeler can play and win when he's not trying to do what he doesn't do well. He doesn't need to look to score. He doesn't need to try to force plays that aren't there. He needs to initiate the offense, drive the ball, and make good passes to open guys. When he plays to his strengths, he is very good. When he plays outside his strengths, we lose.
