Carl Wheatle’s journey to captaining his country

Carl Wheatle embodies everything it means to be a GB athlete.

His relentless work ethic and lead-by-example attitude coalesce around a singular determination to represent his country, taking GB to new heights.

As the 2025 FIBA EuroBasket approaches, GB Basketball sat down with Carl to illuminate the drive behind the new captain’s composed disposition and understand what it means for him to pull on that GB jersey.

As is the case with many of GB’s basketball stars, Carl’s path did not follow a conventional route.

At just 15 years old, having been playing the sport for less than two years, he moved from South London to Northern Italy, joining the Angelico Biella development programme.

Making such a drastic transition at a young age is a daunting proposition. Yet it is testament to Carl’s maturity and focus that he was able to adapt and thrive.

“The penny didn’t drop for me [that he could pursue basketball as a professional career] until I was 17 or 18.

“I didn’t really start playing basketball seriously until about 14, and then I had the opportunity to move to Italy when I was 15 to play. But at that point, it was still just a sport I enjoyed. I was having fun doing it, but because I didn't really grow up with the game or anything like that, it was all still pretty new to me, and I was getting used to just playing more often.

“It wasn't until a few years after, when I was consistently practising and playing with the men's team and just being in that environment and in a professional setting, that I was able to see a path forward and see basketball as being my future.

“That's where the dream and the aspirations to become a professional basketball player blossomed, and from then on, it was full steam ahead.”

Alan Keane, currently Head Coach of the GB U20 Men’s team, was with Carl at the London Greenhouse Pioneers and at the national youth level before he made the switch to Italy.

Already, Coach Keane could see Wheatle’s natural basketball intelligence. He possessed a unique ability to absorb coaching instructions and implement improvements into his game immediately.

This level of ‘coachability,’ derived from his foundational desire to improve, would guide Carl’s career as he developed into a leader both on and off the court.

As soon as he walked in through the door, you could see he had a world of potential. But his intelligence is his strength, his basketball mind. He’s extremely coachable, you only have to tell him things once, and that in my mind is why he progressed so quickly with the national team.U20 Men's Head Coach Alan Keane

Wheatle playing for Angelico Biella in Italy

Carl has played his entire professional career, thus far, in Italy, developing his game under top European coaches and learning what it takes to succeed at the highest levels.

Wheatle spent six years in the Angelico Biella set up, quickly becoming a mainstay in the senior team as they pursued promotion from Serie A2.

In his final season in Piedmont, Carl averaged 9.3 points and 6.3 rebounds per game, propelling Biella to the quarter-finals of the Serie A2 play-offs.

In 2019, Wheatle signed with Pistoia Basket, a Tuscan side in the top flight of Italian basketball. He won the Italian Serie A2 Super Cup in his second season in Pistoia, securing his first piece of silverware as a professional basketball player.

More success would follow, as Carl was named to the All-Star Five of the Serie A2 finals for the integral role he played in Pistoia winning the national championship and promotion back to the top division of Italian basketball.

“To win a championship and to win a Super Cup out in Italy was an incredible achievement.

“Winning is not something I take for granted because in professional sports, winning is not a given.

“A lot of players put the work in, and we all have a common goal. 20 teams go into a season, and obviously, there can only be one winner, so to come out victorious after a really hard-fought season at that point was super special for us as a group.

“It was a great group of players and a great environment to be a part of and, again, to finish off a year that was so special with silverware and with a trophy was something I will always remember, and it's a special bond that we've had together for that year, and it's something I always remember as part of my career and just part of my life.”

Carl signed with Umana Reyer Venice in 2024, where he currently plays in the Serie A.

Wheatle won the Serie A2 Championship and the Super Cup with Pistoia

Whilst Carl thrived in his professional career in Italy, it was playing for the national team, for his friends and family, that truly motivated him.

Wheatle played a central role in the GB youth set-up from the very beginning. His coaches instantly recognised him as a rising phenom, able to play both sides of the ball and a natural leader.

Carl made his debut for the national team in 2013 at the U16 Men’s European Championships and never looked back.

He played at every level of GB Youth basketball, winning promotion from Division B of the U16 and U20 European Championship competitions.

In Division A of the U20 European Championships, Wheatle proved himself to be one of the continent’s most prolific young talents. He averaged 17.1 points per game, fourth across all players at the tournament, 7.6 rebounds, and 1.7 assists.

Beyond his raw talent, former U20s and now Senior National team coach Marc Steutel praised Wheatle’s attitude towards playing for his country.

Carl Wheatle has been one of our best ever junior international players, and his level of pride and commitment will be contagious in the squad.Men's Senior Head Coach Marc Steutel

Speaking on his journey through the national youth teams, Carl said, “Playing with the national team in juniors was always super fun.

“It's very different from playing with a club because it becomes a collective, instead of where at clubs, you have your rivalries.

When you come together for the national team, it always becomes something bigger than yourself. It's playing for your nation, for your family, for your friends. It's not just a commitment, but it's also a calling. You're called to wear the jersey to represent, so when you get the opportunity to do so, it's always super fun.GB Men's Captain Carl Wheatle

“Throughout the juniors, we had success. I was part of two promotion-winning teams throughout my junior career at the U16s and the U20s.

“But it also creates bonds and friendships. A lot of the guys that I played juniors with over the years, I'm still really close with now, and we still work out and we play against each other in the summers, and so it's great to see how those bonds and relationships that we made at juniors can still flourish and exist to this day.”

Wheatle helped GB finish tenth in the 2018 FIBA U20 European Championships

Carl’s phenomenal performance at the U20 European Championships was closely followed by the Senior National team and Head Coach Alberto Lorenzo, who called him up to compete in the 2019 World Cup Qualifers.

Although his opportunities were slim in those early stages, it was clear immediately that Wheatle’s attitude fit within the squad’s ethos. His commitment to the grind and to his country shone through, and there was no doubt he would soon establish himself as a leader within the group.

Speaking on the moment he received the call, Carl said, “Getting that first call up and getting that first invitation to the Senior Men's camp was a super surreal feeling.

“It happened while I was with the U20s in the midst of preparation for that tournament, and then I get the call-up, so it was super humbling and it wasn't something that was expected at the time.

“It was a super proud for my work to have been a recognised at that level and for them to want me to be a part of the team and then, making my debut, it's, a sense of pride to relish in what you've achieve them to that point, and then it's motivation as well, to keep wanting to improve and keep representing and keep being part of the GB family and the GB programme.

“So, you know, the debut was super cool, but again, it gave me more hunger to want to do it more, and again, I want I keep putting the jersey on and keep representing the country.”

Wheatle was named captain of the national team in 2023 by new Head Coach Marc Steutel, during a transition period for the federation, with a host of veteran stars retiring from the game.

Coach Steutel recognised Carl’s presence within the squad, despite being just 25 years old, and trusted that his leadership would ensure a successful shift to the next era of GB Basketball.

Carl is a unique captain. He understands the multi-faceted approach a effective leaders must take in order to galvanise a squad and push their teammates to be the best that they can be.

It is not enough to call on others to perform. He leads by example, works harder every day, and has built a group of experienced leaders to support the squad across the board.

But it speaks to Wheatle’s commitment to his role as a leader that he did not seek out the captaincy before taking on the responsibilities it entails. Rather, he ascended to the role having already established himself as a focal point of the team.

Wheatle was named GB Men's Senior Team Captain in 2023

“I had been captain of a few of the national teams at junior level, and I had always got along with my teammates and tried to be a leader just through my actions.

“But that [being named Senior captain] came organically, with a sort of passing of the guard when our current captains moved on from international basketball and we were no longer available and also it was a passing down of veterans that are still part of the team and them putting their trust in me and the coaching staff doing the same and allowing me to to be the focal leader of of this team.

“Along with some of the other veterans, we have formed a leadership group. It definitely helps to have those guys with me and to be able to support in leading.

Leading is not just a singular thing, but it takes multiple efforts.

“To be named captain is a super happy, a super proud achievement for me and my family, more so, and puts the icing on the cake of what my career has been so far, and again it's motivation to keep wanting to do well and lead the team out to more success and more victories in the future.”

Carl’s leadership committee features veteran players such as Myles Hesson, Gabe Olaseni, and Luke Nelson, who have competed at the highest level for their country for over a decade, and know what is required to succeed at international tournaments.

Wheatle can also rely on former captain and current General Manager Dan Clark for guidance and inspiration. Clark was part of the historic 2012 team that competed at the London Olympics, and holds not just an immeasurable knowledge of the game but also understands, better than anyone, the passion and privilege is pulling on a GB jersey.

“Having Dan in as a GM now, it's a weird experience, because obviously he was my teammate only a few years ago, but he's doing a great job of trying to help push the programme forward.

“Within the team, I've got guys like Myles, Gabe and Luke, who I have been teammates with since I've been with GB, and obviously were around before me as well. Just to have those veterans and those guys around me to form that leadership group, it helps lighten the burden.

“They are guys I can lean on and speak to about things, it helps us move forward as a programme when you have guys like that who have been bought in for so long and who know the game, know how GB basketball is, and they're alongside you.

“Being able to go to battle with these guys who you know are right with you is super important for me, and I'm super appreciative of those guys in terms of what they've meant for my journey.”

Wheatle relies on veterans like Myles Hesson to help lead the nation

Carl has always been a sponge. From the earliest days playing as a 15-year-old in South London, his ability to absorb information and develop his game exceeded those around him. This talent has not only improved his skill as a player but has allowed him to deepen his understanding of what it means to be a leader, combining the best of those who came before him.

“Everyone has their own sort of style when you're in these kinds of situations. Mine is generally more lead by example, and then it's being vocal when I need to.

“And then just learning what the situation needs through different experiences, because there's no substitute for experience, you have to live situations to be able to be ready for them and be able to adapt in those moments.

“It’s important I make sure the guys feel comfortable, and also asking the guys what they need, because, again, being a leader and being the captain doesn't just mean that I have to be right all the time or say what I think is, but it's also giving the guys the space and the opportunity to express themselves and then to just make sure it working as a unit more so than it being me having to lead and tell them what to do.

“If we're all working as collectively as possible, it means we're going to play better, we're going to be stronger as a group, and it means our chemistry on and off the floor is only is only going to get better.”

GB enjoyed a successful qualification campaign for the FIBA EuroBasket 2025, winning four of their six group games including a huge one-point victory against Greece.

The upcoming competition will prove a significant challenge for GB, who will hope to push further than the nation has ever achieved, but will face stiff opposition in their group.

Carl’s message to his squad is simple: It’s time to work.

“It was a successful qualification campaign and obviously to qualify for a European tournament is something we never take for granted.

“But now we know that that's in the past and we've done that, and we now focus on training and being as productive as possible and making sure we're ready to go to EuroBasket because we want to be one of the best performing GB teams that have represented the country.

“So, you know, in order to do that, we have to make sure we lock in over these next weeks until we head off to the tournament, make sure everyone's bought into the commitment and the respect and pride that putting on the GB jersey means.

“And if we all do that collectively, then we give ourselves the best chance to to come out successful and take away some good results heading into the tournament.”

Click here to see the squad selected for GB's EuroBasket preparation tour.