WNBA: AUG 18 Seattle Storm at Indiana Fever

Erica Wheeler has been a beloved hype woman on the Fever sidelines, but it has apparently come at a cost.

The Indiana Fever have won five consecutive games, and the vibes are high. Caitlin Clark is playing at an MVP level, Kelsey Mitchell is scoring at a historic clip, Aliyah Boston has made tremendous strides — and Erica Wheeler has kept the energy up, whether she’s on the court or on the bench.

Well, apparently, she’s kept the energy up a little bit too much — so much so that she believes that her behavior was flagged, and as a result, she was once again selected for a random drug test. It’s her third time being drug-tested this season, she said.

“No more dancing and acting on the bench cause apparently I got too much energy at 33 years old,”

It’s well-chronicled that athletes are called for drug tests after big performances, but it’s a bit more unusual for that to happen after a 4-point, 1-rebound outing. That was Wheeler’s stat-line in Wednesday’s Fever win over the Los Angeles Sparks.

It’s been a pretty quiet season for Erica Wheeler, who is averaging 3.6 points, 1.5 rebounds, and 1.8 assists in 14.4 minutes per night. The 33-year-old, who has also played for the Liberty, Dream, and Sparks throughout her 10-year WNBA career, has assumed a more limited bench role this season after being a starter for most of her career.

Still, Wheeler has been an unwavering presence on the bench, and has consistently been one of the league’s most reliable hype women.