Blazers mourn passing of former play-by-play announcer Brian Wheeler

PORTLAND ­—Longtime Portland Trail Blazers radio play-by-play announcer Brian Wheeler passed away on Friday, Nov. 8 at age 62, the team announced on Saturday.

No cause of death was reported. Wheeler had been dealing with heath issues, which resulted in him stepping down as announcer five years ago.

Wheeler, better known as “Wheels” served as the radio voice of the Trail Blazers for 21 seasons from 1998-2019. He followed the late Bill Schonely behind the Blazers’ mic.

Wheeler was raised in the Los Angeles area, spending his early years listening to sports broadcasting legends Vin Scully and Chick Hearn that would influence his future work. He attended Loyola University in Chicago, beginning his broadcasting career on campus before making it to the pros.

His 35-year broadcasting career included stops with the NBA’s Sacramento Kings and WNBA’s Monarchs, the Seattle SuperSonics, and Chicago Bulls, before 21 seasons in Rip City.

Wheeler was named Oregon Sportscaster of the Year in 2007, recognizing his impact on the state’s sports culture.

His iconic trademark call of “BOOM-SHAKA-LAKA” is still widely used across the industry and a fan favorite to this day inside Moda Center.

“His love for the game and passion for the Trail Blazers came through in every radio call, making each play a thrill for every listener tuning in,” the Blazers said in a statement. “As we mourn Wheels passing, we fondly remember his post-win declaration, ‘And once again we can say: It’s a great day to be a Blazer!’ ”