The Online Reflector

A member was added to the University of Indianapolis men’s basketball team member following a Major League Baseball career right after high school.

Sophomore Reece Cheatham was drafted in the 43rd round by the Chicago White Sox in 2006.  He spent the last four seasons, from 2007 to 2010, playing for the Sox as an outfielder before deciding to return to school.

Cheatham played in 310 games with a batting average of .276. He racked up 11 home runs, 132 RBIs and 56 stolen bases.

He graduated in 2006 from Pike High School after spending four years as a letter winner. His baseball record included being the Indianapolis Star Marion County Player of the Year and All-State Player of the Year. As for basketball, he was an Associated Press All-State High Honorable Mention, Hoosier Basketball Magazine Top 100 Seniors, and was named as part of the Indianapolis Star All-Marion County Second Team as a senior after scoring 12.9 points and 2.9 assists per game.

Cheatham also played basketball with the Amateur Athletic Union, which was  a starting point for current NBA members Eric Gordon, Greg Oden, Mike Conley Jr., Daequan Cook and Josh McRoberts.

Before deciding to make the transition to MLB, Cheatham spent his first year of college at Wabash Valley College playing both basketball and baseball.

“It was work,” he said. “In the fall we had baseball, so I’d be playing baseball but also going to the basketball court to practice my shots. Then in winter there was basketball, but I went to the batting cages after basketball practice to keep up. In between all the practicing, I fit in homework.”

For him, baseball and basketball have always been a strong part of his life.

“I’ve been involved with sports for my entire life,” said Cheatham. “I first got into baseball at age five. It was a Little League team, but I was told I wasn’t old enough to play on it. My uncle helped me play with them, and by age six I was on an actual team.”

Cheatham believes that he’s not the only one who has big dreams.

“I think every kid dreams of going to the Major Leagues or the NBA,” Cheatham said.

Although he valued his time with the White Sox, Cheatham felt he needed to pursue a different path.

“I came back after three years because in case baseball didn’t work out, there was still time for me to play college basketball. Word-of-mouth was how UIndy found out about me, and since this is local, I decided to come here for basketball,” Cheatham said.

Cheatham also explained why he chose basketball at UIndy instead of baseball.

“I can’t play baseball here–once you have played professionally, you aren’t allowed to go back to college level in that sport. An NBA player could never play on the UIndy basketball team, so that’s why I couldn’t play baseball here,” Cheatham said.

Basketball Head Coach Stan Gouard described Cheatham as a remarkable teammate.

“Reece is very family-oriented, which I think stems from his own parents and family being that way,” Gouard said.  “He’s a great locker room guy and has been here with us from day one.”

Gouard also described his visit with Cheatham’s family.

“His parents are top-notch. I got to visit them a few weeks back, and I found them to have kind hearts: to be very big-hearted people,” Gouard said. “Reece is very much like that. He has a big heart and the guys on the team like being around him.”

Cheatham spent some time playing with the UIndy basketball team before actually joining the team.  He will begin the season as a guard for the Greyhounds.