She shoots, she scores
Go one-on-one with ESPN basketball analyst Debbie Antonelli as she preps for her annual 24-hour free throw marathon to raise money for Special Olympics South Carolina.
Photo by Mic Smith
Debbie Antonelli
HOME COURT: Mount Pleasant.
CLAIMS TO FAME: Played basketball for N.C. State, then began a 33-year (and counting) career as a college basketball analyst for ESPN and other networks.
LITTLE-KNOWN FACT: Antonelli can sing all the girl parts to High School Musical. She leaves the boy parts for her son Frankie.
PASSION PROJECT: Raising money for Special Olympics South Carolina with her 24 Hours of Nothing but Net shoot-a-thon, scheduled this year for May 15–16 (24hoursnbn.com).
A stand-out guard for N.C. State in the mid-1980s—including trips to the NCAA Tournament and two appearances in the Sweet Sixteen—Debbie Antonelli is now at the top of her game as an analyst calling basketball for ESPN, CBS, Fox, Big Ten Network and Westwood One, where one of her signature sayings is, “Shoot until your arm falls off.” As honored as she is to be one of the few female voices for men’s basketball, she’s even more humbled by fans who support her annual fundraiser for Special Olympics South Carolina—24 Hours of Nothing but Net.
Antonelli’s middle son, Frankie, was born with Down syndrome. “As a parent of a child with special needs who participates in Special Olympics competitions, I know how important the programming is and what sports means to his overall development,” she says.
She launched the event in 2019, shooting 100 free throws every hour for 24 hours, with people donating—as little as a penny per free throw—for the cause. Held at a Mount Pleasant gym and streamed live, the event raised $85,000. In 2020, the pandemic forced Antonelli to host the event in her driveway—and she raised $125,000 for her trouble.
“The driveway provided such a grassroots feel, which is exactly what Special Olympics is all about,” says Antonelli.
On May 15–16, Antonelli will be back in “Team Antonelli home court,” streaming on multiple platforms, and working to raise even more. Between free throw action, she will conduct virtual conversations with sports figures and celebrities, host friendly competitions and even have closing ceremonies. Eventually, she wants to take the event nationwide.
“I want to raise $1 million dollars for Special Olympics,” dreams Antonelli. “I want to shoot until my arm falls off.”
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Step up
To make a donation, visit 24hoursnbn.com, then tune in to watch all the 2021 action starting at noon on May 15, 2021. Livestreams will be available on Facebook (@24hoursnothingbutnet) and YouTube (24hoursnothingbutnet.com).