Apr 3, 2024; Cleveland, OH, USA; Analyst Debbie Antonelli speaks at the press conference for the Naismith Awards at the Cleveland Browns Stadium Key Bank Club. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
By Michael Grant on

As a broadcaster, this was a moment Debbie Antonelli didn’t expect. As a mother, this was a memory she’ll never forget.

No one thought the University of Louisville would crush Indiana 89-61 in Wednesday’s opening round of the Battle 4 Atlantis in the Bahamas. It was supposed to be a competitive game, so the last thing on Antonelli’s mind was that she would be on the call with her son on the court. But with 1:55 left in a rout, graduate transfer and walk-on Patrick Antonelli entered the game.

For the viewing audience, Debbie Antonelli kept her professional composure. However, the ESPN analyst couldn’t resist picking up her phone and quickly snapping a picture of her son at the scorer’s table. Moms love to cherish these special moments.

“I looked over at (Louisville coach) Pat Kelsey and he was smiling,” Debbie Antonelli told Awful Announcing in a phone interview. “I put my hand to my heart (to express) ‘thank you.'”

Patrick played two minutes, scoring 3 points with a steal. His three free throws were the first career Division I points for the former Division II Emory & Henry guard. When the game was over, mom told her son she was proud of him. The Antonellis enjoyed a celebratory meal at Carmine’s. And then after some family time, Debbie Antonelli started responding to the 240 text messages she received.

“For 37 years I’ve been telling the stories of other people’s kids on the air, and I finally got to tell a story about my own kid, which is really cool, because this is all about Patrick,” she said. “This has been his dream school since he was a little boy. He had Louisville posters. They’re still on his bedroom wall at home. He just grew up being a Louisville fan. We live in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. It’s a suburb of Charleston.”

Patrick Antonelli might be the most unlikely Louisville fan ever. The Cardinals were not even in the Atlantic Coast Conference when he was a young child. Debbie Antonelli said her son chose to root for Louisville because of PlayStation 2. As a gamer, he would pit Louisville vs. Michigan State in football.

“Those were his two favorite logos as a little boy,” she said. “I guess he just liked the Cardinals. He could have very easily been a Michigan State fan. He could have gone the other way, but he chose Louisville. That was his school. He wanted t-shirts and jerseys. He wrote book reports on Rick Pitino and the Louisville Cardinals.”

In real life, when Louisville played at the College of Charleston, Debbie Antonelli took her then-10-year-old to the game as a birthday present. Patrick met Peyton Siva, Russ Smith, and Pitino. But as much as Patrick loved the Cardinals, becoming one seemed like a longshot. He was at a Division II school for four years. However, when Louisville made a coaching change and Kelsey took over, an opportunity presented itself. Kelsey was formerly the coach at the College of Charleston.

Walk-ons rarely see playing time. So, not surprisingly, Patrick had only appeared in two games before Wednesday. Considering the Cardinals (4-1) were facing No.14 Indiana (4-1), no one expected him to play against the Hoosiers. Not even his mom.

“I wasn’t prepared for it,” Debbie Antonelli said.

Patrick Antonelli is working on his master’s degree in sports administration. He wants to stay in basketball. Wouldn’t it be something if Debbie Antonelli also called her son’s games when he’s a head coach?

“That could happen,” she said. “I hope I’m still on the air when that does happen. If that’s not the case, then I’m going to be sitting on that second-row back bench being his assistant.”

About Michael Grant

Born in Jamaica. Grew up in New York City. Lives in Louisville, Ky. Sports writer. Not related to Ulysses S. Grant.

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