The Columbus Wizards

As I sit down and reflect on this season, I’ll be honest… it’s hard to put into words everything that comes with this journey. Running a professional basketball team at this level is not easy. There were sleepless nights, difficult conversations, financial challenges that felt overwhelming, moments of doubt, moments of frustration, and moments where the weight of it all felt heavier than I ever expected. There were highs that reminded me why I love this, and there were lows that tested me in ways I never saw coming. There were moments this season where I questioned a lot, moments that hurt, moments that challenged me mentally, emotionally, and personally, and moments where it would have been easy to ask myself if all of this was worth it. But through all of it, one word keeps coming back to me… gratitude.

First and foremost, to our fans… thank you. Thank you for believing in us, for wearing our colors, bringing your families, showing up in the stands, watching online, sharing our story, engaging on social media, and spending your hard-earned money to support what we are building. In a world where people have so many choices on where to spend their time, energy, and money, you chose us. That means more than I could ever truly explain. Because the truth is, when you build something from the ground up, support feels different. Every ticket purchased, every share, every comment, every kid in a Wizards jersey, every family that chose to spend their night with us… I noticed it. I felt it. And I will never take that for granted.

To our players… I truly don’t know if thank you is enough. Thank you for believing in this organization and trusting us with your dream. Thank you for wearing Wizards across your chest with pride and pouring your heart into every practice, every game, every road trip, and every moment in between. What people see on game night is only a fraction of the story. They don’t see the sacrifices behind closed doors. They don’t see the missed time with family, the physical pain, the financial hardships, the jobs many of you work outside of basketball, or the mental and emotional weight that comes with chasing a dream at this level. And this season was not easy. There were challenges, adversity, and financial realities that impacted all of us in different ways. Some players made the difficult decision to step away, and I respect that because everyone has to do what is best for themselves and their families. Others continued to show up, compete, and carry themselves with professionalism in the face of uncertainty. No matter what role you played in this journey, I want you to know that your sacrifice mattered. To every player who wore a Wizards jersey this season, whether it was for one game or the full journey, thank you. To chase a dream at this level requires heart, sacrifice, faith, and resilience, and what I will remember most is not just what happened on the court, but the way so many of you kept showing up, kept fighting, and kept believing even when things got hard. You inspired young kids in our stands who saw themselves in you, and you reminded people that dreams are still worth fighting for. For that, I will always have love, appreciation, and respect for every player who was part of this story.

To The Columbus Crystals, and to Kiki Williams for leading that group with passion and professionalism… thank you. What you built this season was bigger than performances. You brought energy, pride, excitement, and life into this organization. You helped create memories for families and fans every single night, and you represented this team with class, passion, and professionalism. And just like our players, you faced adversity too. There were moments this season where things were not easy, there were challenges, uncertainties, and financial realities that affected all of us, and yet… you still showed up. You still performed. You still represented this organization with grace, professionalism, and pride. That did not go unnoticed, and that says everything about your character. Beyond the performances, you inspired people. There were little girls in those stands watching you and seeing possibility, confidence, and another path toward their own dreams. That matters. Representation matters. Inspiration matters. And every single one of you became an important part of what made this season special.

To our coaches, Brad Rader, Thorne Stephens, and Ray Corbett… thank you. Thank you for the countless hours, the long nights, the preparation, the planning, the scouting, the player development, and the work that so many people will never fully see. But more than that… thank you for your leadership. Because this season demanded more than basketball. It demanded leadership in moments of adversity, calm in moments of uncertainty, and strength when the season became heavy. Through all of that, you continued to lead, continued to pour into our players, continued to hold this team together, and continued to keep this organization moving forward even when the weight of it all got heavy. That kind of leadership is not easy, and it often goes unnoticed. But I want you to know… I saw it. I saw the sacrifices, the emotional weight, the commitment, and the belief. And I want you to know how deeply appreciated you are because this season would not have been possible without you.

To our volunteers, sponsors, partners, performers, and everyone behind the scenes… thank you. Organizations like ours are never built by one person. They are built by people who believe, commit, sacrifice, and continue showing up even when things get hard. This season, we were fortunate to showcase incredible bands, dancers, performers, and community groups that brought energy and excitement to our game nights. Every single person who played a role in making this season special deserves our gratitude.

I also want to take a moment to acknowledge the Grove City Whitetails . Rivalries are special because they create passion, emotion, and moments that people remember. While we battled on the court, talked our talk, and competed with pride, I also want to extend my respect to them because what they are building is not easy either. This level is hard. Building something in this space takes sacrifice, belief, and resilience, and rivalries matter because they create belief, passion, and respect on both sides. They deserve recognition for the season they had.

My love for The Columbus Wizards is hard to put into words. This organization has taken a lot out of me at times. It has challenged me, stretched me, and tested me. But it has also reminded me why I started in the first place. Because this has never just been about basketball. It has always been about opportunity. It has always been about community. It has always been about giving people a place to belong. And that’s why I remain committed not only to continuing to build The Columbus Wizards, but to helping improve minor league basketball as a whole. Because the people sacrificing for this game deserve better. The players deserve better. The coaches deserve better. The owners deserve better. The communities deserve better. And I truly believe that if the right people come together with the right intentions, we can move this space forward in a meaningful way.

This season brought wins, losses, laughter, lessons, adversity, frustration, growth, heartbreak, and unforgettable moments. But maybe the biggest lesson this season reminded me of is this… success is not always measured by a scoreboard. Sometimes it’s measured by resilience. By the people who stayed. By the lessons learned when things got hard. By the relationships built. By the impact made. By the belief that even through adversity, something meaningful is still being built.

There were moments this season that hurt. Moments that challenged us in ways we didn’t expect. Moments where it would have been easy to question everything. And yes… there were people who doubted us, questioned us, criticized us, or wondered if this vision would ever work. But adversity has a way of revealing character. Criticism has a way of forcing you to grow. Doubt has a way of testing how deeply you believe in what you’re building.

Not everyone will understand the sacrifices that come with this journey. Not everyone will see the vision right away. And that’s okay.

Because this season reminded me that belief has to be stronger than doubt, commitment has to be louder than criticism, and purpose has to be bigger than adversity.

In a strange way, even the difficult moments, the setbacks, and yes… even the doubters played a role in this story because they reminded me why I started in the first place. Through every setback, every obstacle, and every difficult moment… my commitment to this organization and this city only grew stronger.

From the bottom of my heart… thank you. Thank you for believing in us. Thank you for supporting us. Thank you for challenging us. Thank you for growing with us. And thank you for being part of this journey.

We are far from done.

Not even close.

With gratitude,
Casey Gillespie
President, Columbus Wizards

Today, we pause as an organization and as a community to remember the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. Memorial Day is more than a holiday. It is a time to honor heroes whose courage, service, and selflessness gave us the freedoms we enjoy each day.

From all of us at the Columbus Wizards, we remember. We honor. We never forget.

To the fallen and the families who carry their legacy, we thank you.

Due to unforeseen circumstances, Friday night’s scheduled game against the Hamilton County Huskers has been cancelled.

All tickets that were purchased have been fully refunded.

We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your understanding and continued support of the Columbus Wizards. Thank you for riding with us all season!

🧊 x 🧙‍♂️

The atmosphere inside The Rike Center was electric tonight as another chapter of the Cap City Championship rivalry delivered a playoff-like battle between the Columbus Wizards and Grove City Whitetails. Your Wizards led by as many as 14 behind big performances from Mike Davenport (33 points), Mat Bingaya (25 points, 6 steals), Jay Farrow (21 points, 9 rebounds), and Josiah Fulcher (20 points, 6 rebounds) while forcing 21 turnovers and pushing the pace throughout the night. But credit to the Grove City Whitetails. They stayed composed, made timely plays, and knocked down 13 three-pointers to leave Westerville with a hard fought 114-110 victory.

As emotions settle, perspective matters. Safe to say we probably did a little too much talking before tipoff. That one is on us. Rivalries and social media banter are fun until reality checks you with 13 made threes and a final score on the scoreboard.

One thing that also was not fully taken into account was how some of the back and forth could be perceived by the players and coaches themselves. These are real people sacrificing time, energy, finances, and comfort while chasing their dreams and helping grow professional basketball here in Central Ohio. We also want to thank Coach Bogan for bringing that perspective to light. In the middle of competition and rivalry, it is important to remember the human side of this game and the mutual respect that should always exist between the people building it.

We humbly congratulate the Grove City Whitetails organization on the win and on a season series that ends 2-2 in both teams’ inaugural seasons in The Basketball League. At the end of the day, this rivalry created energy around the game, filled gyms, brought communities together, and showed that basketball in Central Ohio is alive and growing.

The belt heads back down 71 for now. We’ll take this one on the chin, get back to work, and be ready for the next chapter. Rivalries are not built on perfect nights. They are built on battles, adversity, emotion, and earned respect.

See you next round.

Your starting lineup tonight against The Grove City Whitetails in the cap city championship and final matchup between our teams this season!

Tonight, the Columbus Wizards and Grove City Whitetails meet again with the Cap City Championship belt on the line. Familiar faces. History between both sides. Pride for the city. Every time these teams step on the floor together, the energy is different.

Health & Wellness Night presented by Patriot Chiropractic takes over The Rike Center tonight, and we’re expecting another loud atmosphere as the playoff push continues. It’s also Kids Takeover Night, making this the perfect chance to bring the family out for a fun night of professional basketball in Columbus.

We know it’s a Thursday night and work and school come early tomorrow morning, but trust us when we say this is one you’ll want to experience in person.

The belt is on the line. Let’s bring it back where it belongs.

Ahead of Thursday night’s Cap City Championship game against the Grove City Whitetails, Team President Casey Gillespie had a few words for the city…

Get your tickets now at www.thecolumbuswizards.com/tickets

Wizards Team Captain had a message ahead of Thursday nights matchup against the Grove City Whitetails with The Cap City Championship belt on the line.