Return to Reynolds: Inside Debbie Antonelli’s induction into NC State’s Ring of Honor

Whenever Debbie Antonelli steps onto the hardwood at Reynolds Coliseum, her eyes search for a name etched in bold red letters: KAY YOW.

The name belongs to the coach who shaped her life as a player and a person. Antonelli played a pivotal role in 2007 when the court was named after her legendary mentor.

Thursday, Antonelli’s return to Reynolds marked a new milestone: Antonelli was inducted into N.C. State’s Ring of Honor during a halftime ceremony, as the No. 21 Wolfpack women’s basketball team secured an 83-67 victory over Pittsburgh. Her own name joined the rafters alongside Yow’s — a permanent reminder of her immense contributions to basketball, broadcasting and beyond.

“I don’t think it’s hit me yet,” Antonelli said, addressing a small group of reporters in a hallway near the court.

Her Hall of Fame ring sparkled under the lights as she twiddled her thumbs. Minutes earlier, she had stood on the court baseline, visibly restless as she awaited the banner unveiling. She shifted her weight and shuffled her feet. Antonelli confessed afterward that she was nervous.

“I wasn’t sure how I’d react,” she said quietly, with a sheepish smile.

‘… so Kay Yow would pick me’

For Antonelli, the journey to this moment began when she was 13. She had just moved from New York to North Carolina. And, in a story she tells often, it was at Reynolds — sitting on the railing and watching Yow’s teams play — that Antonelli had an epiphany.

She realized girls could play basketball in college, and even earn scholarships to do so.

“Once I saw those women playing at a high level I decided that was something I wanted to do,” she said. “It affected every decision I made through high school — trying to get myself to be the best I could be — so Kay Yow would pick me.”

Yow did, eventually, pick her.

Antonelli rose from an unheralded freshman at the end of the bench to a three-year starter. She helped guide the Wolfpack to four straight NCAA Tournament appearances, two Sweet Sixteens, and the 1985 ACC regular-season and tournament titles from 1982 to 1986.

The lessons Yow imparted — about hard work, selflessness and doing things the right way — have shaped every aspect of Antonelli’s life.

Yow taught Antonelli to run the floor hard, set good screens and play tough defense — the things that aren’t on the stat sheet but make the team better.

Because of this, Antonelli has always seen the game as a “servant leader.”

“It’s like an endless checklist of, ‘OK, you’ve accomplished one thing, but what more is there?” Antonelli said. “Who else can we serve? What else can we do to make somebody else’s life better?’”

‘Part of my journey’

As Antonelli awaited her halftime ceremony, she listened intently to a young woman in a headset who explained how everything would unfold. Her family — sons Joe, Frankie and Patrick, as well as her husband, Frank — gathered around her, like a team huddle.

In a way, that’s how she sees them — her team.

Her middle son, Frankie, has Down syndrome. Antonelli, speaking to The News & Observer, named him as one of her role models.

Inspired by Frankie and Eunice Kennedy Shriver, who founded the Special Olympics, Antonelli has raised more than $1 million for the organization through her annual “24 Hours Nothing But Net” free-throw marathon.

“Basketball was Coach Yow’s platform,” Antonelli said. “Special Olympics was Eunice Kennedy Shriver’s platform. I’ve tried to model what I’m doing … with a combination of both of them in mind.”

Her most meaningful contribution, she said, has been her advocacy to help launch the Elevate program at N.C. State. Elevate is a cohort-based program that provides opportunities for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities to thrive in college.

Launched this year with $3 million in annual funding from the North Carolina General Assembly, Elevate welcomed its first cohort of seven students this semester.

Antonelli calls this the best thing she’s ever done.

“I have lived the daily challenge of raising a child with special needs with my husband and my two other sons,” she said. “It’s definitely a team … [they] are a big part of my journey.”

‘Best in the business’

After her playing days ended, Antonelli found another way to contribute to the game: In television broadcasting and radio.

Over a career spanning more than three decades, she has become one of the most respected analysts in basketball — covering men’s and women’s games with expertise.

“Debbie’s the best in the business,” said Jay Bilas, a fellow analyst and colleague at ESPN. “She’s impeccably prepared. She knows the game backward and forward. Every time I listen to her do a game, I learn something — not just about the teams, but about the game itself.”

Antonelli’s rise in a male-dominated field wasn’t without challenges. Despite this, her talent and work ethic shone through.

Early in her career, broadcaster and colleague Dan Bonner advocated for her to move from sideline reporting to an analyst role, even persuading producers to experiment with a three-person booth.

After some pushback, it worked.

“I always knew she was very good and all that did was confirm [it],” he said, later adding, “It was obviously some personal benefit for me in there because she always helped me look better.”

Antonelli has continued to add accolades to her storied career and break barriers. In 2017, she became the first woman in over two decades to serve in an analyst role for the NCAA men’s basketball tournament.

But for Antonelli, the platform isn’t about personal accolades — it’s about growing the game and telling its stories with care.

“I think one of the things that you have to pride yourself on in this business is that it doesn’t matter the level of the game, what network it’s on — [if it is] men’s, women’s, pro, whatever — your approach has to be the same,” said longtime colleague Beth Mowins. “And I think that’s what Debbie brings to the table every time.”

Full circle

As Antonelli stood at center court Thursday, surrounded by family, friends and former teammates, she was struck by the sheer number of people who have supported her.

“It’s a reflection on all the people that have helped me,” she said. “You can’t get something like this by yourself. It is my teammates on the air, my teammates on the court, my friends and family. … I hope they all feel like they’re up in the rafters with me.”

The ceremony brought Antonelli full circle, back to the place where her basketball journey began. Now, every time she comes to Reynolds to call a game, she’ll look up to the rafters and see her own name next to Yow’s.

“Reynolds has a special feel,” she said. “It has a vibe. It has a smell. It has incredible, energetic power to it. I’m really grateful that N.C. State would take the time to do this for me.”

This story was originally published January 16, 2025 at 10:51 PM with the headline "Return to Reynolds: Inside Debbie Antonelli’s induction into NC State’s Ring of Honor."