(Ottawa, Ont.) Fergus, Ontario’s Patrick Anderson will represent the Toronto Raptors as a member of the East All-Star team playing in the National Wheelchair Basketball Association’s all-star game on Valentine’s Day.
The 15th annual NWBA All-Star Wheelchair Classic will take place Thursday February 14, 2013 at 18:30 (CST) at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, Texas and is a precursor to the NBA All-Star weekend festivities.
“The All Star game is a fun opportunity to showcase our sport. You never know who might walk in the door at All Star weekend so I hope we put on a good show and represent Canada and wheelchair basketball well,” said Anderson.
“It brings me back to my teenage years when I fell in love with basketball. I started playing in the NWBA with the Twin City Spinners right around the same time the Raptors came into the NBA. I still feel a connection to both.”
“It brings me back to my teenage years when I fell in love with basketball. I started playing in the NWBA with the Twin City Spinners right around the same time the Raptors came into the NBA. I still feel a connection to both.”
Anderson is widely considered one of the top wheelchair basketball players of all-time, and a three-time Paralympic gold medalist. Most recently he led Team Canada to their third gold medal, and fourth consecutive podium finish at the Paralympic Games.
“I’m very grateful for the NWBA. For many years I had one foot in Canada, the other in the US. Same is true for a lot of teammates. It’s no exaggeration to say that without the benefit of NWBA competition, Canada might not have won any gold medals. At the same time, I’d like to think that Canadian players and teams have contributed a lot to the NWBA. It’s been a two way street,” said Anderson.
NWBA East All-Star Team:
Parnes Cartwright- Miami Heat Wheels, Head Coach
- Joe Henry – New Orleans Rollin Hornets
- Steve Serio – RHI Pacers
- Brian Bell – RHI Pacers
- Faizool Ali – New York Rolling Knicks
- Steve Smutak – Cleveland Wheelchair Cavaliers
- Jacob Goforth – Magee Sixers Spokesman
- Curtis Lease – Chicago Wheelchair Bulls
- Ben Chevillon – Chicago Wheelchair Bulls
- Manuel Perez – Miami Heat Wheels
- Jose Garcia – Bulova Nets
- Hassan Elkadi – Houston Punishers
- Patrick Anderson – Toronto Raptors
NWBA West All-Star Team:
Mike Schlappi Utah Wheelin Jazz, Head Coach
- Trooper Johnson – Golden State Road Warriors
- Jeff Griffin – Utah Wheelin Jazz
- Joe Chambers – Golden State Road Warriors
- Michael Garafola – Los Angeles Clippers Chairmen
- Alex Grunstein – Los Angeles Clippers Chairmen
- Ryan Stevens – Phoenix Banner Wheelchair Suns
- Kelly Case – Phoenix Banner Wheelchair Suns
- Justin Obermeyer – Denver Rolling Nuggets
- Rodney Hawkins – Dallas Wheelchair Mavericks
- Jason Nelms – Dallas Wheelchair Mavericks
- Bobbie Nickleberry – Dallas Wheelchair Mavericks
About the NWBA
The National Wheelchair Basketball Association (NWBA) is comprised of over 200 basketball teams across twenty-two conferences and seven divisions. The NWBA was founded in 1948, and today consists of men’s, women’s, intercollegiate, and youth teams throughout the United States of America and Canada.