skip navigation

NWBA Hall of Fame


NWBA Hall of Fame & Frank T. Burns Heritage Fund


Nominations

Nominations for membership to the Hall of Fame may be made by any member of the NWBA and submitted to the NWBA Hall of Fame Committee for its consideration via the official nomination form. Nominations must be submitted to the Hall of Fame Committee Chair. A citation shall then be drawn up for each worthy candidate by the Hall of Fame Committee and presented to the NWBA Board of Directors for its final determination.

Nominations are due by December 17 at 11:59pm MST.

Click on the link below to access the NWBA Hall of Fame Nomination Form.


Purpose

The purpose of the NWBA Hall of Fame is to enshrine, in the form of a permanent record, the names of those individuals who have exerted a distinctive, positive influence of unique dimension on the sport of wheelchair basketball.


Categories of Members

Two categories of individuals shall be clearly identified for inclusion in the Hall of Fame.

A. Competitors

This category includes all of those who, by virtue of their unique and singular achievements as players, are deserving of recognition in the Hall of Fame. No less than one (1) such competitor shall be elected into the Hall of Fame in each calendar year.

B. Contributors

This category includes all those, individuals with or without disabilities, who by virtue of their impact and long-term contributions to the growth, support and advancement of wheelchair basketball are deserving of nomination and induction into the Hall of Fame.

Criteria for Selection
The criteria for selecting individuals to the Hall of Fame in each class are as follows.

A. Competitors

1.    Individuals must have competed no less than 10 years in the adult divisions of the NWBA.
2.    Must be retired from play or near retirement from elite competition (may continue to compete in D3/recreational division).
3.    Membership on USA National Teams and/or recognized as an elite player of national caliber on NWBA teams.
4.    Has earned International and Paralympic medals or NWBA awards i.e., NWBA championships, MVPs, All tournament teams.
5.    Acknowledged elite and exceptional skills at the players level of functional capacity.
6.    Must be considered to have strong character while exhibiting sportsmanship and team play.
7.    Contributions beyond individual play and competition that have made the sport and NWBA better.

B. Contributors

1.    Individuals must have served a minimum of 15 years in service to the NWBA i.e.  administrator, board member, committee leader, game official, classifier, team leader/manager or other role making relevant contribution.
2.    Individual contributions to the community and sport of wheelchair basketball at the local, national and/or international level that have made the sport and the NWBA better.
3.    Must be considered to have strong character while exhibiting teamwork in the service role or roles identified.
4.    Has made strong contributions in their roles that have positively impacted the NWBA and its players over a 15-year minimum period of service. 

Voting Process

All nominations are reviewed and voted on by the NWBA Hall of Fame Committee.


Ethics

During the review of a nominee’s qualifications for induction, should the Hall of Fame Committee determine that an individual has damaged the integrity of the game of wheelchair basketball, he or she shall be deemed not worthy of induction and removed from consideration. The nominee in question may appeal his or her removal to the NWBA Board of Directors.


Awards

A suitably engraved plaque bearing the monogram of the NWBA shall be awarded to the individual upon selection to the Hall of Fame. It shall be presented to him or her on an auspicious occasion such as the victory banquet following the annual National Wheelchair Basketball Tournament.


Memorabilia

Memorabilia reflecting the unique history and development of the sport, such as photographs, published matter, equipment, etc., shall be collected to form a permanent visual record to be housed within the James Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts. Memorabilia shall include a plaque listing all the names of the members of the NWBA Hall of Fame.

Memorabilia reflecting the unique development of the sport, such as photographs, published material, equipment, etc., have been collected and form a permanent visual record of the NWBA and its history. That visual record has been on display within the James Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts. A plaque listing all the names of members of the Hall of Fame can be found adjacent to the display. Both were formally dedicated on October 19 ,1990 thanks primarily to the efforts of former NWBA Commissioner and Hall of Famer Stan Labanowich.


NWBA Hall of Fame Nomination Form

2024 Nominations are due no later than December 17, 2023, 11:59 pm Pacific Time.

Hall of Fame Questions?

Please Contact:

David Kiley

Hall of Fame Committee Chair