Jeremy “Opie” Lade is a Paralympic wheelchair basketball player and head coach from Oconto, WI. He was injured in a car accident at age eight and attended his first wheelchair sports camp at the age of 13 at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.

In 2002, he won a gold medal at the International Wheelchair Basketball Federation (IWBF) Wheelchair Basketball World Championships, secured a Division II NWBA Championship, and was named Most Valuable Player (MVP). In 2003, he won the NWBA Intercollegiate Division Men’s National Championship with UW-Whitewater and was again awarded MVP. In 2005, Opie and UW-Whitewater won another national championship.

At the World Championships in Amsterdam in 2006, Opie helped Team USA win a silver medal. He also represented Team USA at the Paralympics in 2004, 2008, and 2012, winning a bronze medal in London.

From 2005 to 2008, Opie coached the Milwaukee Wizards, leading them to a Junior National Championship in 2007. From 2008 to 2018, he coached the UW-Whitewater men’s team, guiding them to six national championships. He is passionate about providing young players with the same opportunities he had through wheelchair basketball.

Matt Scott is a five-time Paralympian and wheelchair basketball legend, winning back-to-back gold medals with Team USA at the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Paralympics. His 12-year professional career took him to top teams in Turkey, Italy, Spain, and Germany, making him one of the first U.S. Paralympians to pave the way for professional contracts.

After his international career, Matt moved to the Bay Area, where he led the Golden State Road Warriors to a Division I National Championship and was named MVP of the tournament in 2023.

Off the court, Matt made history as the first U.S. Paralympian to appear in a Nike commercial and has since partnered with global brands like Google Pixel, Apple, Ralph Lauren, and Fitbit. A powerful advocate for adaptive sports, he was nominated for an ESPY Award for his contributions.

Matt is passionate about uplifting the disability community. Recognizing the need for broader support, he launched Fly Without Limits in 2023, a global social impact organization that breaks down barriers for people with disabilities, equipping them with the tools and resources to reach their full potential. He also took on the responsibility of hosting DK3, an elite 3x3 wheelchair basketball experience in Venice Beach, bringing world-class talent to an iconic venue.

Matt also champions disability inclusion as part of Visa’s global communications team. In 2024, he made history as the first Paralympian to report on both the Olympics and Paralympics, setting a new standard for representation in sports media.

From Southlake, TX, Stephen Welch—better known as Stevie “Rocket” Welch—began playing wheelchair basketball at the age of seven. Due to a degenerative bone disease in his hip that left one leg shorter than the other, Steve could walk but was unable to run on an equal basis with his classmates. Once he discovered a junior wheelchair basketball team in Texas, he knew he had found the perfect fit. In his first year as a junior in the NWBA, his team won the championship, and he was named the tournament MVP.

Recruited to the University of Texas at Arlington to play under NWBA Hall of Fame legend Coach Jim Hayes, Steve helped the university secure its first two national championships, earning MVP honors in both 1990 and 1992. Speed was Steve’s greatest asset—an understatement, given his blazing quickness in transition and across the full court. This unmatched speed earned him the nickname “Rocket.” His claim to the point guard position and his growing expertise in ball distribution made him a formidable force on the court.

After two years at UTA, Steve joined the Dallas Wheelchair Mavericks, where he solidified his reputation as a champion. He played a pivotal role in winning seven national championships with the Mavs. From 1998 to 2000, he earned three consecutive National Tournament MVP honors. By this time, the world was taking notice of how Steve was transforming the game and redefining how wheelchair basketball could be played. Steve’s natural progression led him to play for Team USA, competing in three World Championships in 1994, 1998, and 2002—winning gold in each.

Wherever Steve played, he was a game-changer. He was instrumental in helping the Mavericks become the winningest team in NWBA history. If there was ever a player who could push the pace and take control of the game, it was Stevie “Rocket” Welch.

Paul “Bowsey” Bowes has dedicated 37 years to wheelchair basketball, coaching at all levels and shaping the sport’s growth worldwide. As head coach of the London Forest City Flyers, he has developed players who have gone on to represent Team Canada. His influence extends beyond his home team, as he has also coached at Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) and NWBA camps, mentoring future national team members.

On the international stage, Bowsey led Team Canada to gold at the 1997 and 2001 U23 World Championships and served as head coach of the 2006 senior men’s World Championship team. He was also an assistant coach for Canada’s Paralympic gold medal-winning teams in 2000, 2004, and 2012, as well as the silver medal team in 2008. His contribution to a team that played in four consecutive gold medal games cannot be overstated.

Those teams featured legendary NWBA players such as Pat Anderson, Joey Johnson, Richard “Bear” Peter, and Dave “Dirt” Durepos—four of Canada’s greatest players of all time—whom Bowsey helped mentor and develop over the years. His impact extends across continents, having coached Germany’s national team, supported the International Committee of the Red Cross, and worked with the Canadian Invictus Team and Soldier On.

Beyond his medals and accolades, Bowsey’s true legacy is his unwavering commitment to player development and the wheelchair basketball community. He has mentored players, coaches, and officials, leaving an indelible mark on the sport.

The NWBA Hall of Fame will host its 2025 Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Saturday, April 12, 2025, at the DoubleTree Richmond Airport Hotel. Both the ceremony and the preceding Red Carpet event will be streamed live on the NWBA Hall of Fame's social media channels.

For questions, please email hallofffame@nwba.org.