Wheelchair basketball for women began to surface in the mid-1960's. In 1968, a US team competed alongside US men in the Paralympic Games in Tel Aviv, Israel. Since only a men’s division existed in the NWBA at that time, the few women who played in the US competed on teams consisting of men only. As of 1970, one team had been formed, the University of Illinois Ms. Kids. During the 1973-1974 season, the Ms. Kids played the Southern Illinois University Squidettes in the Men’s Old Gym on the University of Illinois campus in Urbana. This was the first recorded wheelchair basketball game between two organized women’s teams in the US, and the first women’s wheelchair basketball game between two collegiate women’s teams. In 1977 a proposal to create a Women’s Division was submitted to the NWBA delegates by University of Illinois graduate student and future Hall-of-Fame inducted Bob Szyman. Following the approval of the proposal, six teams were formed. In 1978 these six teams competed in the national tournament, hosted by the University of Illinois.

Since 1991, the NWBA has attained considerable recognition in the public domain. It became an associate member of the US Congress. It is now an active member of USA Basketball. Its former Commissioner, Stan Labanowich, yet another University of Illinois graduate and NWBA Hall of Fame member, was appointed to USA Basketball’s Board of Directors.

Wheelchair basketball has come a long way since its origins in the US in 1946. The NWBA has since grown to over 200 teams. We are also proud to say that the pioneering National Wheelchair Basketball Association has given birth to hundreds of teams from North and South America, Africa, Asia, and Europe. The US now competes against teams from these regions at the Paralympic Games and the World Championships.