Mayor Bass Honors Site of First Official Wheelchair Basketball Game Two Years Out From Opening Ceremony of 2028 Paralympic Games

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LOS ANGELES - Mayor Bass today marked two years out from the Opening Ceremony of the 2028 Paralympic Games in Los Angeles at Birmingham Community High School, the site of the first official wheelchair basketball game. She officially designated the intersection of Victory Boulevard and Balboa Boulevard as "Wheelchair Basketball Square" and announced that she is working with the National Wheelchair Basketball Association, Paralyzed Veterans of America, and local disability-focused nonprofit Muralism to install a mural to honor the legacy of veterans and Paralympic athletes. Photos and b-roll are available here.

The 2028 Games will mark the first time Los Angeles ever hosts Paralympic Games. As part of her "Games for All" vision and in partnership with LA28, the City offers free adaptive sports programming at parks across Los Angeles through PlayLA programming. In addition, as a result of Mayor Bass' Capital Infrastructure Program, sidewalk repairs and curb ramp installations are set to begin next month near the Sepulveda Basin, which is set to host 3x3 Basketball, Skateboarding, BMX racing, and more in 2028.

"My 'Games for All' vision is about ensuring that the Games are accessible and inclusive for all Angelenos," said Mayor Bass. "I'm proud that we are already delivering on that - through art, through our infrastructure, and through sport. We will continue to honor and uplift the legacy of the incredible athletes before us to inspire and support the next generation of Paralympians."

"I am incredibly proud to bring this historic celebration to Council District 6, where the first wheelchair basketball team played in this very gym. Growing up with rickets, I experienced firsthand what it means to navigate a world that was not always designed with people with disabilities in mind," Councilmember Padilla said. "As we work to make the 2028 Games truly accessible to everyone, we must ensure that Angelenos can move through our city, experience our public spaces and live their everyday lives knowing they were considered from the very beginning."

"The dedication of Wheelchair Basketball Square is an incredible opportunity to honor the sport's roots in Los Angeles and celebrate the athletes who continue to elevate Para sport on the global stage," said Ileana Rodriguez, VP of Paralympic Strategy and Relations and 2012 Paralympian. "As we approach the two-year mark of LA hosting its first-ever Paralympic Games, this moment reflects the strength of the adaptive sport community across the region and the momentum building toward 2028."

"While we reflect on how this Los Angeles basketball court changed the world 80 years ago, let's also imagine how Los Angeles can change the world again in 2028," said Colleen Wrenn, International Paralympic Committee Executive Director Paralympic Games. "And I challenge each of you to think about how you can contribute to that change - volunteer! Buy a ticket! Find your new favorite Para athlete to follow! And most importantly spread the word about the LA28 Paralympic Games and why they matter."
"Wheelchair basketball has come a long way since that first game was played here nearly 80 years ago, and it is special to see the site receive this recognition. Wheelchair Basketball Square will preserve the story of the veterans who helped build our sport and share that history with future generations. We thank Mayor Bass and the City of Los Angeles for celebrating the roots of our game as we look ahead to the 2028 Paralympic Games," said Brandon McBeain, Chief Executive Officer of the National Wheelchair Basketball Association.

"Paralyzed Veterans of America is honored to be in Los Angeles this week to celebrate the unveiling of the Van Nuys wheelchair basketball square," said Shaun Castle, U.S. Army veteran and Chief Operating Officer at PVA. "It's a full circle moment for PVA as we reflect on the very first game, played in Van Nuys by our founding members 80 years ago. Their legacy not only pioneered the sport of wheelchair basketball, but sparked an adaptive sports movement that has fundamentally changed the lives of millions of people with disabilities. We could not be prouder to be part of this moment, and to see wheelchair basketball return to its roots in California at the 2028 Paralympic Games."

"Los Angeles holds a unique place in the history of wheelchair basketball, with the sport's origins tracing back to injured veterans who played at the former Birmingham General Veterans Administration Hospital, where Wheelchair Basketball Square will now stand," Ulf Mehrens, International Wheelchair Basketball Federation President, said. "This recognition honors the pioneers who helped create the sport and the generations of players who have carried their legacy forward. As we mark two years to the LA28 Paralympic Games, the naming of Wheelchair Basketball Square is a fitting tribute to the sport's roots in Los Angeles and a wonderful celebration of its enduring place in the city's sporting heritage."

On November 25, 1946, this site - then the Birmingham Veterans Administration (VA) Hospital - hosted the first official wheelchair basketball game. The inaugural match featured the "Birmingham Charioteers" - one of the earliest organized wheelchair basketball teams composed of World War II veterans and VA patients with various degrees of paralysis. The veterans competed against the hospital's medical staff and won the game 16-6. Since then, wheelchair basketball has evolved into a global phenomenon. By the late 1940s, organized leagues had formed, and in 1960, wheelchair basketball was featured in the inaugural Paralympic Games in Rome. Today, it is now played in nearly 100 countries and remains one of the most highly anticipated and competitive events in the Paralympic Games.