Wheelchair basketball has become an incredibly popular, fast-paced and high-adrenaline sport for paralyzed athletes. But how did it get its start?
According to the National Wheelchair Basketball Association’s website, the sport came to life shortly after World War II. Injured soldiers were returning in 
droves to the United States, and there were few competitive athletic opportunities for individuals in wheelchairs.
“They had to find an outlet somewhere,” says the association’s website. “Where better than in the red-blooded province of sports?”
In 1946, the California Chapter of Paralyzed Veterans of America played the first game of wheelchair basketball — and the sport was born. Today, 100,000 people play worldwide, and it’s a hotly contested sport in the Paralympics. On the international level, the powerhouses of the sport are the United States, Canada, Australia, Great Britain and the Netherlands.
Wheelchair basketball players abide by most of the same rules used in regular basketball. For example, the hoop is 10 feet high, and games are played on a standard-sized court. However, traveling violations are different. According to the Wikipedia site on the subject, “Traveling in wheelchair basketball occurs when the athlete touches his wheels more than twice after receiving or dribbling the ball. The individual must pass, bounce or shoot the ball before touching the wheels again.”
To watch highlights of this inspiring sport — including 3-pointers, great passes and crafty drives to the hoop — check out this video.