The scouting report on Nik Patel is that of a typical slashing guard.
He likes to attack the basket. He looks to get into passing lanes on defense. He can hit the three if need be. Not surprisingly, he holds the Los Angeles Lakers’ Kobe Bryant in high regard and even patterns his game after the NBA star to some extent.
Except Nik Patel does all of this while flying around the court in a wheelchair, and with the recent creation of UCLA’s wheelchair basketball program, he is getting the chance to showcase his skills.
The program, which runs every other Wednesday on Collins Court in the John Wooden Center, is finally in place after the arduous task of securing enough of the sporting wheelchairs necessary for playing basketball and other sports.
“Getting the basketball program up and running has been a slow process,” said Jamie Hoffman, UCLA’s adaptive recreation coordinator. “It’s still going to take a while to generate the amount of support and interest that we envision for it.”
Hoffman’s department oversees all of the athletic opportunities that UCLA provides for students suffering from both cognitive and physical disabilities. Those sports include skiing, cycling, kayaking, rowing, swimming and now basketball.
“The opportunity means a lot to me,” Patel said. “It allows me to participate in team sports which able-bodied athletes usually play, and it allows me to be involved in the sport that I love.”
Patel’s love for hoops was fostered at a young age as he became captivated by the Lakers and began playing in his backyard. He joined a team in middle school, where he continued to develop his skills and court savvy.
Patel’s experience with basketball differs from the average American’s because he has been using a wheelchair since he was 4. Patel has osteogenesis imperfecta, a condition that impedes bone development. Because those who have the condition are prone to bone breaks, wheelchair use is safer than walking.
Patel’s unique perspective may have influenced his reasons for enjoying basketball, which he says is about more than competition.
“It’s also about the camaraderie, the love and the teamwork,” Patel said. “It’s a sport where you can’t do anything by yourself, and you have to rely on teammates.”
Reliance is a common theme for the Adaptive Recreation Program, including its search for financial support and participants.
“Provisions for the handicapped programs can be very expensive,” saidTracie Lockwood, UCLA’s director of instructional and youth programs. “We relied on donations and grants to be able to acquire all the necessary sport wheelchairs.”
Lockwood and Hoffman envision the program expanding enough to be designated an intramural or club sport, joining schools like the Universities of Alabama and Illinois in providing highly competitive basketball opportunities for the handicapped.
Though most participants are permanent wheelchair users, Hoffman said others are welcome.
“We need other people,” she said, “people that are temporary chair users, and able-bodied people who just want to know what it’s like to play basketball from a different perspective.”
Hoffman said the physical benefits could also be a good opportunity for injured athletes during rehabilitation.
In the first two weeks of the program, members of the Fast Breakin’ Lakers, a professional wheelchair basketball team supported by the Los Angeles Lakers joined students.
“It was pretty serious out there,” Patel said. “There’s some good competition, and even though we don’t always keep score, you can still see that everyone’s playing with passion and dedication.”
Hoffman has little doubt the program will soon grow in its popularity.
“It has appeal to those who are permanently disabled, temporarily handicapped and able-bodied,” she said. “It provides anyone with a great opportunity for awareness, exercise and education.”
Let the good times roll.