Patrick Anderson has been called the best wheelchair basketball player in the world and one of the best to ever play the game.
Having his lost his legs to a drunk driver at the age of nine, through hard work, good luck, and great coaching, he has become a professional basketball player, world champion, and a four time Paralympic medallist, winning gold in 2000, 2004, and 2012, and silver in 2008.
After taking time off in 2016 to make music as The Lay Awakes with his wife Anna, Patrick returned to Team Canada for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics. He and Anna live in Brooklyn, NY with their three children.
Long Bio
Patrick Anderson is largely considered to be the best wheelchair basketball player in the world and one of the greatest to have ever played the game. His talents on and off the court have garnered him international fame as a great role model and fabulous ambassador of the sport. He is well known for his basketball flair and charismatic personality.
Anderson was born in Edmonton, Alta. and grew up in Fergus, Ont. Like many Canadian kids, he enjoyed playing ice hockey and other sports. In 1989, at the age of 9, he was struck by a drunk driver and lost both of his legs below the knee. He discovered wheelchair basketball in 1990 and his natural athletic ability and tenacity quickly transferred over to the basketball court.
With Paralympic aspirations fuelling his competitive fire, Anderson worked his way up to the National Team in 1997. He also earned a wheelchair basketball scholarship to the University of Illinois.
Anderson wasted little time making a name for himself on the international stage. His exceptional talents, unmistakable style, and dangerous combination of height and speed were on full display as he led the Canadian Junior Men’s National Team to back-to-back World Championships in 1997 and 2001. He was named the most valuable player of both tournaments.
In 1998, Canada won bronze at the world championship and Anderson was named to the first of many all-star teams as a member of the Canadian Senior Men’s National Team. He later realized his dream of playing the sport at the highest level and helped Canada win back-to-back Paralympic gold medals in 2000 and 2004, along with a silver medal in 2008. He also became a world champion as Team Canada captured the gold medal in 2006.
Outside of the National Team program, Anderson has competed in professional leagues overseas in Australia and Germany. In 2003, he was named the MVP of the Australian National Wheelchair Basketball League. His former club in Germany, RSV Lahn-Dill, also won three consecutive European Champions Cups from 2004-2006. He has also won numerous national championships and individual accolades in both Canada and the United States.
Anderson took a brief hiatus from wheelchair basketball following the 2008 Paralympic Games to pursue other interests, including his love for music. Music has always been a big part of his life and it’s a passion that he continues to explore to this day alongside his wife Anna with their band The Lay Awakes.
In 2011, an invigorated Anderson returned to Team Canada set to push his game, his team and his sport to the next level. He once again led Canada to Paralympic gold at London 2012, where he led the tournament in scoring.
After sitting out the Rio Games in 2016 to focus on family and music, Patrick rejoined the team leading into the 2017 America's Cup. Canada placed second, thereby qualifying for the 2018 World Championships in Hamburg, Germany, and Anderson was named tournament MVP.