Patrick Anderson

Patrick Anderson

WHEELCHAIR BASKETBALL – TARGETING Paris 2024

2021 Paralympic Games
2012, 2004, 2000 Paralympic Wheelchair Basketball – Gold Medalist
2018 Wheelchair Basketball Canada Male Athlete of the Year
2017 IWBF America's Cup – Silver Medal, MVP
2013 Canadian Paralympic Committee Sport Awards – Best Male Athlete of the Year
2008 Paralympic Wheelchair Basketball – Silver Medalist
2006 IWBF World Championship – Gold Medalist
2002, 1998 IWBF World Championship – Bronze Medalist
Accomplished Musician, The Lay Awakes
Social Followers: Instagram, 8,985; Twitter, 1,240
Hometown: Fergus, ON

Patrick Anderson is widely considered the "Micheal Jordan of wheelchair basketball."

Born in Edmonton, Alberta he grew up in Fergus, Ontario and, 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 realized quickly that his natural athletic ability, soft touch, and tenacity transferred over to the court.

With Paralympic aspirations fuelling his ambition, Anderson worked his way up to the Junior National Team in 1997 and wasted little time making a name for himself on the international stage.

With exceptional skill, an unmistakable style, and a dangerous combination of height and speed, he led the Canadian Junior Men’s National Team to back-to-back World Championships in 1997 and 2001 and was named the MVP of both tournaments.

In 1998, Canada won bronze at the World Championship and Patrick soon fulfilled his dream of playing in the Paralympics winning back-to-back gold medals in 2000 and 2004.

Following a silver medal performance at the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games, Patrick took a brief hiatus from wheelchair basketball to pursue other interests, including his love for music alongside his wife Anna with their band The Lay Awakes.

Invigorated after the break, Patrick returned to Team Canada in 2011 ready to push his game, his team and his sport to a new level. He once again led the nation to Paralympic gold at London 2012, where he led the tournament in scoring.

After sitting out Rio 2016 to focus on his groing family and music, Patrick rejoined the team leading into the 2017 America's Cup where Canada placed second, and he was named tournament MVP.

As a three-time Paralympic gold medalist, he rejoined Team Canada for Tokyo 2021 with a young core of teammates at their first Paralympics looking for veteran leadership, scoring touch and a belief that Canada had podium potential. 

With the team still intact for Paris 2024, Patrick is hoping he can will Team Canada to victory and secure his fourth medal in his fifth and final Paralympics.

And, of course, cement his legacy as simply the greatest to have ever played the game.

Dr. Hayley Wickenheiser

VLADIMIR GUERRERO JR.

Mark Messier

Mark McMorris

Nazem Kadri

Mitch Marner

John Herdman

Brad Gushue

Toby Fournier

Carey Price

ERIN Brooks

Natalie Spooner

RYAN REAVES

Skylar Park

Aaron Brown

Meaghan Mikkelson

Charles Hamelin

Brendan Gallagher

Alannah Yip

STEVEN DUBOIS

Noah Bowman

Natalie Wilkie

Jade Iginla

Marielle Thompson

Matt Berger

Juraj Slafkovsky

Reece Howden

Craig McMorris

Gilmore Junio

Rosie MacLennan

Melissa Bishop

Erica Wiebe

Spencer O'Brien

Erik Guay

Josh Dueck

NICK KYPREOS

Patrick Anderson

Georges "The Rock" Laraque