Philadelphia (February 2003)— Magee Rehabilitation Hospital will be well represented when the 2003 NBA/NWBA All-Star Wheelchair Basketball Classic tips off at 5 p.m. on Thursday, February 6, at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, GA.
Michael Looney of the Magee Sixers Spokesmen wheelchair basketball team will lead the East All-Stars against their counterparts from the West in the All-Star Wheelchair Classic, which features 20 of the best wheelchair players from 19 cities across the nation. The game, played on center court, is part of the 2003 NBA All-Star Jam Session.

Michael Looney, a native of Wilmington, DE, is just in his second year with the Spokesmen. He has a degree in Human Resources Management from Shippensburg University, where he was a member of the lacrosse team.

The Philadelphia 76ers have long demonstrated a deep interest in encouraging people with disabilities, including visits to patients at Magee. The 76ers have also promoted public awareness and enjoyment of wheelchair basketball by producing Magee Sixers Spokesmen Media Guides, and hosting exhibitions by the Spokesmen during half-time at 76ers games.

Magee Rehabilitation Hospital is the area’s leading provider of wheelchair sports programs. In this form of recreational therapy, participants compete with physical equals and at the same time improve overall health and fitness. Wheelchair basketball demands speed, strength, stamina and key skills, and continues to grow in popularity with wheelchair users, fans and spectators.