Our Mission & Values
The Golden State Road Warriors’ mission is to grow the game of wheelchair basketball while empowering disabled athletes to realize their potential.
We are a unique group of individuals from diverse backgrounds and ethnicities who work together to be the best team, both on and off the court. We value commitment, high effort, and a team-centric approach as key ingredients to success.
Our History
The Golden State Wheelchair Basketball program began in 1976. Founded by Bill Duncan. The program started as the Golden State 76ers, playing basketball around the country and barely making the bottom 25 in Sports N’ Spokes, the official wheelchair sports magazine in its first year. But the team was thrilled to have its name in print, to let the wheelchair basketball world know that they existed. The hard work and dedication from the players, the coaches, and supporters paid off as the Road Warriors have become one of the premier teams in the NWBA. The defining moments came in 2001 and 2004 when the team captured the ever-elusive championship trophy as the top team in the NWBA.
Golden State quickly made a name for itself and rose to the top twenty and eventually the top ten and then the top five. Players like Kevin ‘Tree’ Lowery, Dave Efferson, Mike Elix, Rod Williams, Phil Kahn, Jeff Breilh, and Peter Sanchez started the climb and the additions of Trooper Johnson and Chuck ‘G’ Gill made the Golden State team a contender for the national title. The Warriors were considered by many wheelchair basketball followers as one of the most complete team in the history of the sport. Under the direction of Head Coach Paul Jackson (now a Hall of Famer), a well respected coach and teacher of the sport, the team has become a dominant force in the sport of wheelchair basketball.
Golden State affiliated with the Golden State Warriors in the early 90’s and became the official wheelchair basketball team of the Warriors and changed their name to the Golden State Road Warriors.
Golden State has participated in numerous post-season competitions and has competed in many final fours, winning the National Wheelchair Basketball Association (NWBA) title in 2001 and 2004. Numerous players from the Road Warriors have represented the United States in international competitions, as well as coach Jackson.
2001 National Championship Game
Our Founder: Bill Duncan
Injured in a car accident, Bill was introduced to wheelchair basketball at an early age. Seeing a man in a wheelchair basketball shirt, Bill approached him and said he used to play years earlier. The man asked if he would be interested in starting a new team and perhaps playing again, Bill said yes and the Golden State team began in 1976. Bill not only played ball, he took the leadership role of the team and became its manager, mentor and found, today, one of the best coach’s around, Paul Jackson. Bill helped make his team one of the best, both on and off the court. Respected by competitors, the team’s reputation grew as tough competitors on the court and good guys off the court. Bill volunteered countless hours to make not only Golden State the best it could be, but the NWBA the best organization for disabled sport. He served as various chairs in the NWBA, attending every annual meeting for 25 years.
Bill lost his battle with melanoma in June of 2000 and Golden State captured the ultimate prize a few months later, having dedicated that season to their founder and friend. Today, the team continues to honor Bill and his contributions by hosting the Bill Duncan Memorial Wheelchair Basketball Tournament the first weekend in December each year. The NWBA inducted Bill into the NWBA Hall of Fame in 2002 and honor him each year with the Bill Duncan Good Guy Award, presented to an outstanding volunteer in the sport of wheelchair basketball.
Hall of Famers
Trooper Johnson
Trooper Johnson is the Youth Sports Program Coordinator for BORP (the Bay Area Outreach & Recreation Program) in Berkeley, CA. BORP provides competitive sports and recreation for youth with physical disabilities and is the home of the Jr. Road Warriors wheelchair basketball team. Trooper was also a member of the United States National Wheelchair Basketball team from 1990-2004, competing in four Paralympic Games and two World Championships. He is currently the Director of Sport Technology for the NWBA High Performance Plan, responsible for incorporating the use of technology to enhance athlete performance. Trooper is also an Assistant Coach for the USA Women’s National Team for the Paralympic Team that will compete in the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio. Lastly, in 1998 he became the 2nd paraplegic to climb El Capitan in Yosemite National Park, CA, the highest sheer face of granite in the world.
Chuck Gill
Chuck Gill was born in San Francisco and started playing wheelchair basketball in 1987 for the NWBA BORP Berkeley Breakers. Gill started playing with the Golden State Road Warriors’ “Golden State 76ers” in 1991 and has been the Golden State Road Warriors team captain for the last 13 years.
Gill had speed, size, shooting ability and an on-the-court presence that the team needed from a two guard. With him and Hall of Famer Trooper Johnson in the backcourt, Golden State quickly became one of the top NWBA Adult teams. The duo led Golden State to its first Final Four National Tournament in 1997. The Far West Sectional game stands out in Gill’s career. With 12:30 left in the Championship game, Gill and three other Road Warriors had to finish the game because Jeff Briehl fouled out and there was no sub for a legal line up. Gill showed his leadership and poise in that game.
That is one of the many reasons he has been a two-time NWBA National Champion and 12-time NWBA All- Star. Gill showed his professionalism and knowledge of the game by being an assistant coach for the U.S. Men’s Wheelchair Basketball team in 2011 and 2012.
Paul Jackson
As a Head Coach, Paul Jackson has led one of the most successful programs in the NWBA. Since 1978 Paul has been associated with the Golden State 76rs / Golden State Warriors. He has led the “Road Warriors” numerous NWBA Finals which included Two National Championships, one in Division One in 2001 and yet another in Division Two in 2004. His team has also captured 5 second place finishes in NWBT Competition. In addition to his coaching the Road Warriors he served the NWBA On numerous Committees & Coaching positions that included:
- Member and Chairman of the Tournament Selection Committee
- Member of the International Players & Coach’s Committee
- Asst. Coach to the U.S.A. Men’s Paralympic Team 1984 & 1988
- Head Coach to the U.S.A. Men’s Gold Cup Team in 1986
- Head Coach to the U.S.A. Men’s USA Pan American Games Team 1990
- Head Coach to the U.S.A. Mens Team that toured Spain in 1995
- He has been Head Coach at the NWBA – NBA All-Star Game in 1998, 1999, 2002, 2004 & 2006.