Chuck Aoki

Chuck Aoki’s switch to wheelchair rugby after 11 years of wheelchair basketball proved to be a masterstroke. He has captained Team USA to numerous podium finishes, most recently with bronze at the 2018 World Championship in Sydney, Australia.

The Rio 2016 final – a 59-58 double-overtime loss to Australia – was the closest the USA came to their first major title since 2010; Aoki scored a team-high 21 points.

However, after Worlds bronze and Paralympic silver, Aoki and the US team are hungry for gold.

The Minnesota native is among the top 3.0-classfied players in the world since making his international debut in 2009.

After experiencing World Championships glory in 2010, he played an important role in his team’s bronze medal victory at the London 2012 Paralympics; the US lost to rivals Canada in the semi-finals in a thrilling encounter.

In 2014, the US team again lost to Canada in the semi-finals, this time at the World Championships in Denmark. Despite the disappointment of falling to their rivals, Aoki inspired his side to a 62-56 win over Japan to secure the bronze.

Canada was again the nemesis of Aoki and team USA at the Toronto 2015 Parapan American Games. Although they beat Canada in the group stages, the US lost in the final to the hosts, 57-54, in another epic encounter.