NWBA Hall of Fame Class of 2023

CLASS OF 2023 ENSHRINEMENT CEREMONY

April 1, 2023, Colorado Springs, CO – The National Wheelchair Basketball Association (NWBA) Hall of Fame Committee is pleased to announce its newest inductees, the NWBA Hall of Fame Class of 2023, into the NWBA Hall of Fame.

We at Baron® are immensely grateful and honored to announce our inclusion in the NWBA Hall of Fame Class of 2023 Enshrinement. This recognition is a testament to our unwavering commitment to excellence in the world of sports.

• Baron® Announcing New Partnership with NWBA Hall of Fame

We extend our sincere thanks to the NWBA for this incredible honor, and we look forward to contributing to the legacy of excellence that the Hall of Fame represents. This partnership signifies not only a celebration of our past achievements but also a promise to continue delivering unparalleled quality and innovation in Championship Rings.

The 2023 NWBA Hall of Fame Class of 2023 is comprised of four outstanding individuals: three Competitors and one Contributor. These inductees have had remarkable careers both on and off the court.

The 2023 NWBA Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony took place on Saturday, April 1, in the Grand Ballroom at the Holiday Inn Wichita East I-35.

William Hernandez

Originally from El Salvador, William Hernandez’s family immigrated to Southern California for improved medical care and job opportunities when Hernandez was six years old. His outgoing personality opened up several opportunities and he was subsequently introduced to adaptive sports at the age of 12, where he excelled in multiple sports.

His exceptional wheelchair skills led to several media opportunities, including a few McDonald’s commercials and TV shows. Upon learning how to play wheelchair basketball at a young age, Hernandez went on to win four NWBA Varsity National Championships in the Junior Division.

He continued his success within the NWBA in the Intercollegiate Division being twice named to the 1st Team All-Tournament and winning three NWBA Intercollegiate National Championships. He was the first student-athlete with a disability to receive a full scholarship at the University of Texas-Arlington (UTA).

Later in 2014, he was inducted into the Collegiate Hall of Fame, where his College jersey was retired. Post-college, Hernandez became a member of the most feared NWBA team dynasty ever assembled, Dallas Wheelchair Mavericks. Hernandez helped lead the Mavericks to win 12 National Championships in Division I.

Hernandez  won a gold medal at the International Club Championships in 1998; a gold medal at the 1999 Para-Pan American Games, in Mexico City; a bronze medal at the 2000 Sydney Paralympic Games; and a gold medal at the 2002 International Wheelchair Basketball Association (IWBF) World Championships in Japan.

View more details of William Hernandez’s career

From Council Bluffs, Iowa, Joshua Turek is known to be one of the most decorated players to have competed at the intercollegiate, international and national team levels. Turek was one of the top scorers in the history of intercollegiate play.

In 2002, he became the first athlete with a disability to be named Athlete of the Year by his alma mater, Southwest Minnesota State University (SMSU). During Turek’s playing career as an SMSU Mustang, he amassed over 4,000 points scored, an all-time college record that he still holds to this date, and includes both able-bodied and wheelchair basketball teams for SMSU.

Turek is a four-time Paralympian, having won a bronze medal in London in 2012 and helping win back-to-back gold medals for the 2016 Rio Paralympics and 2020 Tokyo Paralympics.

Turek had a successful professional career playing in Europe in several countries for 18 years, becoming one of the first Americans to pave the way to Europe. His accomplishments in European professional leagues include Copa Italia Champion (2004), three-time Spanish League Champion, three-time Copa del Rey Champion (2010-2013), French Cup Champion (2014), and EuroCup Champion (2019). He won several MVPs and All-Star 5’s during this time in Europe.

View more details of Joshua Turek’s career

Hailing from Chicago, IL Will Waller had a competitive career within the NWBA lasting over 20 years. Waller is one of the biggest, most dominant, and most consistent players of his time, and was known by friends and teammates as the “hardest working guy on the court”.

Waller was a two-time NWBA Intercollegiate Division national champion with the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Fighting Illini. Waller was recognized for his leadership of the Fighting Illini serving as team captain during his time. Waller earned a bachelor’s in psychology and a master’s in human resources while at Illinois.

Following college, Waller won a Division I National Championship with the Milwaukee Bucks. As a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Waller helped the team win its only NWBA National Championship. Waller’s presence and contributions to the Cavaliers helped elevate them to playing within NWBA Division I.

Waller’s first appearance on a U.S. Paralympic team was during the 2000 Sydney Paralympics, in which the U.S. Men captured a bronze medal. Waller helped Team USA secure gold medals at both the 1998 and 2002 IWBF World Championships, these being the last two World Championship titles that the U.S. Men have won. Waller’s contributions in 2002 were recognized by being named to the All-World Team.

View more details of Will Waller’s career

Jayne Chilutti has provided the NWBA exceptional support for over 30 years of volunteerism, most significantly as a leader within the classification system, which has resulted in her being inducted into the Class of 2023 as a Contributor. Chilutti’s professionalism, passion, and sheer determination to make a difference in the sport have been remarkable.

She has had a wide range of administrative roles and responsibilities within the NWBA, much of which is critical to the organization’s operations and efficiency: Developing the NWBA classification database, processing applications of eligibility/classification reviews, developing educational materials for Team Reviewer and Classifier Courses, and managing all aspects of athlete applications submitted to the IWBF.

She has spent countless hours orienting and training other classifiers, and leading classification clinics across the country to bring new talent to her profession. She has also been an invaluable resource for coaches, Team USA staff, and the NWBA national office.

In 2002, Chilutti became the Chairperson of the NWBA Classification Committee, a role she has held for over two decades. Chilutti has led the NWBA’s efforts to switch from a medical to a functional-based classification system.

Chilutti also helped Team USA athletes navigate various changes over the years to the international classification system. In 2005, she officially became an international classifier with the IWBF. 

View more details of Jayne Chilutti’s career