UTA hosts nation’s largest 3x3 wheelchair basketball tournament
The University of Texas at Arlington will host the largest 3x3 wheelchair basketball tournament in the country this weekend at the Mavericks Activities Center (MAC).
The DK3 is an annual elite-level 3x3 wheelchair basketball tournament organized by a nonprofit founded by David Kiley, a nine-time Paralympic gold medalist and legendary wheelchair basketball player. This year will be the largest event in DK3’s 18 years of history. The prize money is $25,000 in total, with the first-place team taking home $12,000.
The tournament has 60 games featuring 24 teams and 72 players, including six Tokyo Paralympic medalists and 36 former or current Movin’ Mavs and Lady Movin’ Mavs players. Three members of the gold-medal winning U.S. men’s wheelchair basketball team and three members of the bronze-medal winning U.S. women’s team are set to compete.
Current Movin’ Mav Nathan McClintock, who just graduated with a Bachelor of Social Work this summer, said he is excited to play again.
"The opportunity to grow and learn from players at all levels during this tournament, from junior players to gold medal Paralympians, is unparalleled and shows the tight bond that we as a community have with each other," said McClintock, now a Master of Social Work student at UTA.
Earlier this year, the Movin’ Mavs won their ninth National Wheelchair Basketball Association championship. Movin’ Mavs’ coach Doug Garner said the sport continues to grow, as evidenced by the increasing number of players and teams in this year’s tournament.
“This group of tournament players represents over 30 years of UTA wheelchair basketball, including Paralympians and international athletes from around the world,” Garner said.