Among the up-and-coming rising stars of wheelchair basketball in Australia, John McPhail has fast proved a vital cog in the Rollers’ all conquering team.

A car accident when John was 12 months old left him a paraplegic. Having initially tried a number of different sports, John quickly developed a fondness for wheelchair basketball because he felt it was the sport that provided the greatest challenge.

His steady ascent saw John represent the West Sydney Razorbacks in the NWBL and, in order to continue his development, he travelled to America in 2009 to play with the University of Texas at Arlington and complete a degree in Social Work. The consistent training regime he was part of in Texas paid obvious dividends and he made the Australian team that placed fourth at the 2009 Under 23 World Championships in Paris.

The culmination of a lot of John’s hard work came to fruition at the 2010 World Championships in Birmingham, England. Shortly after his first appearance for the Rollers, John was part of the dominant team that went through the tournament undefeated, highlighted by Australia’s 79-69 victory over France in the final.

Off the basketball court, John is looking to pursue a career in social work once he has completed his Masters degree in Texas. He enjoys reading, hanging out with friends and following his beloved football teams - the Canterbury Bulldogs and Manchester United. John also loves going out to the movies and especially enjoyed Adam Sandler film, Billy Madison.