USA Deaf Basketball is a non-profit organization and the national governing body serving Deaf and Hard of Hearing for men’s and women’s basketball in the United States. As a recognized governing body for basketball in the United States by the USA Deaf Sports Federation (USADSF) and the Deaf International Basketball Federation (DIBF), USA Deaf basketball is responsible for the selection, training and fielding of USA teams that compete in DIBF sponsored international competitions, as well as for some national competitions.
USA Deaf Basketball was founded in 1945 and known as the American Athletic Association for the Deaf (AAAD). The name change to USA Deaf Basketball occurred in the year of 1999 where it had two divisions; national and international. Then in 2020, USADB discussed and determined that the name of USA Deaf Basketball would be used for international purposes only.
A 9-member Board governs USA Deaf Basketball. Craig Radford was elected as USA Deaf Basketball Interim Executive Director. Also, members of the Board are: Assistant Director TBA, Office Operator Jennifer Kysella, Financial Director TBA, Youth Program Director, TBA Public Relations Director Sabrina Torres, Women’s Program Director TBA, and Men’s Program Director Jimmy Newsome.
From 2015 through 2020, USA Deaf Basketball men’s and women’s teams compiled a striking 38-3 record in DIBF international competitions, which include the Pan American Games, U21 World Championships, World Championships, and the Deaflympics.
The DIBF held the 3×3 World Championship program and the first tournament was in Tel Aviv, Israel last September 2022. The USA Deaf Basketball program participated in this event.
USA Deaf Basketball Women’s Team is currently ranked second in DIBF’s world ranking, whilst the Men’s Team is ranked first in the world.
Competitions in which the USA regularly compete include the Deaflympics, DIBF World Championships, DIBF Americas Championships, DIBF U21 World Championships, and DIBF 3×3 World Championships.
A brief synopsis of the various competitions in which USA Deaf Basketball teams participate includes:
Men’s and Women’s Deaflympics basketball competitions are held every four years (2021, 2025, 2029, etc.). The men’s program first participated in the event in the year of 1953. As for women, it was 1981. Every time the USA teams attended, they finished in the top three in each competition. The men’s program won gold medals in every Deaflympics except 2013 where they won the bronze medal. The women’s program also won gold medals in every Deaflympics except 2009 where they won silver instead. Both teams did not participate in the 2017 Deaflympics out of an abundance of caution. 2022 Deaflympics was held in in Caxias do Sul, Brazil in May 2021, the women’s brought home GOLD and the men’s brought home SILVER!
The DIBF World Championships event was established in the year of 2002 in Athens, Greece, where the women’s team won the gold while the men’s team won the silver. It is hosted every four years as well (2015, 2019, etc.). The teams who win get automatic bids for the upcoming Deaflympics. In the four appearances made by Team USA, both teams earned a total of 4 gold medals, 2 silver medals, and 2 bronze medals. In the last appearance they made in Lublin, Poland, the men’s team won the gold medal and the women’s team won the bronze medal. The next one will be hosted in Heraklion, Greece, during the dates of June 12-24, 2023 coming up this summer.
DIBF Americas was previously known as the Pan-American Games. It is an event where Latin American countries gather together and compete against each other in order to earn a bid to play in the Deaflympics. It is also hosted every four years and usually hosted the year right before the Deaflympics. In their last appearance during the 2016 Frederick, Maryland, U.S.A tournament,, the men’s team walked away with the gold medal and the women’s team earned an automatic bid as there were not enough teams to compete against. The next competition will be in Montreal, Canada, with a date yet to be determined due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
Started in the year of 2010 in Lublin, Poland, DIBF has agreed to host international competitions for those who are 21 years old or younger. There have been three different competitions: 2010, 2014, and 2018. In every appearance made by Team USA, they brought back home gold medals and nothing else. The next one will be in the year of 2022, but the site and dates are still to be determined.
DIBF 3×3 World Championship is a brand new competition hosted by DIBF in order to expand the variety of international competitions. The World Championships was held in Tel Aviv, Israel in September 2022. USA Deaf Basketball now adds the competition of 3×3 to the depth of its program. Deaflympics and ICSD are currently debating if they will add 3×3 to their list of games.
With the international competitions listed, our aim is to attend every one and compete to our best ability.