The Los Angeles Lakers honored special guest Erica Wilson before taking on the Golden State Warriors on Thursday night at the Staples Center. Wilson plays wheelchair basketball for the Lakeshore Lakers in Alabama and has proven to be an inspiration while battling transverse myelitis.
Wilson paid a visit to the team’s practice facility in El Segundo before heading to downtown for the Lakers game. Wilson met Kobe and his teammates with ESPN’s Arash Markazi in attendance posting the following picture of the meeting on his Instagram account:
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Kobe Bryant talking to special guest Erica Wilson, who lost the use of her legs due to a neurological disorder.
Here’s video of Wilson at Staples Center tonight delivering the game ball, via our Instagram account:
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Tonight’s game ball was delivered by Erica Wilson. She is one of five athletes featured by Gatorade in a series of digital shorts titled “Win From Within: The Series.” #Lakers #Lakersnation #AgainstAllOdds #Inspire
The team sent out the following press release before Thursday’s game:
Tonight’s game ball will be delivered by Lakers special guest Erica Wilson. Earlier today, Erica attended Lakers shootaround, where she met Head Coach Byron Scott and Lakers players before having the chance to shoot on the Lakers practice court with the coaching staff.
About Erica: In a matter of hours, Erica Wilson went from an aspiring dancer to a teenage girl having to deal with the loss of the use of her legs due to a neurological disorder called transverse myelitis. With an inner strength beyond her years, Erica decided to accept her new life and pursue the sport of wheelchair basketball. As a member of Birmingham, Alabama’s Lakeshore Lakers, Erica continues to defy odds and pursue new dreams.
Erica is one of five athletes featured by Gatorade in a series of digital shorts titled “Win From Within: The Series,” which recognizes incredible and unique athletes who have achieved greatness in sports against all odds, reaching seemingly impossible goals and inspiring the world.
