Paula Hamblin-Lorenz, of Little Rock, was inducted into the USA Deaf Basketball Hall of Fame as a player. The induction ceremony took place in Oakland, CA in April for the 25th Anniversary of the USADB Women’s tournament.
Paula led her high school team to three District Championships, two State Runner-ups, and a State Championship title at Calhoun Academy.
She played in the AAU age 16 bracket with her team finishing 4th. Paula was ranked in top 10 out of 144 players. She also played for Blue Mountain College.
Paula played in numerous regional and national tournaments for Mississippi Association of the Deaf (Jackson), Arizona Black Widow, Chicago and Little Rock winning a total of five region All-Stars awards and seven USADB championships. She was voted to numerous regional All-Stars teams.
In all, Paula averaged 9.7 points per game and was voted to 1st All-Star teams three times and voted Most Valuable Player in 2000.
She also played in the 1993 and 1997 Deaflympics for USA team winning gold medals. She received her 3rd gold medal at Pan Am Games in 1999. Her 4th gold medal was received in 2000 as a manager for the USA team in Deaflympics.
Paula started playing for USADB in 1988 and retired in 2008. She is currently working as a substitute teacher, volunteering Special Olympics, and an assistant coach for deaf girls’ basketball team at Arkansas School for the Deaf in Little Rock.
Her hobbies are crocheting, hiking, walking, Jazzercise, riding her 2003 Triumph motorcycle and helping with people.
Paula is the daughter of Betty Hamblin Whitt and late Bobby Hamblin. Paula is the granddaughter of late Pauline and Leslie Blaylock and late Robbie and O.D. Hamblin.