Special Edition: Kenny Sailors
The Inventor of the Jump Shot
He’s probably the greatest athlete you’ve never heard of. He isn’t even in the Basketball Hall of Fame, but Kenny Sailors changed the game. His innovation came out of necessity. Shooting baskets against his 5’ 6” older brother – they nailed the backboard to their Wyoming windmill – younger Kenny faced an insurmountable height disadvantage. His brother blocked every shot! In those days basketball players shot from the floor, both feet planted firmly so as to avoid a travel charge. One day, Kenny simply leapt straight into the air, delivering a shot over the head of his startled older brother. The rest is history. Kenny went on to play high school ball and since he did not commit a travel, his coach let him keep shooting that way. In College, Everett Shelton was his coach and he let Kenny shoot that way as well, recognizing the innovation at the moment.
In those days freshmen players were ineligible for Varsity, but Shelton organized a freshmen vs upperclassmen scrimmage, which the freshmen won! The reason was Sailors’ shooting and also the fact that Kenny was beginning to show himself as a natural leader. The final score was a bit of a shock to Shelton and the team, but Coach Shelton had his eye on a championship in the not to distant future. In fact, it was the next year, with Sailors’ class now playing with the Varsity, that took the team all the way to the finals in New York. The kids from Wyoming became national champions. Kenny had little time to celebrate because he married his high school sweetheart and went to war. Serving in the Marines during WWII, he showed his leadership abilities and was promoted to Captain.
When he came home, a special ruling allowed him and his classmates to resume their college careers and their team eligibility. Kenny went on to play professional ball. Watching film clips of him in motion, one sees all the moves and refinement of a modern point guard. So what happened to this amazing athlete? He saw a greater purpose for his life! That purpose is one of the surprising discoveries you will make watching the documentary film, Jump Shot [click to watch].
