Cowboy Up As the dark clouds of World War II were looming on the horizon, an American original named Kenny Sailors was capturing the attention of the country and leading the University of Wyoming basketball program on an astonishing run to the NCAA championship. Not many people knew of Kenny’s story. The older generation, the OG’s, like they were more familiar with it, but I didn't want to make a purely historical film. The Hall of Fame is planning 2 separate enshrinement ceremonies in the 2021 calendar year. [6] In 2012, he was named to the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame. I mean, his humility and his love for for other people, I think really shines through. 2016 Last Stop, Flamingo (Documentary) The slam dunk may be flashy and get the highlights… Make social videos in an instant: use custom templates to tell the right story for your business. Today, a fight for survival. Could the timing of this film have been better? The documentary, which took part in the festival circuit in 2019 and is set for a special digital release between April 16-18 at JumpShotMovie.com, lists arguably the greatest shooter of all-time, Stephen Curry, as its executive producer. Complete with spectacular highlights along with interviews from teammates, coaches, and writers, plus Michael's own insight, this video captures the spirit, determination and championship drive of this global icon. To get to see the game evolve in that way to where it is today, it's definitely a more exciting game. Sailors himself doesn’t claim to be the first person ever to jump in the air while shooting a basketball, but if he wasn’t the first to shoot a jump shot, he is certainly among the reasons its popularity grew. [1] A 5-foot-10-inch (1.78 m) guard, he is notable for popularizing the jump shot as an alternative to the two-handed, flat-footed set shot. Height: 6'7" Weight: 230 LBS Birth: 07/11/34 College: TEXAS SOUTHERN '57. The movie was originally slated for a one-night release on April 2 , but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the film will be released digitally from April 16-18 on JumpShotMovie.com. Highlights of the unveiling of the 18-foot statute to honor former University of Wyoming basketball great Kenny Sailors as part of the grand re-opening ceremonies for … More info. One SoCal high school sports conference used to firehose the pros with future all-stars, from Don Drysdale to Keyshawn Johnson. Brown will reunite with the Patriots after playing for the team in 2018. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED is a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC. [10], Sailors died on January 30, 2016, sixteen days after his 95th birthday, of complications from a heart attack he had in December 2015. highlights Create Make social videos in an instant: use custom templates to tell the right story for your business. Ken Sailors. Hamilton’s lovely story “Jump Shot: The Kenny Sailors Story” uses a logistical development in basketball to tell the story of an innovator whose work … We got to sit down with [Spurs shooting coach] Chip Engelland and he was sharing stories with us about guys and the jump shot. [9], John Christgau, author of the book The Origins of the Jump Shot, said that Sailors’ jump shot technique was the one that modern fans would recognize as the "jump shot." Sadly, Kenny died a few years ago after you had seemingly interviewed him and gotten to know him. Create. Sports Illustrated: What interested you most about Kenny Sailors’s story? Composer (37 credits) 2019 Jump Shot: The Kenny Sailors Story (Documentary) 2018 Moananuiakea: One Ocean, One People, One Canoe (Documentary) (as Josh Myers) 2017 Carpool (Short) 2016 The Haunting at Woodland Hills. [8] Sailors was inducted into the University of Wyoming Athletics Hall of Fame on October 29, 1993. Basketball pioneer Kenny Sailors, who has been credited with inventing the modern-day jump shot, died at 95 years old Saturday, the Wyoming Cowboys men's basketball program announced. Kenny Sailors invented the jumpshot in basketball, he also had a love for the outdoors. From Luka Garza to Quentin Grimes, SI honors 15 players in men's college basketball. “And I can’t thank him enough for that.”. JH: I think when players like Stephen, KD and Dirk, when they get to the point in their careers that they're at, they begin to look at those that came before them and really appreciate the game. You look at the ‘90s version of basketball where it's really a big man's game. As a lifelong basketball fan it was a name unknown to me. Then for me, personally, getting to know Kenny, I realized early on that this guy gets it. SI: You said you initially first started thinking about this story around a decade ago. [2], Sailors was born Jan. 14, 1921, in Bushnell, Nebraska[3] and grew up on a farm south of Hillsdale, Wyoming, where he developed his effective jump shot while playing against his 6-foot-4-inch (1.93 m) older brother Barton (known as Bud). Kenny Sailors; Personal information; Born January 14, 1921 Bushnell, Nebraska: Died: January 30, 2016 (aged 95) Laramie, Wyoming: Nationality: American: Listed height: 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) Listed weight: 175 lb (79 kg) Career information; High school: Laramie (Laramie, Wyoming) College: Wyoming (1940–1943, 1945–1946) Playing career: 1946–1951 “Kenny is a guy who stuck that flag in the ground,” Durant says at one point in the film. The Celtics have been one of the NBA's most consistent teams in recent years, but this season has taken a lot of turns. © 2021 ABG-SI LLC. Live Streaming. Sixty years later, with the help of everyone he has encountered, Kenny Sailors is coming back. Obviously, getting to have his voice amongst some of the other individuals in there, that also created a whole different dynamic in the film. Moreover, Wyoming had Kenny Sailors – the inventor of the jump shot. The following Q&A has been edited for length and clarity. [Photo provided] In 1943, Kenny Sailors changed the game of basketball and quickly grew to be a fan-favorite when he introduced his never-before-seen "leaping one-hander" to the masses while leading his Wyoming Cowboys to the Collegiate National Championship in Madison Square Garden. And it was at that point, he was like, “Everybody [who] knows me knows about basketball and the jump shot. SI Gambling Insider Frankie Taddeo previews the betting odds and breaks down this week’s SEC tournament. Kenneth Lloyd Sailors (January 14, 1921 – January 30, 2016) was an American professional basketball player active in the 1940s and early 1950s. So it started out with this iconic Life magazine photo that was taken in 1946. Players on … CBS Sports Network highlights Kenny Sailors, the man who many credit with creating the modern jump shot and how he put Wyoming basketball on the map in the 1940’s. I would rather talk about more than just basketball.” And that was what I was planning on telling him too, that there was more to his story than just basketball. Sailors was the only player in the history of Wyoming Cowboys basketball to be selected as an All-American three times, in 1942, 1943, and 1946. Political news commentary and analysis from today's most popular conservative columnists What was it like talking to them about Kenny? He was second in the BAA in total assists in 1946–47, was named to the All-BAA 2nd team in 1948–49, and averaged a career high 17.3 points per game in the 1949–50 season. 4 (Rebels), UN (Stags), 4 (Warriors), 5 (Steam Rollers), 4 (Steam Rollers), 27 (Nuggets (1st)), 4 (Bullets (1st)), 13 (Celtics) Height: 5-10 / 1.78 mts. [4] He eventually brought his skills to the University of Wyoming, and in 1943 he led the Cowboys to the NCAA Men's Basketball Championship. So let’s talk about how basketball was played back in 1943. Jump Shot: The Kenny Sailors Story Despite pioneering the modern-day jumpshot, Kenny Sailors vanished into the Alaskan wilderness, completely forgotten by the sport he contributed a lot to. But in the early 1920s, Sailors was a little 5’7” kid playing against his 6’5” brother who regularly frustrated him on the hoop that they tacked up to the windmill outside. Stephen Curry and Kenny Sailors have a lot in common. Saturday’s Highlights In 1991, a group of railroad fans gathered in one of Casper’s hobby shops and formed the Central Wyoming Model Railroad Association. Having his knowledge and passion behind the film, it helped shape it into what it is today. Regular Season Record. Kenny Sailors is the inventor of the jump shot as it’s now used prevalently across the United States and around the world. A 5-foot-10-inch (1.78 m) guard, he is notable for popularizing the jump shot as an alternative to the two-handed, flat-footed set shot. decided to forgo a two-handed set shot and instead jumped off the ground to shoot the ball with one hand. That’s probably an unfamiliar name to most basketball fans. [7] He scored 3,480 points in his professional career. It was in 1934, on a farm in Southeastern Wyoming, that Sailors, then a skinny 13-year-old, performed a move in a game against his brother that would change basketball history: He decided to forgo a two-handed set shot and instead jumped off the ground to shoot the ball with one hand. His on-court innovation landed him in Life magazine in 1946. SI Gambling Insider Frankie Taddeo previews the futures odds and breaks down this week’s Big East tournament. High-School: Laramie in Laramie, Wyoming. Weight: 175 lbs / 79.4 kg. But just listening to Kenny tell his story and speak, he was such a dynamic character that I eventually reached out to him, coordinated a breakfast and flew up to Wyoming for the first time. His love for basketball is what initially attracted him to the film, what's really cool is that because of who Kenny was, as a man of faith, somebody that values family, Steph was like, “Is there any other way that we could be more involved with the film?” And that was something we were not anticipating, at least not early on. They both journeyed from undersized and … All Rights Reserved. Sports Illustrated caught up with filmmaker Jacob Hamilton to talk about why Kenny Sailors, the subject of his new documentary, is such an engaging figure in basketball history. Signed as a free agent on December 13, 1965...completed contract after the 1965-66 season. Kenny Sailors. The Whitney Museum of American Art. [11], Wyoming Cowboys basketball 1942–43 NCAA champions, NCAA Basketball Tournament Most Outstanding Player, National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame, "Sailors still big shot in Wyoming history", "Wyoming @ Utah: Sailors, Ferrin, Mikan and The Great Santini", "Kenny Sailors, forgotten star credited with inventing basketball's jump shot", "Kenny Sailors, a Pioneer of the Jump Shot, Dies at 95", "University of Wyoming Official Athletic Site – Traditions", "Wyoming's Arena-Auditorium Renovation Project Launches Today, With Recognition of Both Private Donors and the Support Provided by the Wyoming State Legislature – University of Wyoming Official Athletic Site", "University of Wyoming legend Kenny Sailors dies at 95 | Men's Basketball", "Kenny Sailors, forgotten star credited with inventing basketball’s jump shot," by Matt Schudel, Washington Post, January 30, 2016, NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament Most Outstanding Player, 1943 NCAA Men's Basketball Consensus All-Americans, 1946 NCAA Men's Basketball Consensus All-Americans, 1943 Amateur Athletic Union Men's Basketball All-Americans, 1946 Amateur Athletic Union Men's Basketball All-Americans, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ken_Sailors&oldid=1002353209, All-American college men's basketball players, Amateur Athletic Union men's basketball players, Basketball players at the 1943 NCAA Men's Division I Final Four, National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame inductees, Wikipedia articles with WORLDCATID identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Career statistics and player information from, This page was last edited on 24 January 2021, at 01:03. Kenneth Lloyd Sailors was an American professional basketball player active in the 1940s and early 1950s. “Guard Kenny Sailors of Wyoming jumps and shoots to make score 21-16,” the caption read. Sixty years later, with the help of everyone he has encountered, Kenny Sailors is coming back. Jacob Hamilton: I didn't initially know that the jump shot really had a rich origin story. The Anchorage Daily News sports coverage. A lot has changed since then. SI: What are some of those other elements? He's able to weigh in on key moments and scenes in the film and obviously anything that a basketball player or true fan would want to hear about. Kenneth Lloyd "Ken" Sailors (January 14, 1921 – January 30, 2016) was an American professional basketball player active in the 1940s and early 1950s. A 5-foot-10-inch (1.78 m) guard, he is notable for popularizing the jump shot as an alternative to … Sailors might not be as famous as some of the aforementioned shooters, but he’s arguably just as important. Kenny Sailors is shown in a scene from "Jump Shot." That was great. (Kenny Sailors Collection/American Heritage Center/University of Wyoming) This article is more than 4 years old. One of the things that we struggled with at first was how do we get these people that might not know Kenny’s story to engage with it, because they don't really know who he is, they've never seen him play. SI: You interviewed a number of today’s basketball stars for the film. [4], In 2014, the University of Wyoming announced its plans to erect a specially-commissioned sculpture of Sailors outside of the University's basketball stadium, the Arena-Auditorium. "I would say that squared up toward the basket, body hanging straight, the cocked arm, the ball over the head, the knuckles at the hairline — that's today's classic jump shot.". Courtesy of Jump Shot: The Kenny Sailors Story. Hamilton was the director on the short film of “Kenny Sailors Jump Shot,” which was released in 2012. Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announces eligible candidates for Class of 2021. That's kind of when I realized that this is a story people are going to be able to relate to whether or not you're a basketball fan. Sports Illustrated recently caught up with Hamilton to learn more about why Sailors is such an engaging figure, discuss what it was like working with Curry on the documentary and explain how some of the NBA’s best shooters look back at Sailors’s legacy. Born: January 14, 1922 in Hillsdale, Wyoming, USA. SI: What was it like working with Steph on the project? Despite pioneering the modern-day jumpshot, Kenny Sailors vanished into the Alaskan wilderness, completely forgotten by the sport he contributed a lot to. Kenny Sailors is not the only one on that old, grainy highlights film who jumps. “Guard Kenny Sailors of Wyoming jumps and shoots to make score 21-16,” the caption read. That he was living for something bigger than himself. Read sporting news from across the state of alaska including University of Alaska and high school sports and local teams and leagues. Director Jacob Hamilton’s latest film, Jump Shot, profiles the basketball innovator, telling the story of not only Sailors’s jumper, but also the meaningful impact he had on society more broadly. Jump Shot: The Kenny Sailors Story 2019. There's a whole lot more to Kenny's story than just basketball. And on the court, the three-point shot has continued to become more popular. Sailors was named the NCAA Basketball Tournament Most Outstanding Player for his efforts. Throughout the early 1940s, Sailors’s Wyoming Cowboys dominated college basketball. Before Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, Ray Allen and Reggie Miller and Larry Bird and Dale Ellis, there was Kenny Sailors. As previously announced, the Class of 2020 Enshrinement ceremony has been rescheduled and relocated due to COVID-19 and is scheduled for May 13-15, 2021 at Mohegan Sun. By Brad Botkin. The Class of 2021 Enshrinement ceremony is scheduled to take place in Springfield, Mass., in September 2021. Located in New York City. Explore works, exhibitions, and events online. Apr 13, 2020 at 10:08 am ET2 min read. JH: Steph is an executive producer on the film and his involvement could have stopped at his interview. Remember this is 1943 and nobody knew how to defend a 5'11" guard who … JH: One could argue that he essentially defined the game of basketball by developing, popularizing and introducing the modern jump shot in professional basketball. One of the highlights will be a 22-foot statue of UW great Kenny Sailors. [5] He was the unanimous selection as College Basketball Player of the Year in 1943. And you could tell when we sat down with the modern players just how appreciative they were. [6] He would earn the honor again in 1946. He was a pioneer for women's athletics in Alaska and also served his country in World War II. It features the voices of Dirk Nowitzki, Bob Knight, Nancy Lieberman and Kevin Durant, among others. Kenny is such an incredible, beautiful character. A 5-foot-10-inch guard, he is notable for popularizing the jump shot as … In 1943, the jump-shooting Sailors was named the NCAA tournament’s Most Outstanding Player and led the Cowboys to their only national championship. [6], From 1946 to 1951, Sailors played professionally in the BAA and NBA as a member of the Cleveland Rebels, Chicago Stags, Philadelphia Warriors, Providence Steamrollers, Denver Nuggets, Boston Celtics, and Baltimore Bullets. JH: I mean, you look at the landscape of the game and really there couldn’t have been a more perfect time for this to come out. That's all they want to really talk about, but there are so many other things that I am more proud of. But the game never defined who he was. “Jump Shot” showcases highlights from the 1940s with Sailors dribbling around the court like a member of the Harlem Globetrotters, stopping on a dime and then rising up for a shot sports fans see in every modern game. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, New 'Jump Shot' Documentary Executive Produced by Steph Curry Profiles Kenny Sailors, a Basketball Innovator. HIGHLIGHTS. Williams had a career-high 11.5 sacks and 14 tackles for loss in 2020, his first full season with the Giants. Low's contract was due to run through the 2022 World Cup, but the Euros will be his last stand. Kenneth Lloyd Sailors (January 14, 1921 – January 30, 2016) was an American professional basketball player active in the 1940s and early 1950s.