Jump Shot: The Kenny Sailors Story
2019 (UNRATED)
From Executive Producer Stephen Curry, Jump Shot tells the forgotten story of Kenny Sailors, the basketball pioneer who revolutionized the game with the jump shot. More than an NCAA champion and NBA trailblazer, Sailors was a war veteran, advocate for women’s basketball, and a man who valued faith and family above fame—until his legacy was rediscovered by the sport’s biggest stars.
DIRECTED BY
Jacob Hamilton
YEAR
2019
Watch
SYNOPSIS
Before the high-flying three-pointers and buzzer-beating shots that define modern basketball, there was Kenny Sailors—the forgotten legend who introduced the jump shot and changed the game forever. From Executive Producer Stephen Curry, Jump Shot is the remarkable true story of a man whose innovation redefined basketball but never defined him.
In 1943, at Madison Square Garden, Sailors stunned audiences by showcasing a “leaping one-hander,” now known as the jump shot, leading the University of Wyoming to an NCAA Championship. A two-time collegiate All-American, NCAA Tournament MVP, and NBA pioneer, he took his shot to the pros just as the league was forming. But after a few years, Sailors disappeared from the basketball world, retreating to the Alaskan wilderness, where he built a life far removed from the fame he could have claimed.
Decades later, through the voices of basketball icons like Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Dirk Nowitzki, Nancy Lieberman, and Bob Knight, Jump Shot reignites the conversation about Sailors’ impact on the sport and his rightful place in the Naismith Hall of Fame. More than just a basketball story, this award-winning film honors a man who championed women’s sports, served as a U.S. Marine in WWII, and stayed true to his values of faith, family, and community. Behind the shot that changed the game is an all-American story you’ll never forget.