Jump Shot: The Kenny Sailors Story

This documentary does a great job painting a portrait of a man who wasn't defined by his career in basketball. Sailors' priorities have clearly always been his integrity, his commitment to his wife, his contributions to the communities that he lived in, and his loyalty to his alma mater. While many sports documentaries seem bent on glorifying athletes, Jump Shot: The Kenny Sailors Story is more inspirational and educational. It doesn't appear to have any ulterior motives other than to highlight a humble man who happened to change the way that the game of basketball was played. Seeing famous NBA players pay respect to past generations sets a great example for the current generation; hopefully, it will help them remember not to take those who came before them for granted. Sailors comes across as a visionary, a born leader who brought positive change to every endeavor that he undertook, whether it was teaching or creating an all-girls basketball team (where he defied convention by giving Native American girls a chance to play).

Directed by Jacob Hamilton, Jump Shot is a no-fluff, no-frills chronicle of moments in basketball history, showcasing what it is to be a role model. Pairing interviews with modern-day sports figures and athletes with vintage footage and images of Sailors and his counterparts really showcases the rich legacy of basketball culture. The film's straightforward style is a good match for Sailors' personality. While it's evident that Sailors was a man of faith, the messages presented here are so genuine that anyone can relate to them, no matter their beliefs. When asked by a notable sports figure about "his final four," Sailors responds with great conviction: "God, husband, father, marine." There's a message here about not being distracted by success -- or what we may think success is. In the end, Sailors lived a long, happy life and died of old age. Whether he made it to the Hall of Fame during his lifetime didn't matter to him. As he says, "I know that I belong to the greatest Hall of Fame that any man or woman could ever belong to, and when you belong to that, and you know you belong to it -- you don't worry about these Hall of Fames that men create down here. It don't mean that much to you."