Kenny Sailors and the Jump Shot

It’s hard to believe that basketball didn’t have the jump shot until the 1930s or 40s. The man who invented it (or popularized it…as the case may be), Kenny Sailors, died on January 30 at 95 years old. Imagine playing basketball without the jump shot. While there are a few men whose fans claim that they invented the jump shot (I guess we’ll never know), the point is that at one time there was not only no jump shot, but when the early proponents of the jump shot tried it they were criticized by players and fans and at least one player was benched by his coach.

Consider the following from a New York Times article: Players made one-handed, leaping layups and left their feet to rebound or block shots. But no one more than five feet from the hoop who faced the basket would lift two feet to shoot the ball. And if someone did, he would be ridiculed or scolded into conformity.

This of reminds me of playing the game of life, especially the Christian life, without submitting to the Holy Spirit and allowing Him to animate our lives – our feet never leave the earth when we try to put the ball in the net – we live flatfooted. The early proponents of the jump shot tried it so they could shoot over taller players; they didn’t accept the idea that just because a player guarding them was taller that they couldn’t shoot over them.

How often do we convince ourselves that we can’t do something because the obstacle in our way is bigger or taller than we are?