Kenny Sailors, the creator of the modern jump shot and Wyoming basketball hall-of-famer, passed away only two weeks after celebrating his 95th birthday.
Sailors passed away in the night, according to a representative from the assisted living facility in Laramie where he lived.
Sailors is largely credited with inventing the jump shot in his youth, and perfecting it as he began competing in the sport. Humble, he admitted coming up with the jump shot on his family farm in Hillsdale, Wyo. in order to shoot over his brother, who was much taller.
With his jumper, Sailors led the University of Wyoming to the NCAA Championship in 1943 before leaving to fight in WWII. He returned to finish his college basketball career in 1945-46 and even played for a stint in the NBA.
Sailors was inducted into the University of Wyoming Athletics Hall of Fame in 1993.
Sailors will be remembered in many ways, some of which he will never see. A statue, created by Green River sculptor and UW graduate Rudy Gunter, was recently sent to a Lander foundry for casting. It is expected to be unveiled near his hometown in June.
“I am saddened and devastated that we weren’t able to complete the statue in time for Kenny to see it,” says WyoRadio owner Bruce Pivic, who was a leader in the statue project and a personal friend of Sailors.
More information will be released when it is available.