The jump shot has a handful of fathers, most of whom have been forgotten by all but the hardest-core of hardwood fans. Among these innovators was Joe Fulks, whose life story puts him in a singular category: he's the only Hall of Fame player—in Springfield, Canton, or Cooperstown—to have been murdered.

 

Joe Fulks, who was from Birmingham, Kentucky, itself destroyed by Kentucky Lake, is often credited as an innovator of the jump-shot. Fulks transferred to Kuttawa after his town was submerged, played at Murray State, then spent several years in the NBA and its forerunners and was among the leading scorers each year. He was also murdered...

 

Joe Fulks, the Jump Shot Innovator One Man Murdered and the Rest Forgot | VICE Sports

Awesome story. Thank you for sharing. Love that he has Kentucky roots as well.

Thanks for the post and the link. I previously have done research on Fulks, and his life story is amazing. He was referred to as The Babe Ruth of Basketball by the Philadelphia sportswriters when he played there. He not only led the league in scoring in the 1946-47 season, it wasn't even close; Fulks averaged 23.2 ppg, while the next best was 16.8 ppg. One of the few native Kentuckians in the Basketball Hall of Fame. And then his life after basketball that ended is his tragic death.

 

It is a shame so few people actually know his story. I have thought a book about him would be worthwhile, but the chapter about him in the John Christgau book, Origins of the Jump Shot, is pretty good. A lot of what is in the linked article comes from that chapter, I believe.

Very cool read, thanks for sharing.

Many thanks for the story and link of a great player from Ky