The Most Inspiring Half Court Basketball Shot Ever, And It Doesn’t Even Get Half Way To The Basket

There are just so many wonderful lessons to learn from this inspiring moment. Last Friday night during halftime of the ACC Semi final game, 56 year old Scott Park had a chance at winning a million dollars with a shot form half court. Scott was just so happy to be at the tournament because he LOVES college hoops and loves the ACC, he did something most of us would never have done, he took the shot in front of the world knowing that he didn't have a prayer of it going in.  He missed. He missed badly, in fact the ball which he seemed to heave with all his might didn't even get halfway. Scott Park heard the boos and he didn't mind at all. 

Take a look at the shot, and then take a couple of moments to read about Scott and why any of us who would want to laugh at his miss, or feel sorry for him, should think again.

You see, what the people who were laughing and booing Scott didn't know is he was just happy to be there and he knew that he had no chance at making that shot. Eight years ago Scott had open heart surgery and a resulting complication that caused all of his organs to shut down, he was told he was going to die.

After more surgeries, experimental medicine and a kidney transplant Scott has stabilized and now has hope. Even though he has to take 39 different pills a day and travel to Baltimore once a week for an infusion of his experimental medicine he still wanted to take that shot. Perhaps because of what he has been through , he needed to take that shot. It seems to me that Scott is not a man who gives up or backs down from any challenge.

According to an article by Ryan Fagan of the Sporting News, Scott said, “The halfcourt shot wasn’t pretty, and then I got a free throw and that didn’t get to the basket. And then, I couldn’t believe I blew the layup,” Park says, laughing. “The Lord has blessed me probably as much or more than a lot of people. I feel that every day. God has been a power in my life, and he keeps giving me miracles every day.”

It is amazing to me how easy we find it to judge people without knowing ANYTHING about them. I admit just seeing the video without knowing about Scott I might laugh myself and I'd feel bad for him maybe even embarrassed for him, but knowing his story I could not be more proud or inspired by the moment.