Pro basketball players skillfully maneuver the glossy court. There are always those shots that almost feel like slow motion as the ball glides effortlessly through the hoop or teeters and dances along the curved edge before descending into a winning shot. Former professional basketball player Jerald Reiner lived those memorable, adrenaline-pumping moments for years, commanding the court playing professionally for seven years in Italy, Australia, Ireland, and Mexico.
Reiner trained with and nearly made the San Antonio Spurs roster in 1999, and he was widely known in Texas basketball circles as one of San Antonio’s “purest shooters”. The turning point came when years of high-level play left him with severe hip arthritis, causing him to step away from the court. He describes walking into gyms with a noticeable limp and believed his competitive days were over. Now, in his 50s, Reiner has found a surprising second act and a different way to play basketball with Shoot 360, dubbed the “pickleball of basketball”. I asked Reiner to share his story, tell us more about Shoot 360, and give his advice for other former athletes, fitness enthusiasts, and lifelong hoopers who had to step away from the game.
The benefits of basketball
The Manual: What sets basketball apart from other sports? What were the biggest benefits you experienced?
Jerald Reiner: What sets basketball apart from other sports is the combination of ability and effort that’s required to compete at a high level. The only way to get in basketball shape is to play basketball, and with that shape comes the ability to change a movement, angle, and motion in a split second, due to conditions that are constantly changing throughout the game. The biggest benefits I got from basketball are that hard work and effort are required to be successful, as well as a level head that will keep your emotions in check. In addition, basketball also teaches you winning and losing and how to act in both scenarios.
One of San Antonio’s purest shooters
TM: You’re widely regarded in Texas basketball circles as one of San Antonio’s “purest shooters”. What would you say is your most pivotal peak or proudest moment as a basketball player?
Jerald Reiner: Honored to even be mentioned in that category. Three moments stand out as proudest moments for me in basketball. First, our Texas Lutheran basketball team won the conference in my junior year. The opportunity to see us get to the top of our conference and how we did it was incredible. As a team, we average just over 100pts a game, and as a team we shot 45% as a team from the 3pt line. Wow, what an accomplishment. Second, becoming the all-time scorer for TLU was an amazing achievement. To be able to have my jersey retired with that achievement helps me understand why all those nights of shooting in the backyard and practicing and dedicating to that purpose of trying to be the best you can for your team and yourself were special.
Thirdly, getting invited to training camp and playing with the San Antonio Spurs in 1999. Obviously, you want to be in the NBA and play with the best players in the world. I was blessed to do that for a short time frame, but was truly honored and blessed to have that opportunity.
TM: Could you share more about your personal story and background with basketball, and what made you choose basketball as a career?
Jerald Reiner: I played multiple sports as a 4th or 5th grader up until 8th grade. Those sports were golf, tennis, basketball, baseball, and track. With all those sports I enjoyed playing, I really loved Basketball. So, I continued with basketball and baseball into high school, with a concentration on basketball. Back then, we still had AAU, which is now Club Basketball, but it was really only in the summer. My parents converted our back porch into a concrete 18 X 30 basketball court, so I was very fortunate to have a place to shoot all night long. I’m sure our neighbors didn’t like the spotlight shining into the back of their house, but I was able to craft my shot and skills.
I was recruited to play D1 ball at Xavier University in Ohio, and I thought I was going to go there, but God had another path for me, and I ended up at Texas Lutheran University, which at that time was NAIA. With our team’s successes and my own successes as a player, I felt I had an opportunity to play professionally. When I wasn’t drafted in 1997, I felt I could play this game with any player and chose to pursue it professionally.
The challenges of earlier onset arthritis
TM: What was the first sign that you had hip arthritis or that something was different in your hip area? Was it the limp?
Jerald Reiner: Probably due to overuse throughout my years of sports and basketball, I developed hip arthritis in my mid-30s. As I continued to play and stay active, I noticed that I was having more mobility issues in my left hip. I tell everybody that my limp is just my “swag”, and that’s how I walk! Truth is, I’m 51 years old now, and at some point, I will need a hip replacement, but the Lord continues to let me play this wonderful game. Until I can’t play anymore because of it, I’ll continue to confuse defenses, and hopefully they’ll let me shoot easier (haha).
TM: What was going through your mind during that time?
Jerald Reiner: Frustrating for sure. The game I’d played since I was 8 or 9 years old, I would potentially not be able to play again, but God has a great way of using situations for His glory. Through this challenge, I was able to be a part of a basketball group through my church, and we actually created BBOB, which stands for Basketball Band of Brothers. With this group, we play every Thursday night, then have fellowship afterwards. Even though I can’t move around the basketball court the way I once did, it has been an amazing journey, and I can’t wait to see what God has planned through basketball going forward!
TM: What about when you finally had that diagnosis and that quiet realization in your mind that you had to step away from the game, or at least from that higher-intensity basketball? What was that like mentally for you?
Jerald Reiner: I actually haven’t stepped away from the game entirely, but to not be able to play the game at the level and comfort that I was used to playing was a shock. The one thing I learned through this injury is that it’s not about me. Regardless of how much I can or can’t play because of an injury, there will be opportunities that are presented to you to use a skill set that you have, and when Shoot 360 came calling, it was the right place and time for a transition for me.
Enter Shoot 360
Jerald Reiner has been especially excited about the prospects of Shoot 360 — a training facility that merges quality, advanced technology with elite-level coaching. This different way of playing basketball involves AI-driven shot analytics, interactive drills, and virtual competition.
TM: At some point, you came across a different way of playing where you could use your skills without having to step onto the court. Shoot 360 is an immersive basketball training experience centered on shooting, pressure, and accuracy rather than running around the court. Could you share how you found Shoot 360?
Jerald Reiner: Ben Hart, with Factory of Champions in San Antonio, Texas, converted one of his courts into six shooting bays for Shoot 360. Instantly, I was hooked because of my connection to shooting and the availability of the technology that Shoot 360 presented. I thought, “Wait a minute, you’re telling me that I can shoot all day and not have to run back on defense, and still get a great workout?” I was sold!
TM: What are the biggest benefits of Shoot 360, and how did it help you reconnect with basketball even after your challenges with hip arthritis?
Jerald Reiner: The biggest benefits of Shoot 360 are three things:
- Volume of shots in a controlled setting.
- Instant feedback from arc, left/right, and front/back on shots.
- Competition at a high level.
In addition, there are options to get shooting feedback directly from the Shoot 360 technology. In the game of basketball, being a jack of all trades is not as important as being a specialist. Shoot 360 enables a player to become a specialist at a very high rate, depending upon the skill level and willingness to use the technology.
TM: You compared this style of play to “the pickleball of basketball.” Could you tell our readers what you mean by that and why you think that idea resonates with players right now?
Jerald Reiner: Well, pickleball is a very hot sport today. One of the reasons it’s a craze is that it’s played in a small area, and not much movement is needed outside of a 10X10X10 area. The shoot 360 leagues that I’ve played take that same concept. and puts me in a confined area. I can get a solid workout in an hour in that space with other players locally or virtually across the world.
Advice for finding your second act
TM: For other former athletes, fitness enthusiasts, and lifelong hoopers who had to step away from that higher-intensity game, what would you tell them about finding a second act?
Jerald Reiner: Sports are always evolving to find the audience of former athletes who love to be competitive and continue to want to succeed. Shoot 360 is one of those sports that allows former athletes to step into a competitive environment and use a skillset that allows for competition. Just because we stepped away from the original game we played doesn’t mean a different version of that game can’t be played for the same opportunities for success.
