In case you missed it: Mormon missionaries prove ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’
A YouTube video of two Mormon missionaries dominating a pick-up basketball game is making its way around the Internet.
In the video, published July 31 by Jared Allen, the two missionaries in their dress clothes shoot the ball and miss shots as two shirtless men give them some tips outside a home in Henderson, Texas.
When the pick-up game starts one of the missionaries, Elder Cole Payne, steps up his game and and goes up and over his opponents for a statement-making dunk. Other players, both on and off the court, are instantly impressed with the missionaries’ basketball skills as the game continues.
Jared Allen, who published the video on July 31, identified Payne as his cousin, serving in Dallas, Texas in the description of the video.
Allen said Payne had been dying to play some street ball and asked the players if they could play saying they are “just some white boys.”
“Cole proves that white boys can jump,” Allen wrote in the description.
The video is quickly being shared on social media networks and getting quite the reaction.
“This. Is. Amazing. The laughter is infectious. Amazing,” read one comment online from “mdwestms.”
“Don’t let the white shirts fool you! #Mormon missionaries balling in the hood #lds #basketball,” tweeted Ariel M. Panga (@riyel27).
“’Two guys who may be Mormon missionaries hustle some dudes in streetball and throw down two sick dunks’ Yessir,” tweeted Logan Sackley (@Sackmaster2014).
“’Mormon missionaries CRUSH streetball game’ Don’t let the politeness fool you. Mormons are SERIOUS bball players,” tweeted Darlene Leifson (@DrLeifson).
Allen added in the video’s description that Cole was on a State Champion basketball team where he can dunk a regulation hoop.
“He has over a 40” vert., but doing this in his dress shoes is even better,” Allen said.
Payne, 19, originally from Lindon, Utah, was on the Orem High championship basketball team in high school.
Payne’s father told KSL.com that his son had told the family about the game on a phone call on Mother’s Day and then sent an SD card with the video home. The video was posted last week to YouTube and has since gone viral.
Contact reporter Yvette Cruz at ycruz@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0256. Follow @YvyReports on Twitter.
