“The best ability is availability” is a saying that has been printed on many images. “The greatest ability is availability. Every Christian is a minister”—used in a religious context—was printed in the book Count on Me! (1980) by Clifford V. Anderson.
 
The saying is a sports adage in regard to injuries. “It’s an axiom passed down to Tony Dungy from Chuck Noll, and it certainly applies to receiver Robb Thomas: Sometimes the best ability is availability” was printed in the St. Petersburg (FL) Times on September 18, 1998. “Coach Tony Dungy frequently recites the NFL adage that the best ability is availability” was printed in the St. Petersburg (FL) Times on November 11, 2000.
     
“You can’t make the club in the tub” is another sports adage about injured players.
 
     
Google Books
Count on Me!
By Clifford V. Anderson
Wheaton, IL: Victor Books
1980
Pg. 30:
The greatest ability is availability. Every Christian is a minister.
       
Google Books
Breaking Through:
Taking the Kingdom Into the Culture by Out-Serving Others
By Wellington Boone
Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman
1996
Pg. 146:
In God’s kingdom, the greatest ability is availability.
       
18 September 1998, St. Petersburg (FL) Times, “Thomas catches on again” by Rick Stroud, pg. 8C, col. 2:
It’s an axiom passed down to Tony Dungy from Chuck Noll, and it certainly applies to receiver Robb Thomas: Sometimes the best ability is availability.
 
11 November 2000, St. Petersburg (FL) Times, “Dungy sees return of injured players” by Roger Mills and Ernest Hooper, pg. 8C, col. 1:
Coach Tony Dungy frequently recites the NFL adage that the best ability is availability.
 
Twitter 
Shaun Bala
@ebala
In pro-sports : “The most important ability is availability”
3:05 PM - 11 Feb 2008
   
Twitter
Lauren Talase
@GoldenTouch4
Message of the day: The best ability is availability. Luke 16:10, Romans 12:1
10:34 AM - 17 Jul 2009
       
29 September 2009, Boston (MA) Globe, “Ainge, Rondo on same page: Both focused on getting ring” by Julian Benbow, pg. C7:
With the Celtics bringing in lengthy Marquis Daniels, among others, (Danny—ed.) Ainge said of Allen’s injury, “It puts him behind everybody until he can play. He’s got to remember the most important ability is availability. So as long as he’s in street clothes, he doesn’t have a job.
 
Google Books
The MacArthur New Testament Commentary (Set of 33 volumes)
By John MacArthur
Moody Publishers
2015
Pg. ?:
As someone astutely observed many years ago, as far as a believer’s service to God is concerned, the greatest ability is availability. The most talented and gifted Christian is useless to God if he is not available to be used, just as God’s greatest blessings are not available to those who are not present to receive them.
     
ESPN
Biggest winner of the Finals? Rest!
Jun 17, 2015
Tom Haberstroh
ESPN Staff Writer
(...)
As the NBA saying goes, the best ability is availability.
 
“You have to capitalize on health,” (Bob—ed.) Myers said. “Because in this league, you just don’t know.”
       
Sir Charles in Charge
NBA Rumors: Teams would regret signing Kyrie Irving next offseason
by Zamir Bueno August 8, 2018 Follow @DisabledSports2
NBA Rumors: Kyrie Irving’s injury history, combined with the financial commitment a team will have to take on to sign him, should give teams pause when pursuing him next summer
There is an old sports axiom that states a player’s best ability is availability. Unfortunately, NBA teams routinely ignore the adage because they get enamored with how a player performs on the court.
   
Los Angeles Lakers
LeBron’s Best Ability
by Mike Trudell
Lakers Reporter
Posted: Aug 31, 2018
There’s an old sports adage that became applicable to the Lakers the moment LeBron James signed his contract: “The best ability is availability.”
 
I’d argue that LeBron being the best basketball player in the world is the actual best thing going for the Lakers. But the point is, his abilities on the court wouldn’t do as much good if he weren’t able to … you know … stay on the court.
 
Niners Wire
49ers fire head athletic trainer after injury woes continue
By: Kyle Madson | January 11, 2019 7:54 pm ET
(...)
“There’s an old adage in football, I don’t know if it’s exclusive to football, but your best ability is availability,” he (San Francisco general manager John Lynch—ed.) said.
 
Twitter
Rodgers SZN
@arenad0goat
Replying to @SABRSkeptic
Best ability is availability 🤷‍♂️ sucks that Walker couldnt stay healthy
10:50 PM - 27 May 2019