The Washington Wizards have apologized for a halftime April Fools’ Day prank that left fans of the NBA team confused and upset.
Fans at the Capital One Arena for the April 1 game against the Philadelphia 76ers were led to believe that a man at center court was randomly chosen at halftime to win $10,000 if he made a half-court shot blindfolded.
With his eyes blindfolded and a basketball in hand, he heaved the ball toward the hoop, but was off by a mile. But the arena exploded in excitement, leaving everyone (who wasn’t in on the joke) confused when the staff made it seem like the shot had been made.
The personnel on the floor reacted with glee, approaching the man as if the shot had been successful, and even presented him with a $10,000 check, giving the impression that the shot had gone in.
After they gave him the check, they showed him the actual shot by rolling back the video.
The NBA team issued a written statement about the prank, which upset many people who felt it wasn’t appropriate to have misled fans. The Wizards admitted that the fans at the game were being pranked. Everyone else was in on the joke, including the fan who took the shot.
“We apologize for last night’s April Fools’ joke that left many wondering if we had misled a fan. The skit involving our mascot and other members of our performance team was scripted and intended to celebrate the day. All participants were in on the joke, but we missed the mark. Our fans are our priority, and we continue to be committed to providing a positive experience to all who attend our games.”
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