Basketball Team Surprises Lucky Fan With PS5 During A Game — Only To Take It Back & Give Him A Shirt Instead
"Happy holidays — just kidding!"
Kyrylo Ryzhov | Shutterstock A basketball fan believed he was in for the ultimate surprise when he was called onto the court during the second quarter of the game — and he got a surprise all right.
The lucky fan could not believe his eyes when a cheerleader marched out onto the court carrying a gift bag containing the PlayStation 5 he had asked for for Christmas.
However, once the cameras stopped rolling, the gift was seized and swapped out for another.
A fan was surprised with a PS5, but it was taken away and replaced with a T-shirt.
During the second quarter of a game between the Charlotte Hornets and Philadelphia 76ers on December 16, a fan was called down onto the court to meet the team’s mascot, who was dressed as Santa Claus.
The mascot proceeded to read a letter that the young fan had written to Santa, requesting a PS5 as one of his top gifts. “I have been working hard at school all year and making sure my grades are full of A’s,” the letter read. “I have also been working on my jump shot… but it needs some work. I’d really love a PlayStation if you have one.”
To the boy’s surprise, a Hornets cheerleader arrived with a holiday gift bag containing a brand-new PS5. The boy’s jaw dropped in surprise as the crowd cheered.
The clip was shared by the boy’s uncle on X and has since been viewed over 4 million times. However, according to the uncle, there was a lot more that fans watching from their TVs at home didn’t get to see.
Once the cameras stopped rolling, the boy’s new PS5 was taken away, and he was given a jersey instead. The boy’s uncle reported he was “crushed.”
Upon learning the truth, fans demanded that the Hornets issue an apology and gift the boy a new PS5.
“Why would they even film it just to snatch it away from him once the cameras were off? Disgraceful,” one X user commented.
“This is either the most embarrassing and pathetic thing the Hornets organization has ever done (impressive feat when you consider the on-court product they supply) or there’s an employee that really needs to reevaluate their life choices,” another user wrote.
One person even noted that given the $3.3 billion the Hornets earn annually, they easily could have afforded to give a fan a PS5.
Thankfully, a spokesperson for the team apologized on their behalf and vowed to correct their cruel actions.
"Simply put, we turned the ball over, and we apologize. We have reached out to the family and are committed to not only making it right but to exceeding expectations. We will be providing the fan with the PS5 that he should have taken home last night along with a VIP experience to a future game," the Hornets said.
"Our goal is and will remain to elevate the guest experience for every person that enters Spectrum Center and to show our fans how much we appreciate their relentless support."
Before pulling pranks that may seem funny, we should really sit and think about how the aftermath may affect people.
While pranking someone may seem harmless and without malicious intent, others may not see it that way, especially the person on the receiving end of the prank.
Imagine being a young child, and all you want for Christmas is a video game. You are gifted one in front of countless strangers, and you cannot wait to take it home and set it up.
Just as you are listing off the games you plan on getting, someone approaches you, says, “GOTCHA!” swipes it away, and hands you a jersey instead.
You would likely be devastated, and your loved ones likely wouldn’t be laughing either.
Real humor should bring people together, not create discomfort or conflict.
Megan Quinn is a writer at YourTango who covers entertainment and news, self, love, and relationships.