The Washington Wizards issued an apology after a halftime prank during their loss to the Philadelphia 76ers tricked a fan into believing he won $10,000 with a blindfolded half-court shot. The team insisted all participants knew it was a joke but acknowledged it missed the mark. The fan received an autographed jersey and courtside tickets as consolation.
During Wednesday night's 22-point loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, the Wizards staged 'G-Wiz's April Fools Frenzy' at halftime. Their mascot G-Wiz, along with other NBA mascots, involved three blindfolded fans attempting half-court shots for $10,000. The in-arena host directed the crowd to cheer wildly after the third contestant's miss, pretending he succeeded, before revealing the truth via Jumbotron replay and snatching away the fake check handed to him by the mascots. The host apologized on the spot, saying, 'I'm not gonna lie sir, I really, really hate April Fools' Day. I'm so sorry, we're gonna hook you up with an autographed jersey, two courtside seats for next season.' The fan ultimately received those prizes plus courtside tickets for next season. The Wizards faced backlash and responded Thursday with a statement: '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.' The incident comes amid a tough season for the Wizards, who are on track for a third straight sub-20-win campaign. They have not reached the playoffs since 2021 or won a series since 2017, despite recent trades for Anthony Davis and Trae Young.
