A Sixers fan celebrated with Tyrese Maxey and Paul George after hitting a $10K half-court shot
A fan stole the show during the Sixers regular-season finale. The shot may only have been topped by his celebration.
It’s not unusual to see a half-court shot go in during a Sixers home game. Franklin, the team’s mascot, makes them regularly, including backward and blindfolded shots. But during Sunday night’s regular-season finale against the Milwaukee Bucks, fans and even Sixers players erupted as the ball went through the net from the half-court line.
That’s because the shot did not come from Franklin or a Sixers player. Instead, it came from a fan donning a Paul George jersey as part of a halftime promotion. And it wasn’t just any shot — it was a shot to win $10,000 worth of cryptocurrency. The crowd, including the players, rightfully went nuts.
The fan, identified during the game as Isaiah, went flying around the court, initially darting toward the Sixers bench before doing laps with in-arena host Lee Farrell trailing him. Eventually, he made his way back toward Philadelphia’s bench, where Tyrese Maxey and George were waiting to celebrate with him.
“Initially it was like, no way he’s got a Paul George jersey on,” George said after the game. “Sure enough, he had a Paul George jersey on. It’s a special moment. He was excited and rightfully so. … It was cool for me to share that moment with him. It wasn’t my moment but to be able to share that moment with him was special. Hell of a shot.”
The Sixers went on to beat the Bucks, 126-106, to clinch the seventh seed and earn a spot in the NBA’s Play-In Tournament, where they’ll face the Orlando Magic on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. Despite the big win, Isaiah walked away with the biggest highlight of the night.
Staff writer Gabriela Carroll contributed to this article.