The Washington Wizards have apologized after an April Fools’ stunt drew angry reactions online, even though the team later said the whole setup was scripted and the fan involved knew what was coming. A small mercy for everyone, perhaps, except the internet, which had already taken up the case.
How the joke unfolded
On Wednesday night, the Wizards brought a fan onto the court, blindfolded him and asked him to take a half-court shot with a $10,000 prize on the line. He missed the basket, but the moment did not end there.
He was then handed a giant check for $10,000 and told to watch a replay of the shot, at which point he realized he had not actually won anything. The team mascot laughed, the announcer leaned into the bit, and the fan appeared to take the whole thing fairly well. Getting a signed jersey and courtside tickets for next season probably softened the blow.
Backlash online, then a correction
Fans on social media were not nearly as amused. On Twitter/X, one person wrote, “This is an insane thing to do to someone,” while another said, “That’s not funny. That’s just cruel.”
In response, the Wizards posted a statement apologizing for what many viewers thought was a prank at the fan’s expense. The team said the skit was planned in advance and that everyone involved was part of the joke from the start.
The statement read:
“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.”
A rough night all around
To make matters worse, the Wizards also lost to the Philadelphia 76ers, which gave them a fourth straight defeat. It was their 20th loss in the past 21 games, because apparently the evening was determined to cover every possible version of bad news.
