The Washington Wizards have apologised after an April Fools' Day prank during their loss to the Philadelphia 76ers sparked backlash on social media. During Wednesday night's game at Capital One Arena, a fan was brought onto the court for a blindfolded half-court shot promoted as being worth $10,000. The shot missed, but arena staff and performers reacted as if it had gone in and briefly presented the fan with a ceremonial check as part of what later was revealed to be a scripted skit.
Video of the sequence circulated online, leading to questions about whether the fan had been misled. Jemele Hill, a contributing reporter for the Atlantic, wrote on X: 'To do this to a fan that chose to come see a 17-win team is unhinged.' Former NFL executive turned analyst Andrew Brandt added: 'This is so on-brand for the Wizards season. Finding new ways to offend their (few) fans.'
As the backlash mounted, the Wizards released a statement on Thursday morning saying the segment was pre-planned and that all participants were aware of the joke. 'We apologise for last night's April Fools' joke that left many wondering if we had misled a fan,' the team said. '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.'
The team added that it remains 'committed to providing a positive experience to all who attend our games'. The Wizards lost the game 153-131 and are 17-59 this season, dead last in the Eastern Conference.
