A Jazz Fan Almost Got Screwed Out A Free Car In A Shooting Contest Before The Team Reversed Course

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There are plenty of examples of sports teams attempting to wriggle their way out of giving prizes to fans who clearly won them during an in-game contest, and the Jazz almost became the latest to join that club before deciding to do the right thing.

Most NBA teams give fans the chance to win a variety of prizes by showing off their basketball skills during breaks in the action; last week, a Hawks fan won $10,000 by sinking a half-court shot before Dejounte Murray offered to match the reward because he was so impressed.

There’s also the Utah Jazz, a team that currently needs all the help it can get injecting excitement into home games in the midst of the 10-game losing streak that led to the franchise being officially eliminated from playoff contention following a loss to the Spurs last week.

On Tuesday night, the skid continued after the Jazz fell to the Cavaliers by a score of 129-113 in a game where the crowd at the Delta Center didn’t have too much to cheer for.

However, there was one notable exception in the form of the “Threes for Keys” contest that gave a lucky fan named Malik Horman the chance to walk away with a 2024 Hyundai Kona courtesy of the folks at Ken Garff Automotive Group if he could sink three shots from beyond the arc in 30 seconds.

Horman (who made 18 three-pointers during his time playing basketball at Sky View High School in Smithfield, Utah) appeared to launch a successful trey before the final buzzer expired, but the celebration came to an abrupt end after he was informed he didn’t get the shot off in time even though it seemed like he had.

According to The Salt Lake City Tribute (which described the boos that rained down in the wake of the screwjob as “the loudest fans were all night”), the officials in charge of the contest determined Horman had released the shot after the clock (which apparently wasn’t synced to the buzzer) expired, which meant he’d have to settle for the $600 he won by hitting his first two shots.

However, someone from the dealership decided to step in and give him the car much to the delight of a crowd that was thrilled to learn the egregious wrong had been righted.

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