NBA’s Hornets sorry after giving child PS5 before taking it back off camera

The Charlotte Hornets have apologized for an in-game skit gone wrong where a young fan was promised a PlayStation 5 only to have it taken away off camera.

The incident unfolded during the second quarter of Monday’s game against the Philadelphia 76ers when Hugo, the team’s mascot dressed as Santa Claus, brought a 13-year-old fan onto the court. After a letter to Santa requesting a PS5 was read aloud, a cheerleader presented the console, prompting cheers from the crowd and visible excitement from the boy.

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But the joy quickly evaporated when a Hornets staff member took the console back after the cameras stopped rolling and handed the boy a jersey instead, according to witnesses and a viral social media post. The confusion was said to leave the boy, his family and even team performers stunned.

Alexei Phillips, the boy’s uncle and a season ticket holder, told Queen City News that the family had been approached by staff to participate in the skit earlier in the game. While Phillips was quietly informed moments before the skit that the boy would not be keeping the PS5, this crucial detail was not shared with his nephew.

“Everyone thought he was keeping it – cheerleaders, dancers, everyone,” Phillips said. “When they took it away, people assumed it was a joke. Then they realized it wasn’t.”

The incident sparked outrage on social media after a bystander’s post about the skit garnered over 3.4m views by Tuesday night. Fans criticized the Hornets for what many called a misleading and “Grinch-like” gesture.

The Hornets issued a public apology on Tuesday, acknowledging their error. “During last night’s game there was an on-court skit that missed the mark,” the team said in a statement. “The skit included bad decision making and poor communication. Simply put, we turned the ball over and we apologize.”

The team promised to make amends by giving the boy the PS5 he was promised, along with a VIP experience at a future game.

Phillips said the Hornets have since reached out to him and his nephew, expressing regret for the mishap. “There are no hard feelings,” he said. “But this could’ve been avoided if they’d just given him the jersey on the court in the first place. He would’ve been thrilled.”

The Hornets lost 121-108 to the Sixers in Monday’s game, dropping to 7-19 on the season.