A lucky Lakers fan named Michael Bell won $100,000 on Thursday night after draining a half-court shot during a break in the action of Los Angeles’ 113-109 overtime win against the New York Knicks.
Lakers Fan Michael Bell Celebrated With Floyd Mayweather, Spike Lee, And Puka Nacua After Hitting Half-Court Shot
During an exclusive interview with TMZ Sports on Friday, Bell said he plans to use most of the six-figure prize to help recover some cash from his expensive wedding ceremony from November.
Bell admitted he blacked out after the ball went through the hoop.
FOR $100K FROM HALFCOURT 😱
DRILLS IT 🤑🤑🤑 pic.twitter.com/r6Y6NtOZNw
— NBA (@NBA) March 7, 2025
However, instead of disrupting the players huddled up while it went down, he said he decided to celebrate with a few of the big-name celebrities sitting courtside.
“I high-fived Floyd Mayweather, Spike Lee, Puka Nacua was over there,” he said. “High-fiving Spike Lee, who’s just kind of known for being courtside at big NBA games, especially the Knicks, was a pretty cool moment.”
Bell Became The 16th Winner Since The Promotion Started During The 2006-07 Season
Bell is also considering using some of the money on Lakers memorabilia.
“Maybe a special pair of Kobes or something like that,” he said. “Something to commemorate it.”
Of course, Bell gave an interesting response when the TMZ Sports interviewer asked him if his wife has asked for anything special.
“She hasn’t cited anything specifically,” he said. “She puts up with me staying up late watching the games and having the TV on in bed. If she asks for something, it’s the least I could do.”
Bell became the 16th winner since the promotion started during the 2006-07 season, the Lakers announced, and the first winner since Fidel Olmos of Redlands, Calif., nailed the half-court shot on Jan. 9, 2024.
Another Lakers fan will have the chance to win cash at the next home game at Crypto.com Arena, but the jackpot will start back at $25,000.
