If you’ve ever been to a home game in Oklahoma City, you know all about the MidFirst Bank halfcourt shot. It’s undergone a small change this season with two people competing for the opportunity to even take the shot by having a free throw shooting contest.
But to my knowledge, I don’t know of anyone that’s made the halfcourter in the three years the Thunder’s been here. Maybe one other time, but I feel like that might’ve been with the Hornets. My memory fails me.
Tonight though, there was a big winner. Mr. Robert Yanders is his name and he’s now $20,000 richer.
(You’ve got to love the freakout reaction from Barry Switzer. Hilarious.)
The story on Yanders though is a little crazy. He’s actually a three-time high school basketball champion, played in college at Missouri State University West Plains where he’s actually in their Hall of Fame. He even played professionally overseas and on the British national team with Luol Deng. Oh and one more – he was actually even invited to the Milwaukee Bucks’ training camp one year.
I used to always feel like MidFirst had some kind of deal with the Thunder to make sure they picked small children and/or people that have clearly only seen a basketball and not touched one. Typically, the halfcourt effort is something that makes you feel bad for the person taking it.
But clearly, Robert Yanders doesn’t fall into that category. He was as qualified a shot-taker as there probably was in the arena not wearing a uniform. And as a result, MidFirst paid big for it.
(Hat tip to Ben of BlazersEdge for the video and the tip on Yanders’ bio.)
[...] buliding of OKC’s Sunday win over a Cleveland Cavaliers to win $20,000. Turns out Yanders is a bit of a ringer, though still an extraordinary [...]