Charlotte Hornets Blasted After They Give a Kid a PS5 and Then Take it Away Off Camera

For a young child, there may be no moment more exciting than getting to meet your idols. Except perhaps if those idols then gift you the one thing you've been longing for all year and working to earn.

A young child got to experience just that with the Charlotte Hornets after he was called on court during a mid-December match-up against the Philadelphia 76ers. But just as soon as his dream came true, the kid found himself the victim of what seemed like a cruel joke after the item was taken from him when the cameras turned off. Here's what we know about the incident and what the Hornets have done since it went viral.

Imagine being a young child called to the court of your favorite basketball team. The lights are blazing, the court is full of noises and movements, and all you can think is, "This is the coolest moment of my life." At least, that's what it looked like may have been going through the head of a child who was called to the court during the Hornets vs 76ers game.

Hugo, the Hornets' mascot, was dressed as Santa and the announcer read a letter from the young fan describing how he had worked hard all year to keep his grades up and practice his basketball skills, but he really wanted to practice his virtual skills on a PS5.

A cheerleader walked out with a gift bag, and the announcer explained that the young child was in luck: Here was the PS5 he had been dreaming of.

But when cameras were off, everyone was confused when the PS5 was confiscated and the boy was given a team jersey instead.

The disturbing incident blew up on social media, with users calling the Hornets "cheap," "mean," and a number of words too graphic to publish.

Never fear, however. The Hornets PR team must have gotten wind of the blowback on social media, and they issued a statement clarifying their stance on the incident and promising to make it up.

The statement read, "During last night's game there was an on-court skit that missed the mark. The skit included bad decision making and poor communication. Simply put, we turned the ball over and we apologize. We have reached out to the family and are committed to not only making it right but to exceeding expectations ... Our goal is and will remain to elevate the guest experience for every person that enters Spectrum Center, and to show our fans how much we appreciate their relentless support."

They promised, "We will be providing the fan with the PS5 that he should have taken home last night along with a VIP experience to a future game."

The internet may still be sharpening their pitchforks in fury over the fact that it happened in the first place, but at least the young fan will receive the Christmas magic he was promised.