HOUSTON — A Houston man took a chance and scored big, not only on the court but also in his bank account.
As an added bonus, he won over a Hall of Famer too!
John Jordan, a Hightower High School graduate, says it's a moment that changed his life.
"Man, it's been unbelievable. Unbelievable opportunities lie ahead, which I've already been prepared for...I'm just excited to be here," he said.
John played in the Ones Basketball League's first year.
The league features one-on-one hoops. It held its regionals around the country and the finals were held in Las Vegas.
In the Championship game, a weary John was losing in overtime when he grabbed a rebound, dribbled out and managed to sink this miraculous fade away shot to win a quarter of a million dollars.
"That's one of those shots that, you know, we think about as kids and we practice in our backyard," he said. "It's no doubt a dream come true."
Tracy McGrady, a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame, is not just a fan of John's, but he's also the founder of the OBL. He says he's thrilled about how it turned out and is eager to give more overlooked players a chance to shine.
“I think it’s a league that really that provides hope to anyone,” said McGrady. "Next season, we're gonna get the best of the best because these guys are ringing my phone off the hook."
And after winning big money, John is now hoping to win even more money.
He caught the eye of the Lone Star Legends, a team of former college players trying to win $ 1 million in another event called "TBT," The Basketball Tournament.
After that? Maybe play professionally somewhere.
"I hope kids around the world can see my story what I've been able to accomplish and, you know, can take something from that and get inspiration from that," John said.
John hopes his next big shot will turn out like the last one: Money. He played his college ball at Texas A&M Corpus Christi.
His new team's first game in that million-dollar tournament is Friday night in Wichita, Kansas.
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