Wizards' Thomas Bryant Throws Down Jam on Wrong Basket

Christmas has come and gone, but the gift-giving season is still very much alive and well in the NBA.

Wizards center Thomas Bryant must have forgotten to get anything for the Orlando Magic during his holiday shopping, but thankfully it's never too late to right a wrong, as Bryant rectified the situation by gifting a bucket to the Magic during Saturday's game.

Orlando's Evan Fournier must have been on the Nice List this year. He was credited with the bucket as the closest player to the hoop when the ball went in. The Magic would win, 130-120, as Bryant shot 8-for-11 from the field with 19 points (21 if you count this ill-timed bucket).

Scoring on an opponent's basket happens occasionally, but I can't recall seeing a player ever dunk on the wrong hoop, let alone have it be a put-back jam as impressive as Bryant's. In his defense, the play occurred early in the third quarter, so the two teams had just switched ends of the court. Perhaps that's where the confusion really lies.

Bryant has come a long way in his still-young NBA career. He's progressed from a second-round pick who couldn't get minutes playing for a losing Lakers team in 2017-18 to a bona fide starting center for Washington who's averaged 11.6 points and 6.6 rebounds per game over the past two seasons. He'll have better days ahead, and one day he'll likely even laugh at his own miscue, but for now he'll have to endure the dubious honor feared by the rest of the NBA: an appearance on "Shaqtin' a Fool."