Local man gets a shot

Charley Thomas. Photo by Sue Anderson

Sisters resident Charley Thomas has learned the easy way how it feels to get $50,000 -- at center court at the Sunday, February 9, NBA All Star game.

Thomas had been pretty depressed after the new year.

"My peer group has passed me by," he said, "and here I am struggling hand-to-mouth. I have a degree in Business Marketing and I can't pay my bills; 2002 wasn't a productive year for me."

Then one day at work, Charley saw an ad in USA Today about taking a half court shot during half time at the NBA All Star Basketball game and getting $1 million.

He filled out the simple entry form and sent it in. Much to his surprise -- since he can't remember ever entering a contest before -- he won. He was contacted February 1 by a representative of Phillips Electronics, the sponsors of the All Star Game half-time contest in Atlanta, Georgia.

He was told that he was going to be sent to the game to try for the big money.

When Charley was told to be at the airport Thursday morning, February 6, and that he could bring one other person, he called his brother in Woodbum and said, "You're going to Atlanta."

Met at the airport with a limousine and $500 cash each for walking money, Charley and his brother were also given tickets to the All Star Basketball games. The contest sponsors put them up at the Omni Hotel which is part of the same complex as the Phillips Basketball Arena.

At half-time during the Sunday afternoon game, Charley and the other contestant, David from Boston, participated in the contest. Charlie, the "West Team" and David, the "East Team" were each represented by two professional players who shot five baskets each.

The West Team won, so Charlie automatically won $50,000. Then he had to decide whether to make a free throw basket for an additional $50,000, a basket from the three-point line for $100,000, or a basket from half court for $1 million .

"I did make one half court shot in practice," Charley said. "I did it granny style -- underhanded."

Charley said he wasn't nervous, but he didn't feel prepared for the half court shot.

"I was thinking that I really don't have a skill at this. I was as likely to miss the free throw as I was the half-court."

Charley took a risk. He tried the half-court shot.

"I did it overhand," he said, "and I just wasn't strong enough. The ball was going in the right direction, and it was way short, but I figured I was way ahead of the game financially.

"When I came back home on Monday," Charley said, "I was concerned. It would be nice if I could reconstruct my life. I needed help and for whatever reason, this happened. I have been on the receiving end a lot and so what I need to do is be a giver."