Grant Williams misses critical three as Hornets fight for Play-In survival against Heat
Viral Clip Captures Questionable Late-Game Decision, But Game Isn’t Over Yet
The Charlotte Hornets are fighting for their postseason lives against the Miami Heat in the NBA’s SoFi Play-In Tournament. With the score 111-108 and under 35 seconds remaining, the Hornets ran a possession that ended with forward Grant Williams hoisting a contested three-pointer. He missed. The ball did not go in. And the internet erupted.
A 13-second clip posted by parody account @HaterReport captured the moment, showing Williams receiving the ball on the wing, elevating, and misfiring from deep. The post’s caption ā “Season on the line and that Hornets give the ball to GRANT WILLIAMS ššš” ā immediately went viral, drawing millions of views and a flood of criticism. But the game is not over. As of this writing, the Hornets still have a chance to extend the contest, though the viral moment has already become the defining image of Charlotte’s night.
For a franchise that hasn’t made the playoffs since 2016, every possession carries enormous weight. This one, fair or not, will be remembered regardless of the final outcome.
One Possession, One Miss, One Viral Moment
The clip, sourced from Prime Video’s broadcast, opens with a wide shot of the Spectrum Center floor. The scoreboard reads: 4th quarter, 35.7 seconds remaining, Heat 111, Hornets 108. Charlotte has the ball. Heat defenders apply full-court pressure. The Hornets work the perimeter, running screens and swinging the ball from side to side. With the clock ticking under 30 seconds, the ball finds Grant Williams on the left wing.
Williams, who entered the game off the bench, catches the ball with a Heat defender closing in. He elevates for a three-point attempt. The shot is contested. The ball arcs toward the rim and does not go through. The clip ends without showing a rebound or follow-up possession.
According to play-by-play data, Williams had already missed multiple three-pointers in the fourth quarter. His shooting struggles on the night ā 2-of-8 from the field, 1-of-5 from deep entering that possession ā made the decision to give him the ball in that spot even more puzzling to fans watching at home.
But the game continues. The Hornets are not eliminated yet. The final outcome will depend on what happens in the remaining seconds of overtime.
Social Media Piles On Before the Final Buzzer
Even with the game still in progress, the reactions on X came fast and furious. Within minutes of the clip being posted, thousands of users weighed in on Williams’ miss and the decision to involve him in the critical play.
“Grant Williams might need to be investigated,” one user wrote. “I just watched Grant Williams shoot a forced horrible shot get subbed out, then they bring him back in for Kon Knueppel and then he shoots a horrible 3. He’s clearly selling the Hornets.”
Another user noted the broader offensive struggles: “Hornets have attempted 51 3’sā¦ Lamelo and Knueppel a combined 2 of 21 and GRANT WILLIAMS is the one taking the shot on (likely) their last meaningful possession of the game. This feels real deer in the headlights for Charlotte.”
Several replies invoked Williams’ history against the Heat. “Deploying Grant Williams against the Heat like we didn’t all see that Heat Celtics series,” one user wrote. Another joked, “Grant Williams took the Heat moneyline cuz ain’t no fucking way his fat ass really shot that shit.”
Even verified NBA media accounts joined in. “The last time the Hornets took a two point shot attempt was a Grant Williams fadeaway with 3:45 left in the fourth quarter,” one posted. Another wrote, “If the Hornets win this game nobody will remember that with the season on the line they went to a Grant Williams contested 3.”
The reactions came before the final buzzer. That tells you everything about how the internet operates in the age of viral clips ā the moment matters more than the outcome.
Williams’ Night and the Bigger Picture
Grant Williams entered the Play-In game as a veteran presence, acquired midseason to provide floor spacing and playoff experience. He had started the game on the bench and logged just over 18 minutes before that critical possession. His shooting numbers on the night were poor, but he was not alone. The Hornets as a team attempted 51 three-pointers, with stars LaMelo Ball and Kon Knueppel combining for 2-of-21 from deep.
Head coach Charles Lee’s decision to have Williams on the floor for that possession will be debated regardless of the final score. Williams is not a primary scorer. He is a role player who thrives as a catch-and-shoot option when the defense collapses on stars. In this case, the defense did not collapse. The Heat contested the shot. Williams missed.
But the game is not over. The Hornets still have time. If Charlotte somehow pulls off a miracle and wins, the Williams miss will become a footnote. If they lose, it will be Exhibit A in the case against the team’s late-game execution.
The Parody Account That Captured the Moment
@HaterReport, known for humorous sports memes and lowlight reels, posted the 13-second clip in the early hours of April 15. The video shows the entire possession in real time: the inbound, the perimeter passing, the screen action, and finally Williams rising for the shot. No dramatic music. No overlaid text. Just the raw broadcast feed with the scoreboard clock ticking down.
The post’s caption did the rest. By naming Williams directly and adding crying-laughing emojis, @HaterReport framed the moment as absurd. Within an hour, the clip accumulated over a million views, with thousands of replies echoing the same sentiment: how did the ball end up in Grant Williams’ hands with the season on the line?
The parody account’s timing was precise. The game had not even ended, but the clip was already being shared as the definitive recap. For a moment that could have been forgotten if Charlotte rallied, @HaterReport ensured it would be remembered regardless.
Conclusion
The ball found Grant Williams with 28 seconds left, the Hornets down three, and the season hanging in the balance. He shot. He missed. The internet laughed. And a parody account’s 13-second clip went viral before the final buzzer even sounded. The game is still ongoing.
Charlotte still has a chance. But the moment ā that one possession, that one decision, that one miss ā has already been carved into Play-In history. Whether the Hornets survive or go home, Grant Williams’ contested three will be the image fans remember. Fair or not, that is the power of a viral clip. And @HaterReport knew it before anyone else.