‘First Shot’ to be introduced as a philanthropic tradition
The Rockets will introduce a “First Shot” before every home game, beginning with Saturday’s home opener, with a celebrity selected to take the night’s first shot and Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta making a charitable donation based on the accuracy of each night’s shooter.
Texans receiver DeAndre Hopkins, who played seven games with the Clemson basketball team, will be the first celebrity to participate, Fertitta said on Friday.
“I’ve always had a thing: Why should baseball have first pitch and we not have something for basketball,” Fertitta said. “Starting tomorrow night, we’re starting “First Shot.” It’s going to right after the anthem. They’ll come to the free-throw line and take the shot, one shot. If they make it, we’re going to give $5,000 to charity. If they miss it, we’re going to give $1,000. Tomorrow night, we’re starting it out with DeAndre Hopkins. It’ll be something fun that we’ll start a tradition.”
Fertitta said he came up with the idea since his purchase of the team in an effort to give to charities each game.
“That’s one of the reasons I wanted to do it,” Fertitta said. “They’re going to want to see who the person is. We’ll make a big deal of it up on the screen. We have a logo for it. We’ll have an autograph wall that everyone that does it will sign it. It’s something we’ll have fun with. It’s something for the fans.
“The day that you own it, you start thinking of stuff to kind of mix it up. I did not sit there in my seats watching the game and said, “One day if I own a team, I want to start this First Shot. My brain’s clicking.”