Basketball-Retired Yankees slugger Rodriguez wins student $10,000 with half-court shot

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NEW YORK (Reuters) – Retired New York Yankees great Alex Rodriguez sunk a half-court shot during halftime at a Bucknell University basketball game on Sunday, winning a lucky student $10,000 in the process, the school said on social media.

The fourteen-times All-Star was known for hitting monster home runs out of the park in his career but became the hero at the 4,000-capacity Sojka Pavilion with a perfectly placed heave that went in off the backboard.

The 49-year-old immediately embraced the student winner, identified only as Owen, as the crowd went wild with celebration in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, in a video posted by the school’s social media.

“I’m here with my guy Owen, he’s from Philly, but we’ve converted him from a Philly to a Yankee fan. We got him $10,000,” said Rodriguez.

While it was not immediately clear how the student was selected for the prize, half-court contest winners are almost always chosen at random in North American sports.

The student said he would use the money to help his parents pay for his school tuition.

“Parents, you’re welcome,” Rodriguez added.

Bucknell went on to beat Army 84-53.

(Reporting by Amy Tennery in New York; Editing by Jamie Freed)