New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson inbounded the ball to Karl-Anthony Towns before receiving it back and firing a 3-pointer that clanked the bottom right side of the backboard.
The miss secured the Detroit Pistons' Game 2 win in their 2025 Eastern Conference first-round playoff series -- their first postseason victory since 2008.
Nearly 7,000 miles away, Tom Hur sat in Seoul, South Korea, placed his phone in front of him and began recording as the game wound down. Wearing a custom Pistons jersey, he screeched: "Let's go" once the buzzer sounded.
What came next surprised even Hur. He began crying.
"I got so emotional because a lot of the memories came back. All of the suffering and all of the teasing that my friends gave me," Hur told ESPN in a phone interview. "It kind of felt like I was being rewarded and recognized for being a fan of the Pistons, for being a loyal fan of the Pistons. ... Kind of emotions that only sports can give to a person."
The reaction went viral, with over 3 million views on X. Hur's coworkers at the bank he works at even noticed it, asking him: "This is you?" The Pistons commented "WE DID IT" on the post, while Pistons legend and two-time NBA champion Isiah Thomas shared it on his Instagram story.
In in tears man. DETROIT BASKETBALL!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/P1wqK8yen1
— Tom Hur (@KoreaPistonsFan) April 22, 2025
That moment solidified what Hur has written in his social media bios: "#1 Detroit Pistons Fan from South Korea." Though games often begin around 9 a.m. local time, he has perfected what many international NBA fans struggle with: remaining connected with a team thousands of miles and multiple time zones away.
His passion for the city of Detroit and the team has prompted memorable interactions with the franchise. After his 2023 visit to Detroit, the Pistons -- who play the Boston Celtics on Wednesday (5 p.m. ET on ESPN) -- sent him a signed Cade Cunningham poster and jersey of the star guard. For world basketball day, Hur received a custom jersey from the team with the South Korean national flag and his name embedded on the back.
Growing up, Hur would ask his parents to record games so he could watch when he came home from school. These days he begins work at 10 a.m. local time, so his routine is a bit different.
"I get to finish a lot of the first half and I go on 'bathroom breaks' at times, especially during clutch time ..." he said, laughing. "Then I'm in a lot of group chats and on Twitter and Instagram. So I do know exactly what's happening in the moment even if I don't get to watch it in real time."
Hur acknowledged that his journey to becoming a Pistons fan is "a very weird story." While playing NBA Live in the mid-2000s, one of his friends chose the Los Angeles Lakers and recommended that Hur pick Detroit to ensure a fair matchup.
His fandom took a leap in 2010, when his favorite player, Tracy McGrady, signed with the Pistons for the season. That's when Hur decided that "this is going to be my team forever."
Hur said he knows of other South Korean fans who began following the Pistons during the "Bad Boys" era in the late '80s and early '90s, or during the Grant Hill days in the mid-to-late '90s. From his observations, he thinks South Korean fans tend to follow teams in bigger markets or teams with the best records.
"The Pistons were neither of those, so we don't have a huge influx of young fans. But now we're getting some fans," Hur said. "I'm getting some messages from other Korean NBA fans that are like, 'Hey, should I become a Pistons fan?' And that's the kind of message I love."
Hur joined X in September 2021 and has become an active member of the Pistons' online community. He posts frequently during games and shares videos of himself shouting, "Deeeeetroit basketball!" Even Isaiah Stewart's account followed him back.
He traveled to Detroit for three days in November 2023 to watch the Pistons in person, coinciding with their NBA record 28-game losing streak. Being in Detroit with a friend for only three nights meant he wasn't "really able to feel the city," Hur said. In May, he decided to plan a second trip, this time by himself, for about eight days so nothing could hold him back from exploring Detroit, including its food scene. He posted on X asking for recommendations for the best Detroit pizza places and received hundreds of comments.
After landing at 10 p.m. ET on Oct. 24, he went to Sweetwater Tavern, a popular local restaurant. He ate at Harry's Detroit Bar & Grill before -- and after -- the Pistons' home opener. Detroit-style pizza, of course, was a common theme.
He said he gained about 11 pounds in 10 days.
"I ate a lot. And I ate even more than I usually eat because I got hundreds of recommendations of restaurants," Hur said. "So I was only there for a few days; I really wanted to try out something."
He also took a helicopter ride and posted a video of him screaming, "Detroit Basketball!" with Little Caesar's Arena in the background. The Pistons appropriately commented: "DEEETROIT BASKETBALL."
Shouting #DetroitBasketball over LCA. Yes, you read that right! pic.twitter.com/Y1OsUJ7AyF
— Tom Hur (@KoreaPistonsFan) October 25, 2025
Before the home opener, owner Tom Gores surprised Hur with a shopping spree at the team store after he had heard about Hur's story, the Pistons told ESPN.
Hur secured items such as a T-shirt that read, "I was a Pistons fan before it was cool" and a Ron Holland II jersey.
"I'm really excited. That's pretty amazing. I think it's incredible that he's following us the way he does, and once we found out about it, we wanted to make sure we took care of him," Gores said during a pregame news conference. "He's all-in with the Pistons. I think what is exciting as well as what's happening with Detroit, our franchise, with the Pistons, in the vibe that's happening. It's exciting for Detroit."
Players and team personnel noticed Hur, too. Cunningham recognized him while Stewart posed for a photo with him. Trajan Langdon, president of basketball operations, also met him.
The trip brought new recognition for Hur as his follower count jumped from approximately 6,000 to just under 20,000 on X. Detroit rapper Big Sean commented, "My guy!" on one of his posts. Hur's family even asked him whether he was going to move to Detroit. He told them: "If I could find a way. I really might," worrying his mother.
Hur's fandom has captivated the city. He went to a Red Wings game. The Lions invited him to a game. A police officer even asked him for a selfie. The South Korean attributed the increased attention to something simple.
"They know that my love for the Pistons and Detroit is genuine. It's not fake at all," he said. "They know it's sincere because I was a fan for such a long time."
He just needed one playoff win to show it.