The moment college basketball fans have eagerly been awaiting for four years has finally transpired. Grayson Allen and his doppelganger, Sen. Ted Cruz, met in person in the name of basketball.
Cruz picked up Allen as a stand-in ahead of his one-on-one showdown with late-night host Jimmy Kimmel, and he doubled as a good luck charm. Cruz won the match 11-9 on Saturday, and while highlights of the event won't be aired on TV until Monday night on "Jimmy Kimmel Live," we have this glorious photo to show for it:
Picking up my stand in… are you ready, @jimmykimmel? #KimmelvsCruz #CruzToVictory pic.twitter.com/z8LGoM0ljV
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) June 16, 2018
So how in the world did Allen and Cruz finally meet up, and more importantly, why is a U.S. senator going toe-to-toe with a late night host on the hardwood?
It all started when Kimmel compared Cruz to a "blobfish" after seeing him in Game 7 of the Western Conference finals, which led Cruz to challenge him in a game of one-on-one in an event that, fittingly, was labeled "The Blobfish Basketball Classic."
#KimmelvsCruz is going down TONIGHT in Houston! Be sure to watch the #BlobfishBasketballClassic on #Kimmel MONDAY at 11:35|10:35c on ABC! #Cruzin4aLosin pic.twitter.com/y6WGwjPGPS
— Jimmy Kimmel Live (@JimmyKimmelLive) June 16, 2018
The event was more than just for fun, but also for charity. Kimmel played for the Texas Children's Hospital and Cruz played for Generation One -- an early-childhood education group.
Though Cruz took home the W over Kimmel and $5,000 for his charity, the late-night host didn't pause his trash talk. Here's to hoping we get a rematch for another great cause soon.
.@JimmyKimmel to @TedCruz, post-game: “You’re a good sport. I still think you’re a terrible senator.”
— Patrick Svitek (@PatrickSvitek) June 17, 2018