When self-described Utah Jazz fanatic Cory Herzog sent out a plea for help on social media, he got a response from an unlikely source.
Herzog’s daughter wanted to take him to a Jazz game for his birthday but was struggling to find affordable tickets, so Herzog turned to X, formerly known as Twitter, to see if any fans were selling their tickets or knew of any ticket deals.
He even tagged Jazz owner Ryan Smith in a follow-up tweet, asking if his tickets for Saturday’s game against the Portland Trail Blazers were available.
Eventually, Herzog got an unexpected response. Jazz star Lauri Markkanen stepped in to save the day.
“I got you,” he said to Herzog in a quote tweet.
As a longtime Jazz fan, Herzog couldn’t believe it.
“I can’t believe this. Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you (Lauri Markkanen). I have been a Jazz fan for over 35 years and this is the coolest thing to ever happen to me as a Jazz fan. This means so much to me and my daughter,” he wrote.
Markkanen hasn’t left Herzog or his daughter hanging. The Jazz fan has been in touch with the Jazz star ahead of Saturday’s game.
“I’ve had the opportunity to communicate with Lauri Markkanen the last few days and he is everything you’d hope he would be. He is beyond generous, kind and someone who wants to deliver for Jazz Nation. Thank you (Lauri Markkanen) for an unforgettable experience. See ya Saturday,” Herzog wrote.
This isn’t the first time Markkanen has helped a fan get tickets to a game before. X user JazzNationNews said the Utah All-Star gave him tickets to this year’s All-Star game held in Salt Lake City.
“He hooked me up with tickets to All-Star game here in SLC,” JazzNationNews wrote. “Once in a lifetime type thing. So awesome. Markkanen is a great guy and love having him on our team.”