Jalen Hurd's Controversial Winning Basket Secures France's Victory Over Serbia

On August 23, 2026, France narrowly defeated Serbia 91-90 in a friendly basketball match, with Jalen Hurd of Maccabi Tel Aviv scoring the decisive buzzer-beater. Despite contributing only four points in the game, Hurd's final basket sparked widespread attention and debate across European sports media. The play occurred after Serbian star Nikola Jokic slowed down on defense, allowing Hurd to capitalize and clinch the win for France.

The winning shot quickly amassed millions of views on social media and was extensively analyzed. BeBasket praised Hurd for helping France "avenge" their loss to Serbia, describing the play as unusual and highlighting the high caliber of both teams. However, Serbian outlets criticized the basket as illegal due to a traveling violation that referees failed to call. Kurir labeled it a "basic mistake" by Hurd and noted a similar missed traveling call against Francisco earlier in the game.

Serbian commentators also faulted Jokic's slow defensive reaction during the final possession. Mundo Deportivo's Sergio Leivers and DAZN's Ivan Bass both described Serbia's defense as embarrassingly passive. Denver fan pages expressed surprise at the team's poor execution in the crucial final moments, pointing out Jokic's hesitation and the lack of a timeout. Meridian Serbia remarked that despite Serbia's comeback from a 19-point deficit, their defense in the last play was weak, allowing Hurd an easy winning basket.

The game has stirred significant discussion about officiating and defensive lapses, with many questioning the legitimacy of France's victory. The full game highlights have been widely shared online, fueling ongoing debate in European basketball circles.