Bradenton Resident Misses His Shot At $1 Million

A Bradenton man came up just a few basketball bounces short of a million dollars Friday night.

James Windham, 51, was a finalist in the BB&T Million Dollar Bank Shot Challenge that took place at halftime of the Duke-Maryland college basketball game in Greensboro, N.C.

Windham — who was representing Wake Forest, a team he's "always had a fondness for" — had to make three consecutive bank shots from the 3-point line to win the $1 million prize.

All three shots bounced off the backboard and rim.

"All along, I had a good feeling on it," said Windham from Greensboro, site of this week's ACC Tournament. "I had already lived it in my mind."

It wasn't meant to be. But in addition to the all-expenses-paid trip out to watch the tournament with his wife, Bobbi Jean, Windham gets to take home a $2,500 prize. BB&T will also make a donation to the Wake Forest athletic department in Windham's name — even though the Bradenton native is a University of South Florida grad.

Windham said he decided to enter the contest after seeing a promo on TV during halftime of a game.

"I thought, 'Gee, wouldn't it be great to go to the ACC Championship?' " said Windham, who works as a commercial laundry equipment distributor.

Windham was one of 12 fans chosen to be flown out to Greensboro and represent each of the teams in the ACC. That field was narrowed down through a random drawing to two, Windham and Joseph Palumbo of Deltona, a Florida State fan.

Palumbo bricked all of his shots, too.

Windham never played competitively before but spends much of his time coaching his sons Hunter, 13, and Jackson, 11, in their hoops games at G.T. Bray park.

After learning he was a finalist, Windham said he put in some extra practice time with Brian Teal, the JV boys basketball coach at Southeast High.

"He told me, 'Don't redo your whole shot, just get it up there,' " Windham said. "As a coach, you don't spend a lot of time shooting."

Despite missing out on the cool million, Windham was in good spirits and said he's enjoyed some good basketball games and great treatment from BB&T.

"It's been four-star all the way," Windham said.