Lakers' Annual "Wish Night" Benefits Make-A-Wish Greater Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES, CA, January 13, 2017 – The Los Angeles Lakers will demonstrate their support of Make-A- Wish Greater Los Angeles on Friday, January 20th with a special “Wish Night” to benefit the chapter, which grants wishes to local children battling life-threatening medical conditions.

A highlight of the game will be the team’s “Dunk for Dollars,” with each dunk by a Lakers player resulting in a $1,000 donation to Make-A-Wish Greater Los Angeles from the Lakers Youth Foundation.

Continuing their long-standing commitment to granting wishes, the Lakers will also grant the wish of Alfonso, 17, from Central California, who is currently battling Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Alfonso’s wish to meet D’Angelo Russell will take place after the game, when he will spend some quality one-on- one time with his sports hero.

Also that night, the Lakers have donated 100 tickets to welcome volunteers from all parts of the city who give their time and energy to making the wishes happen. Make-A-Wish Greater Los Angeles volunteers and staff will have a booth on the Main Concourse to introduce Lakers fans to the chapter and its mission, including various ways to provide support, volunteer, refer a child or engage with the chapter’s many activities. During the game, the Jumbotron will spotlight the volunteers and showcase highlights of Lakers wish-granting moments from over the years.

“Our friendship with the Lakers grows deeper with every year, and we can’t thank them enough for their continued support,” said Neal Aton, President and CEO, Make-A-Wish Greater Los Angeles. “The Lakers players are true heroes to our wish kids, who look to them for inspiration and strength. They’re also heroes to our chapter, thanks to their ongoing support and generosity. We’re excited that our wish family, volunteers and staff are coming together on game night to show our Lakers pride and cheer them on – it will be a win-win for everyone.”

“Lakers Wish Night is one of our favorite evenings at STAPLES Center. It’s the night where we get to celebrate the Lakers ongoing partnership with Make-A-Wish Greater Los Angeles. From our past players to our current team, the Lakers have granted over 300 wishes for kids all over the world. We take pride in this tradition and look forward to granting many more wishes in the future,” said Alison Tolladay, Lakers Community Relations Manager.

Founded in 1983 and now in its 34th year, Make-A-Wish Greater Los Angeles has granted more than 9,300 wishes to children living in the communities throughout Los Angeles County. Annually in Los Angeles, the chapter grants about 350 wishes locally, and there are nearly twice as many more eligible children waiting their turn.

Make-A-Wish Greater Los Angeles is part of a national organization that grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. Make-A-Wish is one of the world's leading children's charities, serving children in every community in the United States and its territories. With the help of generous donors and more than 28,000 volunteers, Make-A-Wish grants a wish somewhere in the country every 35 minutes. It has granted more than 270,000 wishes in the U.S. since its inception in 1980.