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SportsCenter "My Wish" Series Shows Youth Meeting Shaq

Posted June 30, 2008

PHOENIX, June 25, 2008 – Phoenix Suns center Shaquille O'Neal made a child's wish come true when he met with Alexander Williams, a 9-year-old boy from Mobile, Ala., that has acute lymphocytic leukemia. Williams is one of five kids from the Make-A-Wish Foundation whose unique sports-related wishes will be chronicled in the ESPN SportsCenter "My Wish" series starting Sunday, June 29.

O'Neal, who is the boy's favorite NBA player, helped Williams' dream of dunking on "The Diesel" come true in an episode that debuts in Thursday, July 3. Williams' wish, along with the four other wish experiences, will be the subject of SportsCenter feature segments airing June 29-July 3.

Each story and wish experience, will generally premiere each day on the 6 p.m. ET edition of SportsCenter. ESPN Deportes’ SportsCenter will present special Spanish-language editions of the series on Sunday, June 29, and Sunday, July 6.

The series, a collaborative effort between the Make-A-Wish Foundation, ESPN and Disney, will feature prominent sport figures – O’Neal, Cleveland Indians Baseball Team, Ben Roethlisberger, MLS and Mexican soccer star Cuauhtémoc Blanco, and former Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Smarty Jones. Emmy Award-winning reporter Chris Connelly is the “My Wish” reporter.

Since 2006, “My Wish” has offered an unprecedented, behind-the-scenes look at the wish-granting experience and featured wish children participating in sports-related activities with athletes such as: Major League Baseball’s Derek Jeter, David Ortiz and Todd Helton, the NBA’s Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade, figure skating star Michelle Kwan, NASCAR drivers Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon, and the NFL’s Tedy Bruschi, Drew Brees and Donovan McNabb.

KEY HIGHLIGHTS FROM EACH WISH