Rumors

Six-time NBA champion Michael Jordan is celebrating his 60th birthday on Friday by making a $10 million donation to Make-A-Wish. It is the largest donation ever received from an individual in the organization's 43-year history. Jordan's hope is that his decision to celebrate his birthday by donating to Make-A-Wish will inspire others to help fulfill the wishes of the kids still waiting for their wishes to come true. "For the past 34 years, it's been an honor to partner with Make-A-Wish and help bring a smile and happiness to so many kids," Jordan said in a news release. "Witnessing their strength and resilience during such a tough time in their lives has truly been an inspiration."

ESPN

Michael Jordan is celebrating a huge life milestone by making the largest contribution in Make-A-Wish Foundation history. The Charlotte Hornets owner announced Wednesday he has donated $10 million to the charitable foundation in honor of his 60th birthday, which is Friday. Jordan’s financial gift represents the biggest contribution Make-A-Wish has received in its 43 years.

Charlotte Observer

Jordan has been involved with Make-A-Wish for more than three decades, a partnership that dates back to him granting his first wish in 1989 while with the Chicago Bulls. He was named an ambassador for the organization in 2008.

Charlotte Observer

Brad Townsend: Mavs star @luka7doncic met with 16-year-old Callum of Frisco before tonight’s game. Meeting Doncic was part of Callum’s Mavs VIP request through the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Twitter

The Denver Nuggets partnered with the Make-A-Wish Foundation to welcome 16-year-old Levi Lips to the broadcast Thursday night, creating an unforgettable experience during their game against the Phoenix Suns. Prior to the matchup, Levi announced the starting lineups in front of a crowd of 19,500 and was featured on Altitude TV’s pregame show. Then, in the second quarter, Levi got behind the mic to provide play-by-play on the television broadcast.

Awful Announcing

Knicks executive Allan Houston recorded a shooting video for kids via NBA Cares and the Knicks’ website. In addition, rookie Ignas Brazdeikis recorded readings of children’s books for the Garden of Dreams Foundation. And Frank Ntilikina recorded a video for the Garden’s Make a Wish Foundation.

New York Post

2K Games has added a 15-year-old Make-A-Wish recipient as a playable athlete in NBA 2K20, making him the first non-NBA athlete in the series’s history (via Engadget).

The Verge

For more than a year, 15-year old Dimitris Zamanis passed the hours in the hospital in his home country of Greece watching NBA games, especially the Milwaukee Bucks and his national hero, Giannis Antetokounmpo. The toll from aplastic anemia, a condition where the body stops producing enough red blood cells, left Zamanis tired and even took him away from playing the game of basketball that he loves so much. But on Tuesday afternoon, Zamanis was in Milwaukee, sinking his own shots right next to the Greek Freak himself. The once-in-a-lifetime alliance was provided by Make-A-Wish Wisconsin, which teamed up with the Bucks to fly Zamanis, his brother and his mother, Haroula, from their home in Trikala, Greece, to Milwaukee to meet Antetokounmpo and see him play in person. And Giannis was the gracious and charming host.

Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel

Heritage Auctions isn't totally explicit about how it acquired the sneakers, saying that they are from a private collector based in California who plans to donate a portion of the proceeds from their sale to the Make-A-Wish foundation.

Sole Collector

Mamadou Diallo came from the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn, New York, to meet his favorite NBA player, James Harden. Diallo visited the Houston Rockets point guard on Monday after spending the weekend in Houston as part of the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Diallo, 18, who is a freshman at a community college in Brooklyn, has been fighting sickle cell anemia since he was born.

ESPN

The Bulls said Trey, who attends Central Catholic High School in Portland, Oregon, bounced back from his liver transplant three months faster than expected, earning him the nickname “The Rockstar” from his doctors at Stanford University. Now, nearly 18 months after his surgery, Trey is able to work out again and will join the Bulls on a one-day contract, thanks to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. “As outlined in his contract, Trey’s other responsibilities include watching pre-game shootarounds, touring the Advocate Center and team locker room, meeting and periodically high-fiving his teammates upon reasonable request,” the Bulls said.

CBS Chicago

Yitzi Teichman, a lifelong Lakers fan who is battling brain cancer, was signed to a one-day contract through the efforts of the Make-A-Wish foundation. General Manager Mitch Kupchak presented Teichman, who grew up in North Hollywood but now resides in Baltimore, with a contract and No. 18 Lakers jersey. Afterward, Teichman attended a team meeting and sat on the bench during the Lakers’ loss to Charlotte. He also got to meet Kobe Bryant before the game. “Thank you for signing me and for taking a risk,” said the good-humored 18-year-old. “It’s an honor to be here, now let’s go win a championship.”

Orange County Register

Earlier this week, the Make-a-Wish foundation decided to deny a young girl’s wish. Kevin Durant decided to make that wish come true. 17-year old girl named Brooke Wolcott wished to get Oklahoma City’s Kevin Durant to design a shoe for Cystic Fibrosis Awareness. The Make-a-Wish foundation said no. Brooke’s caregiver, Cami Smith took to facebook to see if she could crowd source the chances that Durant would see a post or someone would let him know. Well, just two days later Durant took to Facebook and showed why he is probably the greatest person ever.

Thunder Obsessed

A 9-year-old boy from rural Arkansas who is suffering from a brain tumor will fly here this week to shoot some hoops with his idol, LeBron James. Brenten Cox, from Ravenden Springs, Ark., a town of 118 people in the Ozark Mountains, was diagnosed with a tumor on his brain stem on June 2, according to local reports. Cox will reportedly hang out with the Cavaliers superstar James on Tuesday, thanks to the Make-A-Wish and LeBron James Family foundations.

Cleveland Plain Dealer