ESPN Celebrates 20 Years of "My Wish" with Five New Make-A-Wish Features

ESPN’s My Wish series is returning for its 20th anniversary of making sports-themed wishes come true for children with critical illnesses.

What's Happening:

• ESPN’s award-winning My Wish series returns for its 20th anniversary on Sunday, July 19, continuing its partnership with Make-A-Wish that has granted nearly 100 sports-themed wishes for children with critical illnesses since 2006.
• This year’s five wish stories will feature A’ja Wilson, Scottie Scheffler, Seth Rollins, Fernando Tatis Jr., and the Tennessee Volunteers football team, each helping make a wish come true for a child from across the country.
• The first feature will air during the 8:00 a.m. ET hour of SportsCenter on July 19, with additional wish stories debuting each morning from July 20-23 and a "Best of My Wish" recap airing on July 25.
• In addition to SportsCenter, the segments will be available on ESPN’s YouTube channel, with extra content shared across ESPN’s social media platforms.
• To celebrate the milestone season, ESPN is introducing a new animation package for the series, launching an updated ESPN.com My Wish hub, and once again featuring Rascal Flatts’ "My Wish" as the series’ signature song.

What They're Saying:

• Chris Connelly, host: “Now more than ever, the courage of these children and the love and resourcefulness of their families remain inspiring. Thanks to ESPN and our friends at Make-A-Wish, this year’s wishes go a long way to restore so much of the joy and exuberance that critical illness takes away.”    

The 2026 ESPN My Wish series on SportsCenter segments include:

• Sunday, July 19, 8 a.m. ET – Four-time WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces met Khloe, a basketball-loving Louisiana teen who underwent a liver and kidney transplant. Alongside Wilson, Khloe got to experience what it’s like to be a professional basketball player.  
• Monday, July 20, 7 a.m. ET – 20-time PGA TOUR winner and World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler spent time with Caleb a 12-year-old from Virginia who took up golf after several childhood open heart surgeries made playing team sports difficult. 
• Tuesday, July 21, 7 a.m. ET – WWE superstar Seth Rollins met his match in “Ledger the Great,” a Mississippi native diagnosed with leukemia at just three years old. Rollins surprised Ledger with a WWE-inspired wish day. 
• Wednesday, July 22, 7 a.m. ET – Victoria, a baseball fan from New Mexico born with a neurological condition and having faced significant medical challenges and numerous operations throughout her life, including a kidney transplant, spent a memorable day with her favorite player Fernando Tatis, Jr. and the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. 
• Thursday, July 23, 7 a.m. ET – Amid undergoing a life-saving kidney transplant, Tennessee teen Bailey found joy watching Tennessee Volunteers games. For her wish, Bailey got a full game day experience with the Vols and head coach Josh Heupel. 

More ESPN News:

• After more than 15 years with the network, Adam Schefter is set to continue leading ESPN's NFL reporting following a new multi-year deal.
• We're learning details of musical performances, presenters, attendees, and more for The 2026 ESPYS.
• ESPN Jeopardy!, the ultimate match-up between sports and the world’s leading quiz show, is coming to Disney's streaming platforms later this month.
• ESPN is ready to debut a six-part series following three of the WNBA's biggest stars in the new Life In The W.