A fan holds a sign for Katie Ledecky as she receives her medal in the 1500-meter freestyle final Wednesday, June 19, 2024, during the fifth day of competition for the U.S. Olympic Team Swimming Trials at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Credit: Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK

ESPN’s My Wish series, a favorite segment on SportsCenter, returns for its 17th year this coming Sunday, July 14.

The network announced the news in a press release on Wednesday, also revealing appearances by some of the biggest names in sports.

“The award-winning ESPN ‘My Wish’ series returns for its 17th season on Sunday, July 14, and will feature stars from the Olympics, NFL, MLB and NCAA,” reads the release. “Since its beginning in 2006, the series has worked with Make-A-Wish to fulfill 83 sports-themed wishes for children with critical illnesses.”

2024’s edition of the series will feature Tua Tagovailoa of the Miami Dolphins, Freddie Freeman of the Los Angeles Dodgers, seven-time Olympic gold medalist Katie Ledecky, as well as appearances by the San Francisco 49ers and Duke men’s basketball.

ESPN also announced that longtime host Chris Connelly will return for the series.

The series will run for five nights between July 14 and 18. It debuts with the 49ers on Sunday night. San Francisco will roll out the red carpet—literally—to welcome Levi, a two-year-old Kentucky native who is battling cancer but is currently in remission. Ledecky’s segment will air on Monday, with Duke’s coming on Tuesday. That leaves Tagovailoa and Freeman to be featured next Wednesday and Thursday, respectively.

Even as SportsCenter evolves, it’s fantastic that the beloved My Wish series remains a staple on ESPN and has for nearly two decades. These heartwarming stories consistently deliver a powerful emotional punch, reminding us of the enduring power of sports to uplift and inspire.

[ESPN PR]

About Sam Neumann

Since the beginning of 2023, Sam has been a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. A 2021 graduate of Temple University, Sam is a Charlotte native, who currently calls Greenville, South Carolina his home. He also has a love/hate relationship with the New York Mets and Jets.