Jimmy Butler makes teen's day as part of 'My Wish' series

Jimmy Butler visited with 16-year-old Ethan Whitney, who is being treated for B-cell Lymphoma, as part of ESPN's "My Wish" series. The segment will air Thursday on ESPN's 5 p.m. "SportsCenter."

July 17, 2018 at 4:29AM
Jimmy Butler and Ethan Whitney rocked out to "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" while the two were hanging out as part of ESPN's "My Wish" series.
Jimmy Butler and Ethan Whitney rocked out to "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" while the two were hanging out as part of ESPN's "My Wish" series. (Mike Nelson/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Jimmy Butler isn't a genie, but that doesn't mean he can't grant wishes.

The Timberwolves star will be part of ESPN's "My Wish" series this summer, and a story about his time with Ethan Whitney of Hortonville, Wis., will air on the 5 p.m. "SportsCenter."

Whitney, 16, is being treated for B-cell Lymphoma and spent time with the All-Star shooting hoops, playing paintball and dominoes and building robots.

The pair also rocked out to "The Devil Went Down to Georgia," as seen in an Instagram post by Butler.

"Take it away Ethan!" Butler says after he's finished rocking out.

Butler is Whitney's favorite player, stemming from the Marquette product's days with the Chicago Bulls, who were Whitney's favorite team before the Timberwolves stole his heart with Butler on board.

"I never thought in all my life that I'd be shooting baskets in L.A. with Jimmy Butler," Whitney says in a preview of the segment.

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This is at least the second wish that Butler has been involved with this year. Less than 24 hours after he tore his meniscus in February, he – crutches and all – met with 14-year-old Matthew Long from Seattle who has a rare condition where his body cannot produce enough red blood cells.

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