Lakers make Jewish youth wish come true

Despite being in last place in the NBA’s Western Conference and on pace to eclipse last season’s franchise-record loss total of 61, the Lakers had a reason to smile Jan. 31, thanks to a surprise free-agent signing. 

Yitzi Teichman, 18, joined the team just months after undergoing surgery to remove a brain tumor, penning an honorary one-day contract. The high school student spent pregame meetings and warm-ups with Kobe Bryant and the other Lakers before sitting on the bench for the contest against the Charlotte Hornets — all thanks to a partnership with Make-A-Wish Greater Los Angeles. 

For the lifelong Lakers fan, who joked his first word was “Kobe,” hitting the court with the purple and gold was the thrill of a lifetime. 

“I’ve been watching Lakers games since I was a kid,” Teichman said when reached by phone. “I’ve watched the players walk in and out of that locker room so many times. To actually go in there was mind-blowing. Kobe was just sitting there. They put my locker right next to his.”

“He was just like part of the crew,” Bryant said in a story reported by NBA.com. “He just came in here, hung out, and sat next to me. He was here for the pregame, here for halftime and here postgame. He fit in very well.”

Teichman currently lives in Baltimore but is a Los Angeles native and former member of Shaarey Zedek Congregation in Valley Village who spent some time at Valley Torah High School. He was given the opportunity to sign a one-day contract, a ceremonial gesture normally reserved for ex-players, thanks to the Lakers’ strong ties to Make-A-Wish Greater Los Angeles.

“The Lakers are proud of our ongoing partnership with Make-A-Wish Greater Los Angeles. Our players and team are an integral part of making wishes come true for many wish recipients,” said Jason McDevitt, community relations director for the Lakers, in a statement regarding the team’s annual wish night. 

It was just months ago that Teichman was fighting for his life on an operating table. On the night of Jan. 31, his childhood wish of being a Laker came true, and his smile lit up Staples Center. 

“The Lakers played a major role in planning this wish, which was a collaborative effort with the Los Angeles and Mid-Atlantic Make-A-Wish chapters. Even though we’re doing the planning, it’s really the wish kid who makes the wish so special and such an incredible experience for everyone involved. In this instance, Yitzi had the best attitude dealing with one of the toughest battles a child can face. He went in there with a positive outlook, and the way he continues to deal with his medical condition inspires us to continue what we do here at Make-A-Wish,” a spokesman for Make-A-Wish Greater Los Angeles said in a statement. 

Teichman’s parents and six of his seven siblings were on hand to see the 18-year-old presented with his own Lakers jersey for the game with the No. 18, which in Hebrew is chai, or life. 

“It was really special to have the whole family there,” Teichman said. “We have a huge family and don’t travel together much. I actually didn’t see them a lot since I was with the players most of the time, but just knowing they were there, chilling and enjoying themselves was really cool. They’ve been through a lot, too.” 

Teichman’s cancer is in now in remission, and he has been accepted to the University of Maryland and Towson University for next year. 

But on this night, there were other highlights for Teichman, who despite suffering a loss with his new teammates (Hornets 101, Lakers 82), didn’t leave the arena empty handed. 

Bryant, who poured in 23 points and pulled down eight rebounds on the night, much to the delight of fans basking in his farewell tour, signed a pair of his own game-worn shoes with the message “dream epic.” Teichman talked trash playfully with reserve shooting guard Nick Young. And power forward Metta World Peace (formerly known as Ron Artest) gave the teen one of his game-worn shoes. Just one. 

“I don’t know what he’s going to do with the other one,” Teichman said.