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‘SportsCenter’ Anchor Receives Heartfelt Welcome in First Show Back Since Surgery

This was so wholesome.

Kristen Wong

Longtime 'SportsCenter' anchor Jay Harris received a warm welcome in his first show back since undergoing prostate cancer surgery.
Longtime 'SportsCenter' anchor Jay Harris received a warm welcome in his first show back since undergoing prostate cancer surgery. / Screengrab on Twitter/ @SportsCenter

Longtime SportsCenter anchor Jay Harris is back on the air.

On Saturday, the ESPN veteran made his first appearance on SportsCenter since undergoing surgery for prostate cancer last month, and he fittingly received a hero's welcome. Charles Barkley opened the show with a heartfelt video message for Harris, followed by fellow host Brian Custer, who shared a sweet dap with Harris at the SportsCenter desk.

Custer reportedly served a friend and resource to Harris throughout his battle with prostate cancer, having gone through the same experience over a decade ago.

Others in sports media including NBA reporter Marc J. Spears also sent warm welcomes to Harris and were elated to see him back in the chair Saturday afternoon.

"So glad to be back!! Appreciate all the well wishes!!!" Harris, 60, wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Thankfully, it looks like Harris's battle with cancer will have a happy ending.

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Kristen Wong
KRISTEN WONG

Kristen Wong is a staff writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. She has been a sports journalist since 2020. Before joining SI in November 2023, Wong covered four NFL teams as an associate editor with the FanSided NFL Network and worked as a staff writer for the brand’s flagship site. Outside of work, she has dreams of running her own sporty dive bar.

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