ESPN announces Hall of Famer Dick Vitale’s return to broadcasting after his final battle with cancer
One of the most prominent voices in college basketball is returning to the air after almost two years of absence. Dick Vitale’s last telecast for ESPN was on April 3, 2023.
Vitale was on call for the international broadcast of the men’s basketball national championship game that season in between UConn Huskies and the San Diego State Aztecs.
The Hall of Fame broadcaster is slated to continue his analyst duties when Duke goes against Wake Forest on Jan. 25 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The 85-year-old’s comeback comes after battling four different types of cancer over the course of 3 1/2 years.
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College basketball legend Dick Vitale before the SEC Tournament game between the Texas A&M Aggies and the Arkansas Razorbacks on March 11, 2022 at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida. (Peter Joneleit/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Vitale had his last medical procedure last summer after a biopsy of a lymph node in his neck showed cancer. Earlier this month, the legendary broadcaster declared that he is cancer free.
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In 2021, months after undergoing several surgeries to remove melanoma, Vitale was diagnosed with lymphoma. The following year, he announced that he was cancer free. In 2023, Vitale was diagnosed with vocal cord cancer and underwent radiation treatment.
Dick Vitale on the sideline during the Champions Classic men’s college basketball game between the Kentucky Wildcats and the Michigan State Spartans on Nov. 15, 2022, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. (Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
“I am absolutely ecstatic and can’t believe this is happening after six months of going through five major vocal cord surgeries, 65 radiation treatments and chemotherapy,” Vitale said in a statement.
“It’s been a very difficult journey, but all the prayers and messages from the beautiful fans have inspired me. I can’t thank Jimmy Pitar and all my colleagues at ESPN who I consider my second family enough for the love they’ve shown me during such a difficult time. I hope I can offer people some basketball insights that can bring even more excitement to the game.”
ESPN analyst Dick Vitale is famous for returning to Allen Fieldhouse. (Ed Zurga/Getty Images)
Pitaro, the president of ESPN, said Vitale is “one of a kind.”
“There is no better ambassador for college basketball than Dick Vitale. Even as he dealt with his health challenges, Dick continued to find ways to give back and help others, inspiring us all,” Pitaro said in a statement. “Dick is one of a kind and we can’t wait for him to get back to doing what he loves most on ESPN on January 25th.”
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He has been with ESPN for more than four decades, joining the network during the 1979-1980 basketball season. Since then, he has called more than 1,000 games.
Vitale was inducted into the Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame in September.
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