It’s awesome, baby.
Dick Vitale received his first broadcasting assignment from ESPN this season, marking his return to the air for the first time since 2023. Vitale battled four types of cancer for more than three years and is only months removed from a 2024 surgery to address a lymph node in his neck diagnosed as cancer.
ESPN announced Friday that the Hall of Fame broadcaster is scheduled to be on the call of Duke at Wake Forest on Jan. 25 in Winston Salem, N.C. Vitale’s most recent game assignment was April 3, 2023, calling the international broadcast of the San Diego State vs. UConn national championship for ESPN.
Vitale announced on Jan. 8 that he was cancer-free, the most recent disclosure in the health battle he chose to make public through social media platforms.
“I am absolutely ecstatic and I can’t believe this is happening after going through five major vocal cord surgeries, 65 radiation treatments and chemotherapy for six months,” Vitale, 85, said. “It’s been a very tough journey, but all of the prayers and messages from the beautiful fans have inspired me. I just hope that I can offer the people some basketball insights that can bring even more excitement to the game.”
In 2021, Vitale was diagnosed with lymphoma, which followed multiple surgeries to remove melanoma. In 2022, he announced he was cancer-free. Then in 2023, he was diagnosed with vocal cord cancer and underwent radiation.
He announced he was cancer-free for the third time in November 2023.
Vitale joined ESPN during the 1979-80 season and called his first major college basketball game on Dec. 5, 1979. He has been the game analyst for more than 1,000 games and was inducted into the Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame in 2024.
“There is no better ambassador for the sport of college basketball than Dick Vitale,” said Jimmy Pitaro, the chairman of ESPN. “Even while navigating his own health challenges, Dick continued to look for ways to give back and help others, inspiring us all. Dick is one-of-a-kind and we can’t wait to have him back doing what he loves most on ESPN on January 25.”
–Field Level Media
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