Beloved college basketball announcer Dick Vitale announces the return of his cancer, marking his fourth battle with the disease. The sports world rallies behind him as he prepares for surgery.
Bollywood Fever: Beloved college basketball announcer and retired coach Dick Vitale has revealed that his cancer has returned. “My report on the Biopsy of the Lymph Node in my neck has arrived & it is cancerous,” the 85-year-old Vitale wrote on X. “With all the [prayer emojis] I have received & the loving support of my family, friends & @espn colleagues I will win this battle.”
Vitale added: “[Prayer emojis] surgery on Tues. will be a success. Thanks for All the prayers.”
This marks Vitale’s fourth battle with cancer over the past three years. In August 2021, he was treated for melanoma, and by October of that year, he was diagnosed with lymphoma. In August 2022, he declared he was “cancer free,” only to be diagnosed with vocal cord cancer in July 2023. By December, after six weeks of radiation, he once again announced he was cancer free.
The response to Vitale’s announcement has been overwhelming, with support pouring in from across the sports world. “We love you, Dickie V.” wrote ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt. Another ESPN veteran, Rece Davis, added: “Prayers for you Dickie V.” The San Diego Padres’ social media account also posted: “You’re a legend, Dick. Sports world is rooting for you.”
A former head coach at the University of Detroit from 1973 to 1977, Vitale went on to coach the NBA’s Pistons for two seasons before joining ESPN shortly after the network’s launch in 1979. Since then, he has become synonymous with college basketball, coining terms like “diaper dandy” (a good freshman player) and “PTPer” (prime-time player) while helping to popularize the sport nationwide.
In 2008, Vitale was inducted into both the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the NCAA Basketball Hall of Fame. Beyond his contributions to basketball, Vitale has raised significant funds for cancer research through The V Foundation, named for his friend and former North Carolina State coach Jim Valvano, who died from the disease in 1993.
As Vitale prepares for surgery, the sports community and fans around the world continue to rally behind him, offering prayers and support for a successful recovery.
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