Dick Vitale, College Basketball's Voice, Diagnosed With Melanoma and Ready for Round Five
ESPN Hall of Fame broadcaster Dick Vitale just announced he's facing melanoma in his lung and liver cavity. And yeah, he's already plotting his comeback.
The 86-year-old legend, who has been the face of men's college basketball for decades, is starting immunotherapy soon. But if you know Vitale, you know he doesn't do surrender. He's beaten four different types of cancer in recent years, and he's making it crystal clear this fifth battle is just another fight he plans to win.
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Vitale has been through hell. Melanoma. Lymphoma. Vocal cord cancer. Lymph node cancer. Most recently, he had surgery in the summer of 2024 after a biopsy of a lymph node in his neck showed cancer. But listen to how he's framing this next chapter: "I've beaten melanoma. I've beaten lymphoma. I've beaten vocal cord cancer. I've beaten lymph node cancer. I'm four-for-four and I'm fully confident I'm going to make it five-for-five."
That's not bravado. That's a guy who's stared down adversity four times already and refuses to back down.
Back Broadcasting, Now Facing Another Round
Vitale spent nearly two years away from the broadcast booth dealing with his health. He returned to ESPN in February last year after announcing he was cancer-free, and just wrapped up his 46th year covering college basketball for the network. He joined ESPN during the 1979-80 season, right after the network launched, and called ESPN's first major NCAA basketball game on December 5, 1979. Since then, he's called well over 1,000 games.
In September 2024, he was inducted into the Broadcasting+Cable Hall of Fame. Now, even as he faces this new diagnosis, Vitale says he feels fantastic and is leaning hard on the support around him.
All-In, All the Way
"I am truly overwhelmed by the love, support, prayers and messages I've received," Vitale said. He's quick to credit his family and ESPN, especially Chairman Jimmy Pitaro, for their backing. "Their support has inspired me to keep fighting and I will do everything in my power to win another battle."
That's Dick Vitale. Four wins, one more on the horizon, and absolutely no quit in him.
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