Topline
Veteran ESPN college basketball broadcaster Dick Vitale was diagnosed with lymphoma and will undergo chemotherapy and steroid treatments, he announced in a blog post Monday.
Sportscaster Dick Vitale announced Monday that he has cancer. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
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Key Facts
Vitale, 82, is known for his brash broadcasting style, and joined ESPN in 1979 shortly after the network’s inception, coaching the NBA’s Detroit Pistons briefly before moving into broadcasting.
The legendary college basketball figure overcame melanoma earlier this year, though Vitale wrote that doctors believe the two cancers are unrelated.
Vitale plans to continue to call games during his treatment, he shared in the post.
The 2021-22 college basketball season, which begins next month, will be his 43rd season calling games for ESPN.
Crucial Quote
Vitale wrote regarding his diagnosis, “The medical experts tell me it has a 90-percent cure rate. They say I can continue to work so I will have to manage my work schedule around my chemo schedule as they will monitor my test results along the way.”
Key Background
Vitale has long been an advocate for cancer awareness and research, serving on the board of directors for The V Foundation for Cancer Research. The V Foundation is named in honor of Jim Valvano, Vitale’s close friend and fellow basketball coach turned ESPN announcer, who died from cancer in 1993. Vitale hosts the Dick Vitale Gala for the foundation annually, raising $35 million in donations since 2006.
