Delay in Dick Vitale's comeback to broadcasting due to accident
Just one day after revealing his highly anticipated return, legendary broadcaster Dick Vitale announced that he will have to postpone it due to a health issue unrelated to his previous battle with cancer.
In a statement released by ESPN, Vitale explained that he had an accident at his home in Florida which has resulted in new health challenges and physical limitations.
ESPN had initially announced that Vitale would be returning to the booth on January 25th for Duke's game against Wake Forest in Winston Salem, North Carolina. However, his last game assignment was back in April 2023 when he called the international broadcast of the San Diego State vs. UConn national championship for ESPN.
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"I am devastated that I won't be able to join my ESPN colleague Dave O'Brien, the players, and the fans courtside, especially after the overwhelming response to my planned return," Vitale said in his statement. "I was eagerly looking forward to experiencing the energy and excitement of college basketball once again after almost two years. Now, I will have to wait even longer."
No timeline has been given for Vitale's return and ESPN has not made any further comments on the matter.
The 85-year-old has been battling cancer for over three years, with four different types of cancer. He underwent surgery in 2024 to remove a cancerous lymph node in his neck.
Vitale had announced on January 8th that he was cancer-free, the latest update in his public battle with the disease on social media.
He was first diagnosed with lymphoma in 2021, followed by multiple surgeries to remove melanoma. In 2022, he announced that he was cancer-free, but was then diagnosed with vocal cord cancer in 2023 and underwent radiation treatment.
In November 2023, Vitale announced that he was cancer-free for the third time.
Vitale has been with ESPN since the 1979-80 season and has called over 1,000 major college basketball games. He was inducted into the Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame in 2024.
