College basketball announcer Dick Vitale made a shocking announcement during the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Final Four championship game between the Connecticut Huskies and the San Diego State Aztecs. He revealed that he has been diagnosed with cancer in his lymph nodes for the fourth time. Vitale expressed his gratitude towards his family, friends, and colleagues at ESPN for their support and assured his fans that he will win this battle. He is scheduled to undergo surgery next week to begin his treatment.
Vitale, who celebrated his 85th birthday in June, has a long history of battling cancer. He was first diagnosed with melanoma in 2021, followed by lymphoma a few months later. In November 2021, Vitale emotionally returned to the broadcasting booth after his initial cancer treatments. However, he had to step away in January 2022 due to inflammation of his vocal cords. In July 2023, Vitale announced that he had been diagnosed with vocal cord cancer but successfully underwent radiation treatments before being declared cancer-free in November of that year.
Despite these health struggles, Vitale continues to provide color commentary for ESPN college basketball games. Since 1979, he has been a fixture in the world of college basketball broadcasting and is considered one of the sport’s most iconic voices. He was honored with induction into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2008 for his contributions to the game.