Dick Vitale says he’s cancer-free once again

Field Level Media|published: Thu 12th December, 19:12 2024

NCAA Basketball: East Texas A&M at Texas A&M

Nov 8, 2024; College Station, Texas, USA; A detailed view of an official game ball with the NCAA logo prior to the game between the Texas A&M Aggies and the East Texas A&M Lions at Reed Arena. The Aggies defeated the Lions 87-55. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

Longtime ESPN college basketball broadcaster Dick Vitale announced Thursday he is cancer-free after his fourth diagnosis in four years.

Vitale, 85, revealed in June that he needed surgery to address lymph node cancer, just six months after beating his previous cancer diagnosis.

"SANTA CLAUS came early as Dr Rick Brown called & said that my PET SCAN at 7 AM came back CLEAN OF CANCER!" Vitale posted on X.

SANTA CLAUS came early as Dr Rick Brown called & said that my PET SCAN at 7 AM came back CLEAN OF CANCER ! OMG thanks so much to ALL of YOU for your ??????Yes I'm cutting the nets down baby it's my National Championship! @TheMontagGroup @jksports @TheVCEO @ESPNPR @ @WSB_Speakers pic.twitter.com/XGa1bJ8pzu
— Dick Vitale (@DickieV) December 12, 2024

A beloved figure in the sport, Vitale has not worked a college basketball broadcast since 2022.

He was diagnosed with both melanoma and lymphoma in 2021. After announcing he was cancer-free in 2022, he was diagnosed with laryngeal (vocal cord) cancer in 2023. He said in December of last year that he was given a clean bill of health.

A former head coach for Detroit Mercy and the NBA's Detroit Pistons, Vitale called ESPN's first college basketball broadcast in the company's first year of existence in 1979.

--Field Level Media