Dick Vitale Announces He's Cleared to Return to Work After Lymphoma Treatment
July 15, 2022
Legendary college basketball announcer Dick Vitale shared a diagnosis from his doctor Friday that paves the way for him to appear and speak at the ESPYs on Wednesday.
Vitale's doctor gave a positive update after Vitale received treatment and underwent surgery for lymphoma, noting that the "disease looks resolved" and the "healing looks nearly resolved."
Dick Vitale @DickieVThis message is for ALL of u that have asked when I would be cleared to speak . Also for ALL that have sent 🙏🙏🙏. Just had my examination by Dr Steve Zeitels & he shares here his analysis of my post surgical situation . <a href="https://twitter.com/jksports?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@jksports</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNPR?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ESPNPR</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/TheVFoundation?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheVFoundation</a> <a href="https://t.co/86HyDiMJTf">pic.twitter.com/86HyDiMJTf</a>
The 83-year-old announced in October that he had been diagnosed with lymphoma, which prevented him from calling men's basketball games for ESPN for much of the 2021-22 season.
Vitale is one of the most famous and recognizable personalities in the history of sports, and to many he is synonymous with men's basketball in much the same way John Madden was with the NFL.
In addition to being a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the College Basketball Hall of Fame for his announcing, Vitale enjoyed success as a coach as well.
As the head coach at the University of Detroit from 1973 to 1977, Vitale went 79-29 and led the Titans to the NCAA tournament's Sweet 16 in 1977.
After that, Vitale was head coach of the NBA's Detroit Pistons for two seasons from 1978 to 1980, going 34-60.
The New Jersey native caught on with ESPN as a commentator shortly thereafter, and the rest was history, as Dickie V became iconic in that role.
While no official announcement has been made regarding Vitale returning to college basketball announcing, he has been cleared to accept a huge honor at the ESPYs next week.
In May, ESPN announced that Vitale would be the recipient of the 2022 Jimmy V Award for Perseverance, which is given out annually in remembrance of former NC State basketball coach Jim Valvano, who died of cancer in 1993.
Vitale announced in April that he was cancer-free, and although his doctor told him at the time that he had pre-cancerous dysplasia on his vocal cords, it was noted in Friday's update by his doctor that the dysplasia is gone.