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Longtime ESPN analyst Dick Vitale became emotional toward the end of the ACC tournament title game between Duke and Lousiville.

Not only was it his final broadcast of the season, but Vitale, one of the most legendary voices in college basketball history, reflected on his recent battle with cancer. Or battles, we should say.

He has fought four types of cancer over the past four years but was finally declared cancer-free in December.

Vitale expressed gratitude for being able to return to the booth and shared an inspiring message of positivity and faith for others facing the disease.

“It’s my last game this year, and I pray and hope that I can be back next year and maybe even be better, and hope and pray my doctor really helps me with my voice,” Vitale said, fighting back the emotions.

“It’s been like, to me, a miracle, really, to sit here with you guys. I can’t tell you how much you meant to me. It’s been unbelievable. A tough three years… Cancer sucks.”

Dick Vitale Is A Fighter …

Dick Vitale, who is 85 years old, was trying his best to convey what it felt like to be back on the sidelines of the basketball court calling games.

This past December, he announced that his doctors had declared him cancer-free once more after his latest PET scan.

With his trademark exuberance, he declared on X, “Yes, I’m cutting the nets down, baby, it’s my National Championship!”

Dick Vitale’s journey has been nothing short of a rollercoaster, with scares that would have sidelined the spirit of lesser men. From melanoma to lymphoma and vocal cord cancer, Dickie V has faced it all, proving that his heart isn’t just in the game but in the fight for life itself.

His resilience is a testament to his late friend Jim Valvano’s legendary declaration during his own fight against cancer: “Don’t give up, don’t ever give up.”

RELATED: Dick Vitale Announces He’s Cancer Free: ‘Cutting The Nets Down, Baby’

… And A Legend

Dick Vitale is a legendary figure in college basketball broadcasting. He joined ESPN in 1979 and his enthusiastic style and colorful catchphrases like “diaper dandy” and “PTPer” have become part of the sport’s lexicon.

The man utters the phrase “Baby!” like most of us use the word “um.”

If you’ve ever watched a game that he’s called, you never have any doubt that the man was excited to be watching the sport of college basketball. And it was real energy, nothing manufactured.

Before his broadcasting career, Vitale was a successful coach at the University of Detroit, leading the team to the NCAA tournament in his first season as head coach.

His impact extends beyond the microphone. He’s been actively involved in the fight against cancer, notably through the V Foundation for Cancer Research, which he helped establish.

Vitale’s accolades include inductions into both the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association Hall of Fame, cementing his status as a beloved and influential figure in all of sports.

It isn’t just Vitale who hopes and prays that he’ll be back again next year. It’s the entire college basketball universe.

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By Rusty Weiss
Rusty Weiss is a lifelong NFL and MLB fan (Cowboys/Dodgers) and sometimes fan of college basketball (Xavier). Rusty is ... More about Rusty Weiss
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