Legendary ESPN broadcaster Dick Vitale is returning to the air on Saturday, January 25.
Vitale, who has been sidelined since 2023 due to a battle with cancer, will call the Duke at Wake Forest game at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday.
Here is a press release from ESPN:
Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame broadcaster Dick Vitale will return to the air for the first time since 2023 to call the Duke at Wake Forest men’s college basketball game on Saturday, January 25 (4:30 p.m. ET, ESPN). The legendary voice of college basketball, who has battled four different types of cancer in the past three and a half years, announced that he was cancer free on Jan. 8.
Vitale will call the ACC matchup alongside play-by-play commentator Dave O’Brien at Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Winston Salem, N.C.
“I am absolutely ecstatic and I can’t believe this is happening after going through five major vocal cord surgeries, 65 radiation treatments and chemotherapy for six months,” said Vitale. “It’s been a very tough journey, but all of the prayers and messages from the beautiful fans have inspired me. I can’t thank Jimmy Pitaro and all of my ESPN colleagues who I consider my second family enough for the love they showed me through such a tough time. I just hope that I can offer the people some basketball insights that can bring even more excitement to the game.”
“There is no better ambassador for the sport of college basketball than Dick Vitale. Even while navigating his own health challenges, Dick continued to look for ways to give back and help others, inspiring us all,” said Jimmy Pitaro, Chairman, ESPN. “Dick is one-of-a-kind and we can’t wait to have him back doing what he loves most on ESPN on January 25.”
