Richard “Dick” Vitale has one of the most storied careers in basketball history, starting long before he became a broadcaster. He played at Seton Hall University and then coached at the high‑school level in New Jersey, where his teams won multiple state titles.
He moved into college coaching at Rutgers before becoming head coach at the University of Detroit, where he compiled a 78-30 record and led the Titans to the 1977 NCAA Tournament. That success earned him an NBA opportunity as head coach of the Detroit Pistons for the 1978-79 season.
Vitale transitioned to broadcasting with ESPN in 1979, calling the network’s first college basketball game on December 5, 1979 (DePaul vs. Wisconsin).
ESPN analyst Dick Vitale.Randy Sartin-Imagn Images
(Randy Sartin-Imagn Images)
Over more than four decades, he became one of the most recognizable voices in sports, known for his passionate delivery and phrases like “Awesome, baby!” He has broadcasted thousands of college games and been inducted into both the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the College Basketball Hall of Fame.
Vitale’s life and career have also included a public battle with cancer. Since 2021 he has faced multiple separate diagnoses, from melanoma to lymphoma to other forms, leading to treatments that occasionally forced him off the air.
He has repeatedly returned to broadcasting after treatments, most recently returning to ESPN’s coverage for the 2025‑26 college season.
On Tuesday, Vitale posted on X about his quarterly medical exams: “This week on Thursday it will be my NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME as I must do my quarterly PET SCAN & bloodwork exams to determine if I am still cancer free. Cancer patients know the anxiety that creates especially when the phone rings & it is your ONCOLOGIST calling with the results .🙏🙏🙏 for great news !”
College basketball fans and broadcasters have widely responded with support and prayers for favorable health news following his announcement.
This season Vitale has worked select regular‑season games, including a December matchup between Indiana and Kentucky alongside Charles Barkley and Dave O’Brien. That pairing was part of a special collaboration between ESPN and TNT Sports.
Vitale and Barkley then teamed up again for the 2026 NCAA Tournament First Four game between Texas and NC State in Dayton, Ohio. This was Vitale’s first time calling an NCAA Tournament game, a historic moment in his broadcasting career. He worked that game with Barkley, Brian Anderson and reporter Jenny Dell for truTV’s coverage.
Even amid ongoing health challenges, Vitale has maintained his presence in the sport he has helped define for decades.
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This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Mar 31, 2026, where it first appeared in the College Basketball section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.