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College basketball legend Dick Vitale announced that he is once again battling cancer.
The 86-year-old announced Monday that a biopsy confirmed he has melanoma in his lung and liver cavity, and he is immediately starting immunotherapy to fight it.
This is the fifth time Vitale has been diagnosed with cancer, and melanoma is one he has had before.
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ESPN analyst Dick Vitale before the game between the Tennessee Volunteers and the Alabama Crimson Tide at Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center on March 1, 2025. (Randy Sartin/Imagn Images)
“I have beaten melanoma,” Vitale said in a statement released by ESPN. “I’ve beaten lymphoma. I’ve beaten vocal cord cancer. I’ve beaten lymph node cancer. I’m 4 for 4 and I’m absolutely sure I’m going to make it 5 for 5.”
Vitale made a separate post on social media on Monday, saying he had undergone days of tests that included scans, MRIs, blood tests and a biopsy to confirm what doctors thought was cancer again.
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“I obviously didn’t get the report today that I was hoping for when my oncologist called,” Vitale said. “At least now I know what I’m facing.”
“Dickie V” is one of the most established broadcasters in American sports, providing countless memorable calls through his natural enthusiasm for the game and moments on the hardwood.
Vitale’s influence on college basketball dates to ESPN’s launch in 1979, and he is nearing five decades in the sport with a contract with the “Worldwide Leader” that runs through the 2027-28 season.
Dick Vitale on the sideline during the men’s Champions Classic college basketball game between the Kentucky Wildcats and the Michigan State Spartans on November 15, 2022 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, IN. (Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire)
However, health problems arose in 2021 when he was diagnosed with melanoma for the first time. Lymphoma followed, and then he needed chemotherapy and radiation treatments for his vocal cord cancer.
In 2024, he required surgery to remove cancerous lymph nodes from his neck, and Vitale’s iconic voice could not be heard as he was unable to speak for a while after the vocal cord surgery.
But like the other four diagnoses, Vitale remains upbeat and upbeat, saying he feels “great” and ready to take on another fight.
“At 86 years young, I’ve lived one hell of a life and I’m more motivated than ever to raise money for kids fighting cancer,” Vitale said.
The New Jersey native spent time coaching at Garfield High School before taking over at his alma mater, East Rutherford High School, where he led teams to two New Jersey state titles.
Dick Vitale attends the 2022 ESPYs at the Dolby Theater on July 20, 2022 in Hollywood, California. (Leon Bennett/Getty Images)
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Vitale went on to coach as an assistant at Rutgers before going to the University of Detroit as their head coach. He remained in the Michigan city to coach its Pistons from 1978-79.
After he finished coaching the Pistons, Vitale joined ESPN and called its first-ever college basketball game in 1979, a game in which DePaul beat Wisconsin.
