Dick Vitale Postpones Return to ESPN Broadcast Booth After Home Accident

Vitale's return to the booth will be postponed after a home accident.
STILL FROM VIDEO: Dick Vitale
STILL FROM VIDEO: Dick Vitale / Jeff Faughender/Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

Iconic college basketball broadcaster Dick Vitale is postponing his return to the broadcast booth after suffering an accident at his Florida home. On Friday, ESPN had announced that Vitale would make his return to the broadcast for next Saturday's Duke-Wake Forest game.

Vitale has not been in the booth since 2023 as he has battled four different cancers over the last three years. Vitale announced he was cancer-free earlier this month, and was ready to come back to broadcasting before this setback.

“I’m sorry to have to share the disappointing news that I won’t be able to call the Duke-Wake Forest game next weekend," Vitale said in a statement, via ESPN PR. "Unrelated to any of my cancer scares, I had an accident at my home in Florida, and that has created some new health challenges and near-term physical limitations for me. I’m devastated that I won’t be courtside with my ESPN buddy Dave O’Brien and with all the players and fans, especially because of the overwhelming response I received when news of my planned return was announced. I was anxiously awaiting the chance to feel the excitement and energy of a college basketball environment for the first time in nearly two years."

“Now, I’m just going to have to wait some more. I’m not sure exactly when that will be, yet I’m expected to make a full recovery and will provide updates when I have more information. Despite this latest setback, I feel blessed to have the support of my family, friends, and ESPN teammates. I’m a lucky guy and as I’ve said before, I will continue to do whatever it takes to get back to calling the sport I love. In the meantime, I have to say ‘Go Irish’ on Monday night! Love to all.”

Vitale's much-awaited return will be postponed as he continues to take care of his health.

Before this, Vitale shared his excitement to come back on Friday, writing on X: "A big THANK YOU to ALL of YOU that have taken time from their busy schedules wishing me good luck in my return to ESPN. Appreciate all my colleagues from ⁦⁩ESPN that have reached out to me."

Vitale, a former college basketball coach at Rutgers and Detroit, has been calling the sport for ESPN since 1979.

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Eva Geitheim
EVA GEITHEIM

Eva Geitheim is a contributor to the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. Prior to joining SI in December 2024, she wrote for Newsweek, Gymnastics Now and Dodgers Nation. A Bay Area native, she has a bachelor's in communications from UCLA. When not writing, she can be found baking or re-watching Gilmore Girls.