Dick Vitale gets emotional over standing ovation at Kansas vs Indiana game
Kansas basketball honored ESPN analyst Dick Vitale during the under-12 minute timeout Saturday vs. Indiana. Vitale received a standing ovation from the crowd inside The Phog, and Vitale emotionally spoke about their unexpected response.
“It’s just been incredible. I tell you, it brought me to tears,” Vitale said on the broadcast. “I didn’t expect it. Wow. … I’ve got to get myself regrouped now, we’re still in the game and you’ve got me so emotional. It’s great being here. Better than where I was a year ago.”
Back in August, Vitale announced that he was cancer free after a lengthy bought with lymphoma and melanoma that forced him to undergo multiple surgeries and chemotherapy for treatment. Vitale was forced to leave the broadcast booth due to his condition, but returned at the beginning of the 2023 season and is calling games on a regular basis.
No. 8 Kansas led No. 14 Indiana 44-29 at the break. The Jayhawks led by as many as 20 points in the first half. Catch the final 20 minutes alongside Dickie V live on ESPN2.
More about Dick Vitale, cancer battle
Vitale has been chronicling his journey through cancer treatment since his lymphoma diagnosis in October of last year. He managed to call a few college basketball games last season, including Dayton’s buzzer-beating game-winner over Kansas last fall. But he ended having to step away from the microphone in January to rest his vocal cords. That led to a wealth of support from across the college basketball world — and many across the landscape chimed in on Twitter to celebrate the milestone in his journey.
As recently as March, Vitale still was not able to talk. Prior to Mike Krzyzewski’s final game at Cameron Indoor Stadium, ESPN shared the letter he wrote to Coach K — and Vitale’s good friend and coworker Dave Pasch provided the voiceover.
Vitale has been a staple at ESPN since joining the network 41 years ago. He coached at the college level as an assistant at Rutgers and served as Detroit Mercy’s head coach from 1973-77. Vitale served as the Detroit Pistons head coach from 1978-79 before he got a microphone in his hand, eventually becoming one of the most beloved figures in college basketball. This was his second battle with cancer, and once again, he came out on top.