Dick Vitale. THOMAS BENDER/HERALD-TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK

ESPN's Dick Vitale to receive Jimmy V Award at 2022 ESPYS

By Chelena Goldman | Last updated 5/9/22

Long-time college basketball broadcaster and Hall Of Famer Dick Vitale will receive the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance at this year's ESPYS, ESPN reported Monday.

Vitale, 82, announced last summer had multiple surgeries to remove melanoma and later announced he had been diagnosed with lymphoma and had to undergo several months of chemotherapy. The multiple diagnoses caused Vitale to step away from broadcasting.

Earlier this year, Vitale announced he is cancer-free.

Dick Vitale will be honored with the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance at the ESPYS.

Last summer, Vitale underwent multiple surgeries to remove melanoma. A few months later, he was diagnosed with lymphoma, and underwent six months of chemo. This March, he was declared cancer free. pic.twitter.com/2Ug9AgJmdx
— ESPN (@espn) May 9, 2022

Receiving the Jimmy V Award is particularly special for Vitale, who worked alongside the award's namesake Jim Valvano at ESPN. Vitale presented Valvano with the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the first ESPYS in 1993, when he gave his now famous speech about living with cancer.

"When I received the call from [ESPN president] Jimmy Pitaro about receiving this award, I was absolutely blown away," Vitale said in a statement Monday, via ESPN. "I remember that day almost 30 years ago, when I stood on stage at the first ESPYS, introduced Jimmy V and witnessed him give that incredible speech we all remember. I reflected on his speech many times during my seven-month battle -- 'don't give up, don't ever give up Dickie V' -- and I remembered my mother and father, who taught me never to believe in 'can't'. Jimmy V was special and his legacy lives on. I am so grateful to receive this tremendous award in his honor."

This year's ESPYS will broadcast live on July 20.

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