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Dick Vitale's return to college basketball has new date
ESPN analyst Dick Vitale. Evert Nelson / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Dick Vitale's miraculous return to college basketball has new date

It has been a long time coming for legendary college basketball broadcaster Dick Vitale. 

He's been away from the broadcast booth for nearly two years as he's struggled with multiple health scares. Vitale was set to make his return on Jan. 25 for a Duke-Wake Forest men's college basketball game on ESPN, but he suffered a fall while at home.

"Despite this latest setback, I feel blessed to have the support of my family, friends and ESPN teammates," Vitale said at the time. "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."

That was a setback for Vitale, but at the time, he was expected to make a full recovery, and now a new date for his reintroduction to the college basketball world has been set.

ESPN has revealed that Vitale is now scheduled to call the Duke vs. Clemson game on Feb. 8 alongside Dave O'Brien and Cory Alexander.

It has been a long few years of health complications for the 85-year-old broadcasting legend. He's struggled through four types of cancers, including vocal chord cancer in 2023.

The last game he announced was on April 3, 2023, when he was on the international broadcast of the national championship game between San Diego State and UConn.

Andrew Kulha

Andrew Kulha is probably the only sports writer you know who also doubles as a mortician. Spooky! @KulhaSports

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