After bravely beating cancer (not once but twice!), one of the most beloved and iconic voices in college basketball, Dick Vitale, was all set to make his much-anticipated comeback. He was supposed to be courtside for the Duke vs. Wake Forest game on January 25th, calling the action for ESPN. Just the thought of Vitale back in the booth, witnessing a generational talent like Cooper Flagg in action, had fans buzzing. But sadly, we’re all going to have to wait a little longer.

It turns out Vitale had an accident at his home in Florida, forcing him to postpone his return. Thankfully, it’s not serious, but the incident has put travel to Winston-Salem off the table for now. As disappointing as this news is, Vitale is staying positive, and his passion for the sport he loves shines through.

“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,” Vitale said in a statement. “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.”

It’s tough to hear but the good news is he’s expected to recover fully. “I’m not exactly sure when that will be,” he added, “Yet I’m expected to make a full recovery and will provide updates when I have more information.”

And we know that if anyone can bounce back, it’s Dickie V. We’re talking about the man who’s fought and beat cancer, stayed optimistic, and was ready to dive back into the game after a long hiatus. This minor setback is just another hurdle for him to clear.

Vitale’s cancer journey has been truly inspiring. Diagnosed with lymphoma in 2021, months after undergoing surgeries for melanoma, he fought through it all. By 2022, he announced he was cancer-free, only to face another challenge in 2023 with vocal cord cancer. But he conquered that, too. By November 2023, the analyst was cancer-free again.

For now, we’ll have to wait till he is back at it again. But it can’t be denied that his planned return to the Duke game would’ve been extra special after his admiration for the Duke freshman star has been very much evident. 

Dick Vitale compares Cooper Flagg to NBA legends

Undoubtedly, Flagg is a generational talent who has fans, analysts, and, yes, Dick Vitale, raving. He absolutely exploded in Duke’s win over Notre Dame, dropping a jaw-dropping 42 points on just 14 field goal attempts, setting a conference freshman single-game scoring record. 

Vitale couldn’t help but heap praise on the 18-year-old phenom, taking to X to say he ranks Flagg “right there” with NBA legends LeBron James, Magic Johnson, and Kobe Bryant at the same age. For context, LeBron was already averaging 20.9 points as a rookie in the NBA at 18. 

Magic Johnson, the only one of the three to play college ball, was a triple-double threat as a freshman at Michigan State. And Kobe was just starting to find his groove as an NBA rookie at 18. And here we have Flagg, who just turned 18 last month, making his own case for greatness.

However, Flagg’s dominance isn’t just about numbers, though they’re impressive enough to make him the projected No. 1 pick in this year’s NBA draft. Teams love his competitive spirit, his ability to lead, and the way he impacts both ends of the court. 

His playmaking and ability to rise to the occasion are exactly what rebuilding NBA teams dream of. So, while we eagerly await Flagg’s next big moment on the court, let’s also keep rooting for Dickie V’s speedy recovery. The college basketball world just isn’t the same without him.