Back in the broadcast chair, Dick Vitale has thoughts on UK basketball’s season
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Legendary college basketball announcer Dick Vitale to broadcast UK basketball’s next game.
- Vitale will be part of an ESPN crew calling Kentucky’s rivalry matchup against Indiana.
- The 86-year-old Vitale has overcome several cancer treatments in recent years.
Throughout the darkest moments of Dick Vitale’s life, his passion for college basketball has endured.
In fact, at 86 years young, it may be stronger than ever before. Still as insightful as ever about the sport he’s synonymous with, Vitale is set to broadcast his second UK basketball game of the season Saturday night on ESPN when Kentucky (6-4) hosts Indiana (8-2) at Rupp Arena.
The renewal of the regular season, blue blood rivalry between Indiana and Kentucky is the exact kind of premier college hoops game that Vitale relishes being in the broadcast chair for. I’s an experience even more precious for Vitale following his four-year battle with four types of cancer, including vocal-cord cancer.
“I have such a passion, love for the game, and going through the battle I did with four different cancers, you know, it was really a struggle,” Vitale told the Herald-Leader on Wednesday morning. “It was really a tough time doing chemotherapy, radiation, five major surgeries on my vocal cords. It’s amazing. It’s like a miracle for me to walk into Rupp and sit at courtside and do a game after going through four years of really some tough, tough times.”
Earlier this month, Vitale was part of ESPN’s broadcast when Kentucky lost at home to North Carolina. This means Vitale has already had an up-close look at Mark Pope’s Wildcats, and the issues that have plagued their first 10 games of the season.
“Let’s face it, they have not had yet one, what you would call a legitimate power conference W,” Vitale said of UK, which is 0-4 against high-major opponents. “... The expectations for this team were unbelievable with the number of players they brought in and the dollars from the NIL.”
Vitale riffled through Kentucky’s shortcomings against each of Louisville, Michigan State, UNC and Gonzaga. He also cited the Herald-Leader’s previous reporting of a $22 million payroll for this UK squad, which has become a running theme in the comments of social media posts Vitale has made about Kentucky
“We paid 22 million for this? What, are you kidding me? Are you serious? It’s embarrassing,” Vitale recalled from the responses.
While Vitale doesn’t concur completely with Kentucky basketball detractors, he agrees the Wildcats need to prove themselves against legit opponents.
“I really believe it’s getting to a point now that they need some big wins, and they got some major teams they’re going to be playing now,” Vitale said. “Winning those games in terms of blowing out teams that you’re expected to blow out is fine. You get a W. But you’ve got to beat the Louisvilles, the Carolinas, the Indianas and those people too.”
From Vitale’s perspective, what’s gone wrong with Kentucky in big games?
“I thought two things stood out. Shot selection was really not solid. And the second is a lack of communication defensively,” Vitale said. “... There is no way you should beat a guy to the basket, get a score, without anybody rotating over, giving help. And I think their help defense has been really, really, not legit, not big time.”
Vitale’s critiques are backed up by the numbers. According to the BartTorvik.com analytics, UK’s adjusted defensive efficiency against top 100 opponents this season — which covers Kentucky’s four losses to high-major foes — is 106.1, which ranks 151st nationally as of Wednesday afternoon.
Other distressing defensive statistics, per the BartTorvik data, include Kentucky allowing a 36.6% offensive rebounding rate and a 55.6% effective field goal rate against top opponents.
Following Tuesday’s home drubbing of North Carolina Central, Pope tore into his team’s defensive performance against a clearly overmatched opponent.
To be clear, Vitale is far removed from those who think Pope doesn’t have what it takes to cut it at Kentucky.
“I love everything about him as a coach,” Vitale added about Pope. “I love his unbelievable spirit, his energy, his passion, his love for the Kentucky jersey, for the Kentucky program. Now the players got to represent that the same way.”
And Vitale also has some ideas for how this Kentucky basketball season can get back on track.
“I think one of the problems, really — I guess some would say it’s a good problem, I don’t think so — is you’ve got so many players that, like, you don’t know who’s going to come forward today,” Vitale said. “I mean, (Otega) Oweh, obviously, is one that you count on to be a consistent performer, but he’s a driver and a slasher, (his) shot is a little bit questionable, and you’ve got to play to your strengths. That’s his strength, going downhill, getting to the basket. I think that they got a mixture of players, and you don’t know which one’s going to perform well tonight.”
“... The bottom line is, I think finding those right parts and staying with those, I think, is important.”
The backdrop as Kentucky seeks to course correct its season offers additional intrigue to Saturday’s contest. This will be the first regular season meeting between IU and UK since Dec. 10, 2011. Most remember how that one ended, with Christian Watford’s buzzer-beating 3-pointer sending Indiana to a win inside Assembly Hall over top-ranked Kentucky. The Cats went on to win their most recent national championship a few months later, beating the Hoosiers in the Sweet 16 along the way.
Vitale was on the broadcast for ESPN that day in Bloomington. And as perhaps college basketball’s preeminent historian, Vitale understands the value of the IU-UK rivalry. Saturday’s game is the first of a four-season engagement between the Hoosiers and Wildcats, and it comes on the heels of a historic shooting performance by IU senior guard Lamar Wilkerson in a Tuesday win over Penn State.
“It’s got to be played,” Vitale said of the rivalry. “I’m so happy that they’re going to bring it back. I’m happy that it’s here again, because it’s really just, you talk about blue bloods, you got magical names there, Kentucky and Indiana. You look at their uniforms and I think of greatness. I think of all the greats that have worn those jerseys.”
Those watching ESPN’s broadcast of the game Saturday will also get an additional treat. The three-man broadcast team for the game will consist of play-by-play commentator Dave O’Brien, longtime NBA studio analyst Charles Barkley and Vitale.
This will be the first time Barkley — who was a standout college player at Auburn before his 16-year NBA career — and Vitale call a game together.
Barkley and Vitale, who are members of both the Naismith Memorial Basketball and Sports Broadcasting Halls of Fame, will also team up in March to broadcast an NCAA Tournament First Four game.
“I have no idea what’s going to transpire or what we’re going to say, but people have to understand this is the first time we’re ever sitting and doing a game,” Vitale said. “... I hope it works out beautifully. I know one thing, we’ll both have a lot of fun.”
Vitale compared his emotions ahead of Saturday’s broadcast to a kid excited for the first day of school.
“He’s just a fun-loving guy. He says what he feels. He’s candid. He’s open. He’s honest,” Vitale said of Barkley. “Sometimes it ruffles people the wrong way. But the bottom line is he believes in what he’s saying, and he says it from his heart, and he says it because he loves the game.”
Dick Vitale continues to raise funds for pediatric cancer research
Vitale has called more than 1,000 games since he joined ESPN in 1979. College basketball remains his lifeblood and passion.
But there’s long been another important calling in Vitale’s life.
Over the past two decades, he’s raised more than $105 million toward pediatric cancer research. This includes the Dick Vitale Annual Gala, set for May in Sarasota, Florida.
Earlier this week, Vitale — whose website, dickvitale.com, contains more information about his pediatric cancer research efforts — was involved in ESPN’s programming for the annual Jimmy V Classic, a college basketball showcase that’s part of a week-long ESPN initiative to raise funds for cancer research.
“Probably the best thing I’ve ever done in my life, ever, is working so hard to raise money for kids battling cancer,” Vitale said.
Now on the other side of his own battles with cancer, Vitale said the experience has given him a new appreciation for his continued involvement with college basketball.
“Every time I do a game I’m pinching myself, because it’s something that didn’t look like it was ever going to happen again, and now it has,” Vitale said. “That’s my best medicine. All the doctors, they give me all the medicine they want, the best medicine is me sitting at courtside, hearing the cheers of the crowd and meeting the fans, being in the environment and especially an environment like Rupp. You go to Rupp or you go to Allen Fieldhouse and Cameron Indoor Stadium, those places are so special. It becomes contagious, the energy, the passion and the love that people have for their programs.”
