Dick Vitale expects to return to the court soon, ESPN shifts NBA coverage to Bristol due to wildfires, and Norby Willamson has a new gig.
Dickie V cleared for return to courtside
ESPN college basketball analyst Dick Vitale shared on X Wednesday that his doctors have cleared him to return to work and expects to resume calling basketball games for ESPN, although no specific timeline was given for his return. He had been battling lymph node cancer since June of last year, but announced he was cancer-free last month. Vitale has not called a game since the 2023 national championship game on ESPN’s international feed.
Vitale, 85, called the first college basketball game on ESPN on December 5, 1979 and has been with the network since. He has battled cancer and other issues frequently over the last five years, and has not called a full season of games since 2021. Vitale had previously declared he was cancer-free in August 2022 and December 2023, before being diagnosed with subsequent rounds of cancer.
California wildfires forces closure of ESPN’s LA studios
ESPN has closed its Los Angeles production facility to non-essential personnel due to the ongoing wildfires across southern California, according to Front Office Sports. Although not directly impacted by the fires, disruption to infrastructure necessitated the reduction in staffing.
As a result, NBA Today and NBA Countdown will not air Wednesday, with SportsCenter filling those vacancies and providing halftime coverage for tonight’s NBA doubleheader on ESPN.
Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles is scheduled to host a Kings game Wednesday and a Lakers game Thursday, although plans may change due to the ongoing situation.
Norby Williamson joining Main Street Sports
Former ESPN excecutive Norby Williamson, who was let go from the network last spring, is joining Main Street Sports (formerly Diamond Sports), according to Awful Announcing. Williamson will oversee production of the various FanDuel Sports Network RSNs in a role that will replace Michael Connelly, who left the network in December after proposing cost-cutting measures.
Williamson’s 40-year tenure at ESPN was not without controversy, including a number of talent-related disputes.
