Mark Pope shares message to college basketball legend Dick Vitale as he battles cancer

Mark Pope shares a special message to Dick Vitale during his fight with cancer.

Dick Vitale, an analyst and champion of college basketball for more than four decades on ESPN, begins to get his voice back as he recovers from cancer treatment and recent vocal cord surgery at home in Lakewood Ranch, Florida on Thursday, March 24, 2022. / Jack Gruber / USA TODAY NETWORK

There is no one more beloved by all in the college basketball community than Dick Vitale. The former coach and current commentator, who is in the Sportscaster Hall of Fame, has called some special college basketball moments and always brings smiles to the faces of fans with his recognizable voice and sayings.

Vitale is in an ongoing battle with cancer and recently had surgery to remove a cancerous lymph node in his neck. During this surgery, the doctor removed some other lymph nodes in the area and will test to see if those are cancerous. During this challenging time for the college basketball legend, Kentucky Coach Mark Pope shared a message with Vitale.

Coach Pope had this to say to the college basketball legend, "Coach Vitale, it’s Coach Pope at the University of Kentucky. Listen, I heard that you’re back engaged in the midst of this struggle, and I just want you to know this, man, you know this, but you have so many people around this world that love you, including me, that are cheering for you and praying for you and giving you all the love we possibly can. Get better soon because you have got to make a trip here to the University of Kentucky to come join us for practice, man. Come to a game. Let's go, baby,"

There is no question that college basketball needs Vitale courtside calling games, so all of Big Blue Nation is hoping for a speedy recovery from the most iconic voice in college basketball.