Charles Barkley got candid about a longtime dream coming true thanks to ESPN. He has had many grievances against the network. But as he gears up for his favorite time of the year, he tells Tim McCormick about his opportunity to work with the legendary sportscaster, Dick Vitale. He told his former teammate that Vitale’s inspiring love for the game is part of the reason he still gets to cover college basketball with him. However, while speaking from Dayton on GO BLUE HOOPS, Barkley provided a poignant update on the health and indomitable spirit of broadcasting icon Dick Vitale.

After a decade-long pursuit by Barkley to work alongside Vitale, the dream finally materialized, but it came with a heavy perspective on the 86-year-old’s daily battle. They’re going to share the booth for the NCAA Final Four coverage at March Madness. Barkley was amazed at the veteran’s refusal to step away from the microphone.

“You know, his health is not great,” Barkley told McCormick, describing the toll of Vitale’s recent medical hurdles. “He’s pretty much only able to talk like one day a week, which is incredible. And he has to save all his energy ’cause he had some type of surgery. I mean, he beat cancer four times.”

Chuck admitted that despite their long friendship, he was unaware of the full extent of Vitale’s resilience until they teamed up for the Indiana-Kentucky game last December. When Barkley asked why the Hall-of-Famer continues to push himself through such exhaustion, Vitale’s response was pretty straightforward.

“Dude, I’d die if I didn’t cover college basketball,” Barkley narrated what Vitale told him.

That turned out to be a very sobering lesson for Chuck, who famously claims he wouldn’t work past 60 or 70. He’s 63 now and still claims he’d not be on Inside the NBA until the eight years remaining on his 10-year contract expire. Despite his annoyance with ESPN’s way of doing things, he’s glad he at least got to work with Vitale before he retires, thanks to them.

ESPN finally came through for Charles Barkley

The update comes as the duo prepares to call the Texas vs. NC State matchup tonight, marking Dick Vitale’s first-ever on-air assignment for an NCAA Tournament game. This is nothing short of a historic opportunity, which was previously hindered by network exclusivity between ESPN and CBS/TNT.

Chuck has been on March Madness with Kenny Smith and Ernie Johnson through TNT’s and CBS’s media rights package. However, without NCAA tournaments in its library, Vitale only called regular college games. An ESPN executive took the initiative to grant Charles Barkley‘s wish after Inside the NBA was licensed to ESPN.

Even the timing couldn’t be more perfect. Vitale confirmed he is cancer-free after a four-year battle with melanoma, lymphoma, and vocal cord cancer. Since his return, he has been on a restricted schedule to rest his vocal cords, but still works one game a week.

Barkley noted that Vitale’s presence is a reminder of the profound debt they both feel toward the sport.

“Man, basketball has given me way more than I deserve,” Chuck repeated one of his famous lines after Vitale’s response.

Barkley emphasized that their careers as athletes and broadcasters are a privilege compared to the “real jobs” held by those in public service. He reflected on his journey from a small town to the global stage, using Vitale’s perseverance as the ultimate example of passion.