ESPN commentator Dick Vitale, who joined the network during the 1979-80 season following a successful college and pro coaching career, will receive the prestigious Naismith Good Sportsmanship Award on March 28 in Minneapolis.

The announcement was made by Ian Naismith, grandson of basketball creator James A. Naismith and the founder and director of the Naismith International Basketball Foundation (NIBF), which sponsors the award.

	“	This is a special honor made more special by the fact that it's related to the man who founded the game that I genuinely love. ”
		— Dick Vitale

The award honors personalities and institutions involved in basketball for their displays of sportsmanship on and off the court as well as their positive contributions to the game. Past recipients include Michael Jordan, John Wooden, Jerry West, Pat Summitt, YMCA of USA, Oscar Robertson, Lynette Woodard, C.M. Newton, Roy Williams and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

The NIBF was founded in 1996 by three of James Naismith's grandchildren to promote sportsmanship, respect, dignity and teamwork at all levels for the game of basketball. The award itself consists of a 70-pound sculpture by world-renowned sculptor Michael Roche depicting James A. Naismith in the original gym.

Vitale, who has also worked for ABC Sports since 1988, will accept the award in conjunction with the inaugural Capital One Presents ESPN The Magazine's College Basketball Awards, a new Final Four kickoff event which will honor the top performers in men's and women's college basketball on March 28 in Minneapolis, the site of the men's Final Four. It will be co-presented by Ian Naismith, Dick Weiss of the New York Daily News (who has co-authored books with Vitale) and ESPN Executive Vice President Steve Anderson, who has worked with Vitale since 1980.

"To present this award to Dick Vitale is a huge honor for NIBF because Dick's contributions to and knowledge of the sport of basketball are well known throughout the world," said Ian Naismith, NIBF director. "The Naismith family has one comment about Dick's selection ... 'awesome, baby.'"

Vitale added: "I'm completely awed to have my name associated with the Naismith Foundation. This is a special honor made more special by the fact that it's related to the man who founded the game that I genuinely love."

ESPN The Magazine's College Basketball Awards
The new awards show, which will be televised live from 7-9 p.m. ET from Williams Arena at University of Minnesota, will honor the top performers in men's and women's college basketball.

A total of 15 awards will be presented, including the men's and women's Player of the Year by position, an overall men's and women's Player of the Year, men's and women's Coach of the Year and The V Foundation Comeback of the Year.

For the women's Player of the Year category, ESPN has linked with the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) and the National Association of Girls and Women in Sports (NAGWS) to present the prestigious Wade Trophy on the show. Nominees for most of the award categories were determined through votes by the USA Today/ESPN Board of Coaches, while an ESPN blue-ribbon panel will select the winners (announced on the show). The show will be anchored by Chris Fowler, Jay Bilas, Vitale, Digger Phelps, Nancy Lieberman-Cline and Michele Tafoya.