🏀Tennessee Vols Basketball Team's NIL Donation Honors Dick Vitale

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We’ve seen the pictures—megabuck name, image and likeness (NIL) athletes showing off hot cars, glistening diamonds and fresh fits. The concept of earning while learning via NIL takes on a different meaning, however, when athletes do something else—give back.

The latter side of NIL doesn’t get nearly the publicity it deserves, especially when it comes to athletes using their platforms for good. That’s why I beamed on behalf of legendary ESPN basketball analyst and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Dick Vitale, who was honored in more ways than one when he visited Tennessee’s Thompson-Boling Arena earlier this month. You see, even while undergoing treatments for four bouts of cancer, Vitale tirelessly raised money so kids wouldn’t have to endure painful, energy-sapping cancer treatments like he did.

Enter the University of Tennessee basketball team, which pooled NIL money to donate $10,000 to the V Foundation for Cancer Research. The Vols’ donation will go to the Dick Vitale Pediatric Cancer Research Fund, one of several V Foundation buckets. As with all donations, members of Tennessee’s team are assured that 100 percent of their gift goes straight to pediatric cancer research.

Started by the late Hall of Fame N.C. State coach Jim Valvano—one of Vitale’s closest friends—the foundation has raised nearly $400 million for cancer research.

More than money 👏🏼👏🏼

Vitale’s super, scintillating, sensational (IYKYK) evening didn’t end with that very special check. In his fourth ESPN game post-illnesses, his broadcast crew was gifted with an overtime buzzerbeater plus a tribute video and a standing ovation from more than 22,000 fans.

When he couldn’t speak, he wrote.📃

Many of us remember when Vitale was told not to talk to heal from vocal cord cancer treatments. He wasn’t truly silenced, however, because he lent his legendary hoops analysis via whiteboard, sharing photos of them on social media. He, of course, gave equal time to the kids he’s championed for decades, including notices about his annual fundraising gala which has raised nearly $93 million.

NIL Mensch of the Month Honors🏆

The Vols’ basketball team celebrated the 85-year-old Vitale’s return to Knoxville by supporting a cause to which he’s devoted much of his life. That earns them my collective title of NIL Mensch of the Month. (It should be an award, no?)

Since being allowed to profit from their NIL, several athletes have stepped up—helping teammates who earn less or no NIL money to feeding hungry families and supporting sick kids. The Vols just set the bar higher—for athletes and the rest of us.

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© 2025, Gail Sideman, gpublicity.com