By Jamie H. Vaught

Editor

Longtime broadcaster Dick Vitale has another basketball book out.

The 327-page paperback, titled “Dick Vitale’s Mount Rushmores of College Basketball,” is impressive, and is loaded with stories and colorful pictures about the coaches and players during his 40 years at ESPN. The book (Nico 11 Publishing & Design, $29.99) is co-written with veteran sportswriter Dick Weiss and stats guru Howie Schwab.

Vitale said it was a lot of fun putting these All-Mount Rushmore teams together for the book. The announcer added the fans will debate and make a case for different people in several categories.

“That’s the fun part, like being at a sports bar and debating who you liked more,” he commented. “I could have gone with a number of people for coaching and playing honors. At the end, I made some tough decisions. I do want to be very clear that all of my Mount Rushmore players and coaches are only from my era at ESPN, which began on December 7, 1979.”

Several Kentucky connections, including John Calipari and Cawood Ledford, are mentioned in the volume.

“I'm proud to say that every dollar that I would make is given to the V Foundation for Cancer Research for pediatric cancer,” said Vitale, who has tirelessly promoted the never-ending fight against cancer for years. He raised $3.7 million for pediatric cancer research last year.

By the way, UK fans can get a personal autographed copy from Vitale by ordering online at DickVitaleOnline.com.

If you are a hoops junkie, you certainly don’t want miss that one.

Jamie H. Vaught, a longtime columnist in Kentucky, is the author of four books about UK basketball. He is the editor and founder of KySportsStyle.com magazine and a professor at Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College in Middlesboro. You can follow him on Twitter @KySportsStyle or reach him via e-mail at KySportsStyle@gmail.com.