Dick Vitale selects ‘All Rolls Royce PTPERS’ for 2025-26 college basketball season

ESPN analyst Dick Vitale has enjoyed a 46-year career as one of college basketball’s most recognized personalities.

The former head coach is famous for his unbridled enthusiasm for the game and his memorable catchphrases, such as “awesome, baby,” “dipsy-doo dunkeroo” and “diaper dandies.”

At age 86, Vitale is set to announce his first NCAA Tournament game on Tuesday. He returned to broadcasting early last year after surviving his third bout with cancer.

“I’m still doing games. It’s a miracle,” Vitale told USA Today during an interview this week. “It’s absolutely a miracle. I get emotional about it sometimes.”

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Through it all, Vitale has remained a keen observer of the college game. On Thursday, he announced on social media his Vitale Bald Dome Index (VBDI) honorees for the 2025-26 season.

The most prestigious awards go to Vitale’s “All Rolls Royce PTPERS,” his version of a first-team All-America list. JT Toppin of the Texas Tech Raiders, Cameron Boozer of the Duke Blue Devils, Darius Acuff Jr. of the Arkansas Razorbacks, Braden Smith of the Purdue Boilermakers and AJ Dybantsa of the BYU Cougars made the team.

Boozer, whom Vitale selected as his player of the year, is averaging 22.8 points, 10.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game for the No. 1-ranked Blue Devils. Furthermore, he is the son of Duke great Carlos Boozer, a Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer.

Dybantsa, Vitale’s offensive player of the year, is a celebrated freshman who averages a nation-best 25.3 points a game along with 6.7 boards and 3.8 assists. Toppin played 25 games for Texas Tech, posting 21.8 points and 10.8 rebounds per game, before suffering a season-ending knee injury.

BYU Cougars forward AJ Dybantsa (3) shoots over UConn Huskies forward Jayden Ross (23). Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images

Senior point guard Smith has turned in 14.6 points and 9 assists per game for the Boilermakers. And Acuff, a freshman guard, is averaging 22 points and 6.4 assists for the Razorbacks.

Vitale also named his “Diaper Dandy First Team” of top freshmen. It included Boozer, Dybantsa and Acuff along with Keaton Wagler of the Illinois Fighting Illini and Caleb Wilson of the North Carolina Tar Heels.

Florida Gators junior center Rueben Chinyelu, who leads the SEC at 11.7 rebounds per game, is Vitale’s defensive player of the year.

Finally, Miami of Ohio RedHawks head coach Travis Steele is Vitale’s VBDI Coach of the Year. As a result of Steele’s efforts, the RedHawks finished the regular season 31-0. Unfortunately, they lost Thursday in the first round of the Mid-American Conference Tournament.

Vitale will join Brian Anderson and Charles Barkley on the call for the second game of the First Four on Tuesday from Dayton, Ohio, on truTV.