LEGENDARY college basketball coach George Raveling has died at 88 years old.
The coach and executive was instrumental in getting Michael Jordan signed on with Nike.
George Raveling has died at 88 years old[/caption]
Raveling was instrumental in getting Michael Jordan to Nike[/caption]
Raveling’s family released a statement on Tuesday saying that he died surrounded by family after a battle with cancer.
“There are no words to fully capture what George meant to his family, friends, colleagues, former players, and assistants and to the world,” his family said.
“He will be profoundly missed, yet his aura, energy, divine presence, and timeless wisdom live on in all those he touched and transformed.”
Raveling was Nike’s global basketball sports marketing director and helped get Jordan signed on.
Marlon Wayans played him in the recent film Air, which showed the battle to sign Jordan.
“Sonny (Vaccaro) likes to take the credit. But it really wasn’t Sonny, it was actually George Raveling,” Jordan said of his signing in 2015.
“He used to always try to talk to me, ‘You gotta go Nike, you gotta go Nike. You’ve got to try.’”
Jordan has earned upwards of $1.5 billion in his deal with Nike.
He negotiated a five percent royalty on every pair of Jordans sold.
Raveling was a long-time face in college basketball as well as being a Nike executive.
He played for Villanova from 1957 to 1960 before becoming the team’s assistant head coach in 1963.
He also coached at Maryland, Washington State, Iowa, and USC before retiring in 1963.
Following Raveling’s death, an outpouring of support was shown for him on social media.
“Thanks for your impact, Coach. RIP,” one fan said.
Raveling was a long time college basketball coach[/caption]
“Condolences To The Raveling Family,” another fan said.
“My favorite Washington State University hoop coach. Loved him,” a third fan said.
“Oh man what awful news. Rest in peace coach,” a fourth fan said.
“Rest in peace, Coach Raveling. You will be remembered as a true legend,” a fifth fan said.
