George Raveling, basketball Hall of Famer and man who influenced Michael Jordan’s Nike deal, dies aged 88
Legendary coach and exec behind historic Michael Jordan deal dies aged 88
- Hall of Fame basketball coach George Raveling has died aged 88, with his family stating he "faced cancer with courage and grace".
- Raveling, inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015, coached at Washington State, Iowa, and Southern California from 1972-94.
- He was instrumental in Michael Jordan signing a landmark endorsement deal with Nike, introducing him to Sonny Vaccaro, which led to the creation of the iconic Air Jordan brand.
- Michael Jordan and NBA Commissioner Adam Silver paid tribute to Raveling's mentorship and his pioneering influence on basketball globally.
- Raveling famously owned the original copy of Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech, which he obtained at the 1963 March on Washington and later donated to his alma mater, Villanova.