Former Villanova player, then universities coach of Washington State (1972 – 1983), Iowa (1983–ging) and Southern California (1986 – 1394), George RAVELING died at the age of 88.
A death that resulted in a rain of tributes because George Raveling was an extremely influential figure in the world of basketball, thanks to his important responsibilities at Nike. Assistant coach of the American team at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, he had notably helped Phil Knight to sign Michael Jordan.
“George Raveling influenced basketball at all levels and was a pioneer of his global boom. During his long and influential career at Nike, George has traveled around the world, supervising several generations of players and coaches to promote sport that defined his identity ” explained Adam Silver in a press release. “He broke the barriers as a university basketball coach and was an influential voice in our sector. I really appreciated my friendship with George and I admired the way he directed with calm, dignity and respect. He was simply one of the most respected people in the basketball world. On behalf of all the members of the NBA, I send my sincere condolences to the family and friends of George, as well as to the countless people he marked throughout his extraordinary life. »»
In 1963, he also participated in ensuring security during the famous “march on Washington for employment and freedom” during which Martin Luther King delivered his historical speech “I have a dream”. At the end of it, George Raveling had recovered the typed pages of the text.
For a long time, he kept the speech preciously, even if he was offered several million dollars to redeem him. In 2021, he finally left it to his former University of Villanova.
