George Raveling, a former Nike marketing executive and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame member, died at the age of 88, his family announced in a statement on social media.
“It is with deep sadness and unimaginable pain that we share the passing of our beloved ‘Coach,’ George Henry Raveling, who faced cancer with courage and grace,” Raveling’s family wrote in a statement. “There are no words to fully capture what George meant to his family, friends, colleagues, former players, and assistants − and to the world.”
After playing at Villanova in the early 1960s and beginning his coaching journey there, Raveling continued as an assistant coach at the University of Maryland before becoming head coach at Washington State, Iowa, and the University of Southern California. He then served as an assistant coach for the 1984 and 1988 US Olympic men’s basketball teams earned both gold and bronze medals, respectively. During this period, Raveling is credited with playing a pivotal role in Nike’s signing of Michael Jordan, a young player from the University of North Carolina.
