George Raveling, a former Nike executive and longtime college basketball coach, died Monday at 88.
The Hall of Fame basketball inductee guided USC men’s basketball from 1986-94, with trips to the NCAA Tournament in 1991 and 1992 and spots in the NIT in 1993 and 1994.
“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,” the Raveling family said in a statement released on social media. “He transitioned peacefully at 88, surrounded by family as well as love, faith and sacred protection.”
Raveling, born in Washington, D.C., played basketball at Villanova University and became head coach at Washington State and Iowa before finishing his coaching career at USC. He was named the NABC Coach of the Year in 1992 and 1994 and coached USC’s all-time leading scorer Harold Miner in 1992.
“Coach Rav was not only a Hall of Fame basketball mind but a tremendous person who paved the way on and off the court,” USC men’s basketball coach Eric Musselman said in a statement on social media. “He will be missed at USC and throughout the basketball community.”
Raveling was a Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductee in 2015. Two years earlier, he was inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame.
Following his retirement from USC in 1994 due to complications from a car accident in Los Angeles that left him with nine broken ribs and a broken collarbone and pelvis, he went on to become Nike’s global basketball sports marketing director.
The 2023 movie “Air” chronicled some of Raveling’s biggest moments with Nike, including advising Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro to sign Michael Jordan to a shoe deal in 1984. That contract that gave Jordan his own brand, made him millions of dollars and changed the athletic apparel industry forever.
Raveling coached Jordan while serving as an assistant coach under Bob Knight in the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
“For more than 40 years, he blessed my life with wisdom, encouragement, and friendship,” Jordan said in a statement. “He was a mentor in every sense and I’ll always carry deep gratitude for his guidance. I signed with Nike because of George, and without him, there would be no Air Jordan.”
NBA commissioner Adam Silver called Raveling “a pioneering force” who helped make basketball an international game.
“During his long and impactful tenure at Nike, George traveled the world – mentoring multiple generations of players and coaches promoting the sport that defined his identity,” Silver said in a statement. “He broke barriers as a college basketball coach and was a towering voice in our industry. I valued my friendship with George and admired how he led with poise, dignity and respect.”
Raveling was the first Black head coach in the ACC and the Pac-8 and, outside of basketball, volunteered as a bodyguard for Martin Luther King Jr.’s March on Washington in 1963. After the civil rights leader had finished addressing the crowd, Raveling asked for and received the original copy of the speech. Raveling held on to the copy until 2021, when he donated it to Villanova.
“Beyond accolades, he remained a lifelong learner and a kind, beautiful soul,” his family’s statement said, “always finding ways to pour into others and inspire the next generation.”
Former Villanova coach Jay Wright, who coached the team to national championships in 2016 and 2018, praised Raveling with a social media post.
“The finest human being, inspiring mentor, most loyal alum and a thoughtful loving friend,” Wright posted on X. “Coach Raveling lived his life for others, His heart was restless and kind and now rests In the lord!”
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
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