Hall of Famer George Raveling passed away on Monday at the age of 88.
The legendary basketball coach who played a pivotal role in shaping the sport’s history has lost his battle with cancer.
The sad news was confirmed by his family through a social media post on Tuesday.
According to the statement, Raveling was surrounded by his loved ones during his final moments.
“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. He transitioned peacefully at 88, surrounded by family as well as love, faith and sacred protection. There are no words to fully capture what George meant to his family, friends, colleagues, former players and assistants — to the world. He will be profoundly missed, yet his aura, energy, divine presence and timeless wisdom live on in all those he touched and transformed,” a part of the post reads.
Following the heartbreaking news, figures across the basketball world expressed their sorrow as they mourned the passing of the esteemed sports executive.
NBA’s official Instagram dedicated a post, noting the message from Adam Silver, the association’s commissioner, who highlighted his great “influence” in basketball and being the “pioneering force behind its global growth.”
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Chris Matthews, known as basketball’s most sought-after shooting coach, honored him with a one-word comment: “Legend.”
In addition, USA Basketball also penned a touching tribute, recognizing his lasting impact on the sport.
“USA Basketball celebrates the life & legacy of two-time Olympic basketball assistant coach George Raveling. George was a trusted friend & advisor to USA Basketball & he will be missed. Our condolences to the Raveling family & all of George’s loved ones,” the caption reads.
Who Was George Raveling and His Connection to Michael Jordan
Raveling cemented his name in basketball through his impressive coaching career, spanning from being the head coach at Washington State, the University of Iowa and the University of Southern California.
After retiring from coaching, he began a new chapter as an executive at Nike, joining the company at the age of 63.
With his position and connection to basketball, he played a pivotal role in persuading NBA star Michael Jordan to sign with the brand.
In an interview with NBC Sports in 2015, the basketball legend confessed that he was a big fan of Adidas and had “never worn Nike shoes” until he signed with them.
“Prior to all of that, Sonny (Vaccaro) likes to take the credit. But it really wasn’t Sonny, it was actually George Raveling,” he revealed, adding, “George Raveling was with me on the 1984 Olympics team (as an assistant coach under Bob Knight). He used to always try to talk to me, ‘You gotta go Nike, you gotta go Nike. You’ve got to try.’”
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