The Architect of the Air Jordan Dies at 88

George Raveling, a Hall of Fame basketball coach who played a role in Michael Jordan signing a landmark endorsement deal with Nike, has died. He was 88. Raveling's family said Tuesday in a statement that he had "faced cancer with courage and grace," reports the AP. "There are no words to fully capture what George meant to his family, friends, colleagues, former players, and assistants—and to the world," the family statement read. "He will be profoundly missed, yet his aura, energy, divine presence, and timeless wisdom live on in all those he touched and transformed."

Raveling, who was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015, had a career record of 335-293 from 1972-94 at Washington State, Iowa, and Southern California. He had a losing record in his first season at each school before making multiple trips to the NCAA Tournament. His success at those programs landed Raveling on the US Olympic basketball staffs in 1984 and 1988. Jordan was on the 1984 team that won gold in Los Angeles, and Raveling helped convince him to sign with Nike. That contract gave Jordan his own brand, made him millions of dollars, and changed the athletic apparel industry. Marlon Wayans portrayed Raveling in the 2023 movie Air that focused on Nike's courtship of Jordan.

"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. "George traveled the world—mentoring multiple generations of players and coaches and promoting the sport that defined his identity," Silver said.

story continues below

Raveling owned the original copy of the "I Have a Dream" speed by Martin Luther King Jr. He was working security at the 1963 March on Washington in which King delivered one of the most famous speeches in American history. As King was exiting, Raveling saw him and asked if he could have the speech, and the reverend handed it to him. Raveling held on to the copy until 2021, when he donated it to his alma mater, Villanova.