George Raveling stood beside Martin Luther King Jr. during the "I Have A Dream" speech and later became a trailblazing college basketball coach and Nike executive. He served as USC's head coach from 1986 to 1994, becoming the program's first Black head coach, and led USC to consecutive NCAA tournaments after early struggles. A serious 1994 car accident contributed to his retirement. He joined Nike, rose to director of international basketball, and helped arrange Michael Jordan's landmark Nike endorsement. Raveling was widely respected as a mentor whose influence extended well beyond wins and lasted across generations. He died at 88 after battling cancer.
As a young man, he stood next to Martin Luther King Jr. as he delivered his "I Have A Dream" speech. As a college basketball coach, he blazed a trail for Black coaches and players. As an executive, he was instrumental in signing Michael Jordan to his groundbreaking endorsement deal with Nike. George Raveling had an impact that stretched far beyond basketball, the sport which he last coached three decades ago at USC.
Raveling found his stride in the second half of his tenure, taking the Trojans to two straight NCAA tournaments and two NITs after that. But his overall record at USC never broke .500 (115-118). Then, in Sept. 1994, Raveling was in a serious car accident that eventually led him to retire. He suffered nine broken ribs and a collapsed lung and fractured his pelvis and collarbone.
Raveling, 88, died Monday after a battle with cancer, his family announced. "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 said in a statement. "He will be profoundly missed, yet his aura, energy, divine presence, and timeless wisdom live on in all those he touched and transformed."
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