George Raveling facts for kids
Raveling, circa 1971
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| Biographical details | |||||||||||||||||
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| Born | June 27, 1937 Washington, D.C., U.S. |
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| Playing career | |||||||||||||||||
| 1957–1960 | Villanova | ||||||||||||||||
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |||||||||||||||||
| 1963–1969 | Villanova (assistant) | ||||||||||||||||
| 1969–1972 | Maryland (assistant) | ||||||||||||||||
| 1972–1983 | Washington State | ||||||||||||||||
| 1983–1986 | Iowa | ||||||||||||||||
| 1986–1994 | USC | ||||||||||||||||
| Head coaching record | |||||||||||||||||
| Overall | 336–292 (.535) | ||||||||||||||||
| Tournaments | 2–6 (NCAA Division I) 2–2 (NIT) |
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| Accomplishments and honors | |||||||||||||||||
| Awards | |||||||||||||||||
| NABC Coach of the Year (1992) 3× Pac-10 Coach of the Year (1976, 1983, 1992) John Bunn Award (2013) |
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| Basketball Hall of Fame Inducted in 2015 |
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| College Basketball Hall of Fame Inducted in 2013 |
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Medal record
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George Henry Raveling (born June 27, 1937) is an American former college basketball player and coach. He played basketball at Villanova University. Later, he became a head coach for several college teams. These included Washington State University (1972–1983), the University of Iowa (1983–1986), and the University of Southern California (1986–1994).
After he stopped coaching in 1994, Raveling started working for Nike, Inc.. He became their global director for basketball sports marketing. He is also a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. A movie called Air was made about Nike signing Michael Jordan. In the film, Marlon Wayans plays George Raveling.
Contents
Early Life and Basketball Start
George Raveling was born and grew up in Washington, D.C.. He did not start playing basketball until he was in ninth grade. He attended St. Michael's, a Catholic boarding school in Pennsylvania. His grandmother's employer helped him get into the school. George's father passed away when he was nine. His mother needed special care when he was thirteen. Because of this, school became very important in his life.
College Basketball and First Coaching Jobs
Raveling went to Villanova University in Philadelphia. He played basketball for the Wildcats team. He was a great rebounder, setting school records for rebounds in a single game and a season. In his final year, he was the team captain. He led the Wildcats to play in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) in 1959 and 1960. After college, the Philadelphia Warriors picked him in the 1960 NBA draft.
Later, Raveling became an assistant coach at Villanova, his old school. Then, in 1969, he moved to Maryland. He worked for the new head coach, Lefty Driesell. At Maryland, he made history as the first African American coach in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
A Special Moment with Martin Luther King Jr.
On August 28, 1963, George Raveling was at the "March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom". He was helping with security on the stage. After Martin Luther King Jr. finished his famous "I Have a Dream" speech, Raveling asked him for the speech pages. King handed him the original typewritten pages. Raveling kept these important papers for many years. In 2013, someone offered him over three million dollars for the speech, but he said no. In 2021, he gave the speech to Villanova University. It is now on display at the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C.
Head Coaching Career Highlights
Leading Washington State (1972–1983)
In April 1972, George Raveling became the head coach at Washington State University. He was the first African-American basketball coach in the Pacific-8 Conference (now Pac-12). He coached the Washington State Cougars for eleven years. During his time, the team went to the NCAA tournament twice. The first time was in 1980, which was the first NCAA appearance for WSU since 1941. The second time was in 1983.
Raveling was one of the most successful coaches in Washington State's basketball history. He had a record of 167 wins and 136 losses. His teams had seven winning seasons, including five in a row from 1975–76 to 1980.
Some of his best players at Washington State included James Donaldson, Craig Ehlo, and Don Collins. These players went on to play in the NBA. Raveling was named Pac-8 Coach of the Year in 1976 and Pac-10 Coach of the Year in 1983.
Coaching at Iowa (1983–1986)
In April 1983, Raveling became the head coach at the University of Iowa. He led the Hawkeyes to two straight seasons with 20 or more wins. They also made it to the NCAA tournament in 1985 and 1986.
Assistant Coach for the 1984 Olympics
In 1984, Raveling was an assistant coach for the USA team at the Olympics in Los Angeles. The team was made up of college players. Bob Knight was the head coach, and future NBA stars like Steve Alford and Michael Jordan were on the team. The U.S. team won the gold medal, beating Spain 96–65 in the final game.
During his three years at Iowa, Raveling brought in many talented players. These included B. J. Armstrong, Kevin Gamble, Ed Horton, Roy Marble, and Greg Stokes. All of them later played in the NBA.
Time at USC (1986–1994)
In March 1986, Raveling moved back to the Pac-10 conference. He became the head coach for the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles.
During his time at USC, the Trojans reached the NCAA tournament in 1991 and 1992. They also played in the NIT in 1993 and 1994. Raveling received several awards while at USC. He was named Kodak National Coach of the Year in 1992 and CBS/Chevrolet National Coach of the Year in 1994.
Car Accident and Retirement
On September 25, 1994, George Raveling was in a serious car accident in Los Angeles. He was badly hurt, with several broken bones and a collapsed lung. He spent two weeks in intensive care. Because of his injuries and the long recovery he faced, he decided to retire from coaching. He left his job as head coach at USC on November 14, 1994, at the age of 57.
After Coaching
After retiring from coaching, Raveling started working for Nike, Inc.. He became the Director for International Basketball. He also wrote two books about rebounding drills for basketball players. These books are called War on the Boards and A Rebounder's Workshop. He has also worked as a sports commentator for CBS Sports and FOX Sports Net.
George Raveling still owns the original typewritten "I Have a Dream" speech. Martin Luther King Jr. gave it to him directly. In 2018, he was chosen by former University of Maryland coach Lefty Driesell to be one of the people to introduce Driesell into the Naismith Hall of Fame.
Awards and Recognition
George Raveling has received many honors for his contributions to basketball:
- In 2013, he received the John W. Bunn Lifetime Achievement Award from the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
- He was also inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013.
- On February 14, 2015, it was announced that George Raveling would be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
See also
In Spanish: George Raveling para niños
