Former Chicago Bulls star and six-time NBA champion Michael Jordan’s ex-wife, Juanita Vanoy, mourned on social media the death of George Raveling, who played a huge role.
In a story on Instagram, Juanita Vanoy, ex-wife of Michael Jordan, shared the news of the passing of George Raveling, who recently died after a battle with cancer. He was 88 years old.
In a separate statement, Jordan also expressed his emotions on the passing of Raveling, who played a huge part in his historic Nike deal. In his statement, Jordan called the late coach his “mentor in every sense.”
“For more than 40 years, he blessed my life with wisdom, encouragement, and friendship,” he said. “I signed with Nike because of George, and without him, there would be no Air Jordan. He lived an extraordinary life, breaking barriers and paving the way for so many who came after him. My thoughts are with Delores, Mark, and George’s many, many friends.”
JUST IN: Michael Jordan’s statement on the passing of George Raveling. pic.twitter.com/yPLAnjxcNp
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) September 2, 2025
Raveling is considered by many fans as the architect of the historic deal of Michael Jordan with Nike, starting with him arranging a meeting for Jordan and then Nike’s Sonny Vacarro. In later years, Jordan himself acknowledged that without Raveling’s guidance and persistence, there would have been no Air Jordan brand.
Michael Jordan’s NASCAR Team Faces Lawsuit
Michael Jordan’s NASCAR team, 23XI Racing, joined Front Row Motorsports in federal court Tuesday as both organizations urged Judge Kenneth Bell to grant a preliminary injunction preserving their charter status while their antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR moves toward trial.
The two teams filed an 11-page response after NASCAR notified the court it would halt redistributing any freed-up charters until the case concludes on December 1. The dispute dates back to last September, when 23XI and Front Row refused NASCAR’s final charter-extension offers that 13 other teams ultimately signed.
The proceedings took an unexpected turn when expletive emails and text messages from Jordan and other prominent litigants became public, highlighting the acrimonious negotiations underlying the lawsuit.. NASCAR initially won an injunction allowing both outfits to compete as chartered teams this season, but that order was overturned, leaving 23XI and Front Row to race as “open” entries and face demands to return charter payments.
Attorneys for 23XI and Front Row warned that without immediate relief, their ability to retain drivers and maintain sponsor commitments remains in jeopardy, pressing for a ruling ahead of the December trial date.
The court’s imminent decision will determine whether Michael Jordan’s team can reclaim its charter privileges before the antitrust case proceeds.
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Dan has been active in sports since 2016 and has worked behind the scenes as a scriptwriter for basketball, volleyball, and other sports. At a time, Dan has also been working as a sports commentator for CBA Pilipinas. During the pandemic, he has also been actively writing betting articles for CashBet and BetNow.
