S. “He used to always try. -George Raveling; Your voice tells you to do some stupid sh!t. However, after he met George Raveling at a bar in California, he knew what he had to do. But it really wasn’t Sonny, it was actually George Raveling. Jason Bateman as Rob Strasser. . Collaborators and longtime friends Affleck and Damon reunite as Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro and Nike co-founder Phil Knight, respectively. Marlon Wayans as George Raveling and Chris. Even what it means, “Adidas”, “All day I dream about sex. ". But it really wasn’t Sonny, it was actually George Raveling. Matt Damon takes on the role of Sonny Vaccaro, who led Nike’s pursuit in signing Michael Jordan during his rookie years. John "Sonny" Vaccaro has long been cast as some kind of mafioso, strong-arming amateur basketball for much of his 63 years. AIR. In the film, Vaccaro first met with Jordan through his friend George Raveling, who was the assistant to the national team coach, Bobby Knight. But it really wasn’t Sonny, it was actually George Raveling. I t was a cutthroat, lucrative, and often corrupt culture that Sonny Vaccaro and his sneaker company competitors created during the ’90s and early ’00s, when Adidas, Nike, Reebok, and others zealously sought to find “the next Michael Jordan. Former basketball coach George Raveling (left) is. Sonny Vaccaro, the former shoe marketer widely credited with inventing the summer basketball scene, seethed as he watched the news conference. From Sonny Vaccaro to Deloris Jordan, here is what you need to know about the real people who inspired the characters in Ben Affleck’s ‘Air. Sonny Vaccaro is played by Matt Damon. George Raveling is a former Olympics basketball coach who worked with Jordan at the 1984 and 1988 Olympics. "Sonny (Vaccaro) likes to take the credit. If you watched Matt Damon try to vie for Michael Jordan’s sponsorship for Nike in the 2023 biographical sports drama film Air, you might be wondering: where is Sonny Vaccaro now?. But it really wasn’t Sonny, it was actually George Raveling. The movie depicts Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro seeking advice from Raveling, Jordan’s trusted Olympic coach, to help sign the NBA rookie to a blockbuster shoe deal in 1984. Wayans joins the cast as George Raveling, the trailblazing college basketball coach (the first Black coach in both the ACC and the PAC 10), who met and befriended Jordan while serving as an. Both Ben Affleck and Matt Damon will star as Phil Knight and Sonny Vaccaro, respectively. We’ve shared the full cast list below: Matt Damon as Sonny Vaccaro. George Raveling was with me on the 1984 Olympics team (as an. Vaccaro was a key. George Raveling, director of international basketball for Nike, played by Marlon Wayans . Knight, Jordan, Nike exec George Raveling, and. So he flies to Los Angeles and seeks advice from his good friend George Raveling, the famed Olympic basketball coach, played here by Marlon Wayans. Marlon Wayans as George Raveling, one of Jordan’s coaches at the 1984 Olympics; and Viola Davis as Michael’s mother, Deloris Jordan. The first trailer is here for “Air,” the movie starring Ben Affleck as Nike co-founder Phil Knight and Matt Damon as Sonny Vaccaro, a Nike executive trying to sign basketball rookie Michael. Getty Images Vaccaro and Raveling were close friends during their time at Nike, so much so that Raveling was. While accounts differ over who is most responsible for the partnership, Air focuses largely on Sonny Vaccaro, the Nike executive said to have first conceived the idea. Enter a livewire Matt Damon as Sonny Vaccaro, a sweaty schlub in charge of Nike's flailing basketball division. Getting Fired from Nike. George Raveling was with me on the 1984 Olympics team (as an assistant coach under Bob Knight). “Sonny (Vaccaro) likes to take the credit. Affleck stars as the billionaire and former Nike CEO Phil Knight, while Damon plays Sonny Vaccaro, a Nike marketing executive in charge of expanding Nike’s presence in basketball. The dynamics. Raveling’s shorthand with Sonny speaks of a past history and trust communicated with small gestures and easy laughs. Then he also said Howard White is integral to this too. Michael Jordan says marketing executive George Raveling, not Sonny Vaccaro, sold him on signing. Few figures in sportswear are as impactful as the great Sonny Vaccaro. Raveling became a rival to Sonny for the same position at Nike. Matt Damon as Sonny Vaccaro and Viola Davis as Deloris Jordan / Courtesy of Amazon Studios. George Raveling (Marlon Wayans), to put in a good word, Raveling declares that following the “I Have a Dream” speech in. That said, the part in the film in which Sonny Vaccaro visits Deloris in North. The debut trailer for Air premiered on Wednesday, February 9th, and quickly introduces Sonny Vaccaro as he's brought in by Nike co-founder Phil Knight (Ben Affleck). Vaccaro and Jordan. Matt Damon’s Nike apparel player scout Sonny Vaccaro enters a convenience store (painstakingly re-created to authentically match the era, right down to athletes on cereal boxes), also casually. Meg Ryan talks new rom-com, travel and 'Sleepless in Seattle'. Recommendations Slide 1 of 7The first trailer is here for “Air,” the movie starring Ben Affleck as Nike co-founder Phil Knight and Matt Damon as Sonny Vaccaro, a Nike executive trying to sign basketball rookie Michael. Vaccaro sought the help of his close friend and basketball coach, George Raveling, to reach out to Jordan. “Prior to all of that, Sonny (Vaccaro) likes to take the credit. Matt Damon stars in the film as Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro,. ''When you talk power, that means someone who can manipulate,'' says Raveling. Vaccaro sought the help of his close friend and basketball coach, George Raveling, to reach out to Jordan. Vaccaro also has to convince Jordan to sign with Nike despite a previous preference for Adidas. Director Ben Affleck and castmates Matt Damon, Chris Tucker, Jason Bateman, Chris Messina and Marlon Wayans talk new film "Air. Talent scout Sonny Vaccaro came up with the bold idea of building a sneaker line around a recent NBA draft pick by the name of Michael Jordan. Memorable parts by Chris Tucker as Howard White, who traded his basketball uniform for a corporate suit, and Marlon Wayans as 1984 Olympics coach George Raveling notwithstanding, “Air” often. Gustaf Skarsgård as. Back then, Sonny was laughed at by Nike honchos Howard White (Chris Tucker), Rob Strasser (Jason Bateman) and George Raveling (Marlon Wayans). “Sonny (Vaccaro) likes to take the credit. He famously takes credit for bringing Michael. “Prior to all of that, Sonny (Vaccaro) likes to take the credit. Matt Damon plays Sonny Vaccaro, a former sports marketing executive who had the genius idea to sign Michael to his first-ever sneaker deal. The all-star cast includes Matt Damon as maverick Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro, Ben Affleck as Nike co-founder Phil Knight, Viola Davis as Deloris Jordan, Jason Bateman as Rob Strasser, Chris Messina as David Falk, Marlon Wayans as George Raveling, Chris Tucker as Howard White, Matthew Maher as Peter Moore, Gustaf. Mais il n'y a pas que Sonny qui a fait changer d'avis MJ, il y a aussi George Raveling. S. But it really wasn’t Sonny, it was actually George Raveling. “You can never say never,” said Gary Charles, the head coach of the New York Panthers and a Vaccaro lieutenant from 1992-2006, when Vaccaro hung up his kicks and retired . Dream teams don't come much dreamier than the cast of Air. In Air, Damon’s Sonny Vaccaro, a Nike exec, gets the distinct honor of delivering said Inspirational Speech at the film’s climactic moment—which,. Directed by Ben Affleck, the movie stars Matt Damon as Sonny Vaccaro, who comes up with the idea of a shoe line created around Jordan. and George Raveling (Marlon Wayans) who helped. Running time: 112 minutes. 故事主要講述耐克公司的鞋子推銷員 桑尼·瓦卡洛 （ 英语 ： Sonny Vaccaro ） （戴蒙飾演）努力讓知名球星麥可·喬登穿上自家生產的鞋子，達成代言合約。 本片2023年3月18日先在西南偏南首映，2023年4月5日亞馬遜影業安排在美國上映，華納兄弟負責國際市場發行. Raveling and Sonny had a falling out over the summer high school basketball programs that Sonny ran. On the surface, the film tracks how sports marketing executive Sonny Vaccaro (Matt Damon) spearheaded a massive gamble to bet the company’s entire basketball division budget on then-rookie. But it really wasn’t Sonny, it was actually George Raveling. Julius Tennon as James Jordan. How to watch 'Air' movie. As is shown in the film, Vaccaro insisted that rather than spreading their $2 million budget around a host of different basketball players, they should give it all to Jordan in order to secure the. In reality, Vaccaro met with Michael Jordan at Tony Roma's with George Raveling (portrayed in "Air" by Marlon Wayans) before Vaccaro and Deloris Jordan began speaking over the phone. Vaccaro later visits a 7-Eleven convenience store, posing the same question to a store clerk while purchasing a Sports Illustrated magazine. “George Raveling was with me on the 1984 Olympics team (as an. CEO Phil Knight (Affleck) tells Damon’s Sonny Vaccaro like a disappointed dad,. 5 million contract with Nike, which paved the way for the debut of the Air Jordan shoe line. He used to always try to talk to me, ‘You gotta go Nike, you gotta go Nike. (Nike marketing official) George Raveling and. . George Raveling was with me on the 1984 Olympics team (as an. Raveling, who calls Vaccaro ''Pear'' because of his shape, has been a confidant since the 1960s. The biopic will focus on Sonny Vaccaro, the creator of the Air Jordan sneakers. " "I stayed at [Jordan's] home," Vaccaro said. P. 22:03. Raveling eventually became Vaccaro's competitor when he. At only 24 years of age, the Pennsylvania native founded the Dapper Dan Roundball Classic in 1965. ". Phil Knight (Affleck) and Marketing V. It was a hard task, considering that Nike was the least favourite contender at that time. Ben Affleck plays Nike co-founder Phil Knight and Matt Damon plays shoe salesman-turned Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro. 7. Matt Damon as Sonny Vaccaro . Prior to this encounter, MJ had no knowledge of Nike. Michael Jordan était revenu sur l'importance de son ancien coach de l'équipe olympique de basket dans son choix de signer au sein de la griffe de Portland et il avait ajouté lors d'une interview : "Sonny (Vaccaro) aime s'attribuer les mérites. Sonny Vaccaro was fired from Nike for allegedly planning on pursuing other business ventures outside of the Nike franchise, whilst. In hindsight, it's a eureka moment. Crafts/DIY. Director (and Boston’s own) Ben Affleck’s latest tells the tale of. The cast also includes Jason Bateman as Rob Strasser, Marlon Wayans as George Raveling and Chris Tucker as Howard White. Mais ce n'est. George Raveling was with me on the 1984 Olympics team (as an assistant coach under Bob. Damon plays sneaker executive Sonny Vaccaro, while Affleck portrays Nike CEO Phil Knight. RELATED: Ben Affleck and Matt Damon to Star in Biopic About Nike's Sonny Vaccaro. Nike CEO Phil Knight (Ben Affleck) meets with salesman Sonny Vaccaro (Matt Damon) and expresses his growing disappointment with the company's performance and lack of vision around the basketball. But it really wasn’t Sonny, it was actually George Raveling. Affleck directs Damon for the first time as Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro, while he also steps in front of the camera to play Nike co-founder Phil Knight, with Jason Bateman as Rob Strasser, Chris. "Air," the new movie directed by Affleck and written by Alex Convery, tells the story of Nike’s pursuit to sign Michael Jordan and. With Matt Damon, Jason Bateman, Ben Affleck, Chris Messina. Jordan credits Raveling ( played in the film by Marlon Wayons ), a Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer who in 1983 became Iowa’s first African. The main cast also includes Matthew Maher. Naturally, Jordan has expressed his gratitude towards Vaccaro but credits former coach George Raveling for first encouraging the now-60-year-old to sign a deal with Nike. This image released by Amazon Prime Video shows Matt Damon as Sonny Vaccaro, left, and and Viola Davis as Deloris Jordan in a scene from "Air. ” Sonny Vaccaro: That’s not what it means. Chris Messina as David Falk. George Raveling is a former Olympics basketball coach who worked with Jordan at the 1984 and 1988 Olympics. But Vaccaro refused to give up. Nike employee Sonny Vaccaro believes. Matt Damon plays Sonny Vaccaro, an executive of Nike’s basketball division tasked with breathing live into the department. CHANG: When Jordan's agent, a hilariously foul-mouthed Chris Messina, refuses to so much as grant Nike. One could make an argument that the system which has developed through greedy businessmen building on Vaccaro's. Sonny believes he can restore Nike to its former glory by putting immense talent behind a sneaker. Sonny Vaccaro, who embarked on the search to sign Michael Jordan, played by Matt Damon . (Jason Bateman), David Falk (Chris Messina), Peter Moore (Matthew Maher), George Raveling (Marlon. Nike colleges. So he flies to Los Angeles and seeks advice from his good friend George Raveling, the famed Olympic basketball coach, played here by Marlon Wayans. '. As Nike exec Sonny Vaccaro attempts to sign then-rookie basketball player Michael Jordan to a multimillion dollar deal, Air’s music takes viewers on that journey with him and his team. Jordan said Vaccaro “likes to take credit,” but that it was marketing executive and former basketball player George Raveling (played in the film by Marlon Wayans) that sold him on Nike. Led by music supervisor Andrea von Foerster, the film is a throwback to 1984 in a huge way, with plenty of songs by well-known solo artists and bands. Well, all of. Air, both directed and starring Affleck, the film follows the real-life story of Sonny Vaccaro (Damon), the sneaker salesman who signed Michael Jordan to his first-ever endorsement deal. Olympic men's basketball team, to bring Michael Jordan to lunch. The untitled movie will tell “the incredible story of how maverick sneaker salesman Sonny Vaccaro. Net worth: $5 million. (IMDb) Change Photo Log Report Last Update: 4 months ago“There’s nothing cool about Nike,” Marlon Wayans says as George Raveling in the trailer for Ben Affleck and Matt Damon‘s new movie “Air. Matt Damon (Sonny Vaccaro) First up on the list is the main man himself,. Michael Jordan says marketing executive George Raveling, not Sonny Vaccaro, sold him on signing with Nike. In the fall of 1984, a 21-year-old Jordan inked a five-year deal with Nike for $2. ” It was a very different. Falk, Raveling, and White are all people involved with either Jordan or Nike, while Viola. But it really wasn’t Sonny, it was actually George Raveling. S. Sonny’s travels take him to meetings with the influential coach and mentor George Raveling (Marlon Wayans)—and to the Jordan home, where he has a backyard bench summit with Michael’s mother. Jordan weighed in, as did Nike co-founder Phil Knight, Nike executive George Raveling, former Nike basketball adviser Sonny Vaccaro and former Nike executive Peter Moore. Revelling/Reckoning: Directed by Zach Neumeyer. George Raveling was with me on the 1984 Olympics team. George Raveling initially urged Michael Jordan to join Nike. Harper for EW . Matthew Maher as Peter Moore. Michael Jordan himself has also given credit to George Raveling for. Matt Damon will assume the role of Sonny Vaccaro,. What we know about the Air cast and crew. Chris Tucker as Howard White uses his comedic persona to great advantage. George Raveling (Marlon Wayans), to put in a good word, Raveling declares that following the “I Have a Dream” speech in. Coach George Raveling. ) to hear their proposal. Basketball coach George Raveling was the best man at the Vaccaro wedding before the two had a falling out in the years. Marlon Wayans as iconic coach George Raveling, and. The company had a modest goal of earning $3 million from the sneakers over a three-year period. As other companies also try to court Jordan, Nike must enlist the help of his former coach George Raveling (played by Wayans). , Saturday, October 14, 2023. Raveling took up a rival. Sonny Vaccaro received a promise from Team USA coach George Raveling, who played a pivotal role in persuading Michael to consider the deal. The superstar himself, meanwhile, credits a different man with the deal: “Sonny likes to take the credit,” Jordan has said, “But it really wasn’t Sonny, it was actually George Raveling. " He added, "Michael’s lying more than Phil [Knight] and Raveling. “Air” is the origin story of a shoe, and not just any shoe. In doing so, Vaccaro ended up having a falling out with his friend George Raveling, who served as a coach at Southern California, Iowa, and Washington State. E. All opinions are my own. , and Vaccaro decides to. It didn’t go well. While Sonny Vaccaro is the main character in ‘Air’ as the story revolves around his belief in Michael Jordan more so than anybody, Michael himself has said that another man was just as instrumental, if not more, in bringing him to Nike. ’” Matt Damon stars in the film as Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro,. Air, which will be released in theaters on April 5, tells the story of Sonny Vaccaro (Damon), who, in the 1980s, was in charge of Nike’s fledgling basketball division. Jordan prior to meeting her in ‘Air,’ for the sake of elevating the charm. -Phil Knight movie quotes from AIR (2023) We need you in these shoes, not to have meaning in your life, but so we can have meaning in ours. '. playing basketball coach George Raveling, laments in the trailer. Most notably Wayans was an assistant coach to Bobby Knight for the United States Olympic team in 1984 which Michael Jordan was a part of and went. . In doing so, Vaccaro ended up having a falling out with his friend George Raveling, who served as a coach at Southern California, Iowa, and Washington State. C. The story will center. “Prior to all of that, Sonny (Vaccaro) likes to take the credit. Viola Davis as Deloris Jordan. Marlon Wayans will play George Raveling, a trailblazer in college basketball who was the first Black coach in the Atlantic Coast Conference and the Pacific-10. George Raveling was with me on the 1984 Olympics team. ” Raveling played at Villanova and coached at Washington. ”. George Raveling was with me on the 1984 Olympics team (as an. Vaccaro went to great lengths to convince Jordan, first meeting with his friend George Raveling (played by Marlon Wayans), assistant coach to Team USA’s basketball team. George Raveling is the first person to talk to Michael about Nike. Alex G. “George Raveling was with me on the 1984 Olympics team (as an. Matt Damon stars as Vaccaro while Ben Affleck, who also directs, plays Nike co-founder Phil Knight. Matt Damon is Sonny Vaccaro. Raveling had a close personal relationship with Vaccaro at that time. George Raveling was with me on the 1984 Olympics team (as an assistant coach under Bob. In 2015, Michael Jordan shared his perspective on the events leading up to his deal with Nike in an interview with USA Today. Vaccaro’s storied relationship with Nike ended on a. John "Sonny" Vaccaro has long been cast as some kind of mafioso, strong-arming amateur basketball for much of his 63 years. But George Raveling knew all of Vaccaro’s tricks, and according to former Nike and Adidas executive David Bond, the former best friends “were doing whatever they could to get the key players. But it really wasn’t Sonny, it was actually George Raveling,” he said. The footage features Nike CEO Phil Knight (Ben Affleck) questioning Sonny Vaccaro. The duo are joined by Viola Davis as Michael Jordan’s. Viola Davis plays Deloris Jordan, Michael Jordan's mother. Vaccaro’s impact on sports marketing and basketball is significant. At the time, Nike had. George Raveling, Vaccaro journeys to Wilmington, North Carolina, to persuade Michael’s mother, Deloris,. In the movie ‘ Air ’, it was depicted that Vaccaro (played by Matt Damon) and Raveling (played by Marlon Wayans) met at a California bar and the latter explained to the Nike talent scout just how much. Sonny Vaccaro, the adidas representative who runs this camp and once ran Nike's, has criticism of the system from which he profits. George Raveling is crazy. "George Raveling was with me on the 1984 Olympics team (as. Vaccaro was a key figure in. "Prior to all of that, Sonny (Vaccaro) likes to take the credit. The package is worth approximately $100,000, according to Nike’s George Raveling. It was a hard task, considering that Nike was the least favourite contender at that time. George Raveling was with me on the 1984 Olympics team (as an. The basketball star wanted Nike executive Howard White, who would become vice president of the Jordan Brand, and former college basketball coach George Raveling to be included in the story. But it really wasn’t Sonny, it was actually George Raveling,” he said. Affleck serves as director and co-producer alongside Damon, David. The Nike executives, salesmen, and. Marlon Wayans plays the legendary basketball player and coach George Ravelling in a brief yet crucial appearance. From Sonny Vaccaro to Deloris Jordan, here is what you need to know about the real people who inspired the characters in Ben Affleck's 'Air. Air is set in 1984, when Nike exec Sonny Vaccaro (Matt Damon) persuaded Jordan to be the face of Nike's basketball shoes. ” “Puma”, “Please use my a**. . Smart guy. Damon portrays sneaker salesman. George Raveling was one of them. But it really wasn’t Sonny, it was actually George Raveling. Other cast members include Jason Bateman as Rob Strasser, Chris Messina as David Falk, Marlon Wayans as George Raveling, Chris Tucker as Howard White, Matthew Maher as Peter Moore, Gustaf. Sonny Vaccaro now in his. S. George Raveling (Marlon Wayans), a friend of Vaccaro’s who coached Michael Jordan in the 1984 Olympic basketball team, weighs in with encouragement. George Raveling, Assistant coach to Bob Knight coached MJ at USA basketball in the 1984 Olympics formed a great relationship with MJ and his family during that time. Knight said Vaccaro helped but “wasn’t the. Matt Damon and Viola Davis in a scene from the movie AIR. Long gone. ’” George Raveling, seen here in 1983, went from Sonny Vaccaro’s close friend to rival. The plot. In response to this, Marketing VP Rob Strasser, along with co-founder. . George Raveling was the best man at Sonny Vaccaro’s wedding and so it’s obvious that the two had a great relationship with one another. Affleck's longtime friend and longtime collaborator plays. After Vaccaro was let go by Nike and replaced by his best friend George Raveling, and he moved to Adidas where he snagged big names Tracy McGrady and Kobe Bryant for the brand, but also let others like Allen Iverson slip to Reebok. Back then, Sonny was laughed at by Nike honchos Howard White (Chris Tucker), Rob Strasser (Jason Bateman) and George Raveling (Marlon Wayans). "Near the end of the negotiation, basketball legend Michael Jordan’s mom drops a dealbreaker on Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro when she says we are good “except for one minor provision – Michael gets a percentage of the revenue of each shoe sold. Raveling introduced Jordan to Vaccaro, and Jordan told USA Today that Raveling kept telling him, “You gotta go Nike, you gotta go Nike. There is a scene in the film where Sonny Vaccaro, after having a conversation with George Raveling (the assistant coach of the U. on a landmark. Watch on. The same goes for Hampton High coach. The movie depicts Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro seeking advice from Raveling, Jordan’s trusted Olympic coach, to help sign the NBA rookie to a blockbuster shoe deal in 1984. Marlon Wayans even leaves a strong if brief impression as Jordan’s former Olympics coach George Raveling. The footage features Nike CEO Phil Knight (Ben Affleck) questioning Sonny Vaccaro. Raveling introduced Jordan to Vaccaro, and Jordan told USA Today that Raveling kept telling him, “You gotta go Nike, you gotta go Nike. Remember when I mentioned Jordan had three requests for Affleck, the second one was that he create a part for George Raveling, who was Jordan’s Olympic. “But I think it’s. Chris Messina as David Falk, and Marlon Wayans as George Raveling. 5 million. Sonny Vaccaro and basketball coach George Raveling were close friends, so Raveling was Sonny’s second wedding best man. Sonny Vaccaro skipped the standard practice and contacted Michael Jordan’s family directly, talking directly with Michael’s mother, Deloris. He famously takes credit for bringing Michael. George Raveling is a former Olympics basketball coach who worked with Jordan at the 1984 and 1988 Olympics. Marlon Wayans as George Raveling. You’ve got to try. Matt Damon stars in the film as Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro,. Raveling had a falling out with Sonny over the business of summer high school basketball camps that Sonny ran. He meets with Sonny Vaccaro in Los Angeles, and that's when the Nike. AIR parents guide (2023) I was able to screen AIR in order to write this AIR Parents Guide. . He recently appeared on the Brown and. “Prior to all of that, Sonny (Vaccaro) likes to take the credit. Follows the history of shoe salesman Sonny Vaccaro, and how he led Nike in its pursuit of the greatest athlete in the history of basketball: Michael Jordan. Sonny Vaccaro is introduced in the film with scenes of him going to Las Vegas after college basketball tournaments in order to gamble and place bets on NBA games, establishing him as a man who likes to take risks. Sonny Vaccaro's Side of the Story. Michael Jordan himself has also given credit to George Raveling for. Recommendations Slide 1 of 7 Matt Damon as Sonny Vaccaro in "Air. Williams and Raveling insist Williams does not receive money personally. Courtesy of Amazon Studios. The film, about how Nike signed Michael Jordan in 1984, also stars Matt Damon as Nike exec Sonny Vaccaro. With Nike convinced, Vaccaro and then-friend George Raveling got a sitdown lunch with Michael Jordan at Tony Roma’s in Los Angeles during the 1984 Olympic training camp. Damian Young as Michael Jordan. Sonny Vaccaro Personal Life. Image via Amazon Studios Where did Nike, a brand that was barely. Marlon Wayans as George Raveling;. ” Raveling played at Villanova and coached at Washington. Marlon Wayans as George Raveling . Sonny Vaccaro. With Nike convinced, Vaccaro and then-friend George Raveling got a sitdown lunch with Michael Jordan at Tony Roma’s in Los Angeles during the 1984 Olympic training camp. Vaccaro, on the podcast, responded to Jordan's comments: "Michael is delusional. Sonny Vaccaro (Matt Damon), a basketball guru and a major promoter in the high-school and college game, is employed by Nike to provide contacts in the basketball world. SONNY VACCARO. Tensions run high between Fennel,. The second person Michael gives credit to for his deal with Nike is George Raveling, who had been convincing him to go with Nike for years. Sonny Vaccaro is the controversial figure at the center of the most recent 30 for 30 film “Sole Man. Post the ideation, Sonny’s next task was to persuade the NBA player to ditch Adidas and convert into a Nike enthusiast. He is not, at least on the surface, a slam dunk movie hero. George Raveling, seen here in 1983, went from Sonny Vaccaro’s close friend to rival. Matt Damon stars in the film as Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro, who tries to win over Jordan’s mother, Deloris (Viola Davis), amid the negotiation process. Air follows Nike shoe salesman Sonny Vaccaro as he prompts a rookie Michael Jordan's game-changing partnership with Nike's basketball division which created the iconic Air Jordan brand. Ben Affleck as Phil Knight. The film also stars Affleck as Nike co-founder Phil Knight, Matt Damon as marketing executive Sonny Vaccaro, Chris Messina as sports agent David Falk, Marlon Wayans as basketball coach George Raveling, Chris Tucker as Howard White, Matthew Maher as creative director Peter Moore, and Jason Bateman as Nike chairman Rob. Sonny meets his good friend, George Raveling, who had crucially been the coach of the US basketball team at the. Ben Affleck’s Air is ostensibly a biopic about the elevation of Nike’s brand from fledgling shoe company to a behemoth of the sports world. Jason Bateman, Chris Tucker, Chris Messina, Julius Tennon and Matthew Maher also star. Image via Amazon Studios. Sonny Vaccaro is a former sports marketing executive who spent years promoting brands including Nike, Adidas, and Reebok. Affleck stars as Nike’s co-founder Phil Knight. Jordan never appears on screen in the film. The film will be released in theaters April 5, 2023. Sonny Vaccaro and his wife Pam live in Calabasas, California. The film will be released in theaters April 5, 2023. Knight took exception to. Vaccaro claimed he was able to convince Jordan — who wore Converse in college. Papa plays Stu Inman, the former Portland Trail Blazers executive who famously selected Sam Bowie over. George Raveling. “Air” is the origin story of a shoe, and not just any shoe. Raveling, who calls Vaccaro ''Pear'' because of his shape, has been a confidant since the 1960s. Raveling, if you didn’t know, used to be a college coach (he coached Harold Miner at USC) and is basically the archenemy of Sonny Vaccaro, his ex-best friend who split from Nike back in the day. Then, Rob and I met with Falk at the meeting at the Hermitage [hotel in. Marlon Wayans plays George Raveling seriously and straightforwardly. The former NBA Champion claimed that a Nike Executive named George Raveling was responsible for his change of heart. Naturally, Jordan has expressed his gratitude towards Vaccaro but credits former coach George Raveling for first encouraging the now-60-year-old to sign a deal with Nike. You’ve got to try. Jordan said Vaccaro “likes to take credit,” but that it was marketing executive and former basketball player George Raveling (played in the film by Marlon Wayans) that sold him on Nike. Sonny Vaccaro skipped the standard practice and contacted Michael Jordan’s family directly, talking directly with Michael’s mother, Deloris. George Raveling: There’s nothing cool about Nike. To say that AAU hasn’t served our game in a real way is to turn a blind eye to the impact of guys like Sonny Vaccaro, George Raveling from Nike and Howard Garfinkel from Five-Star Basketball. S. George Raveling, seen here in 1983, went from Sonny Vaccaro’s close friend to rival. Vaccaro was friends with George Raveling, head coach of Washington State's men's basketball team, who introduced the pair. Sonny even has a five-minute monologue where he predicts the whole of Jordan's future in the meeting. “George Raveling was with me on the 1984 Olympics team (as an assistant coach under Bob Knight). Net worth: $5 million. “Spokane, Washington,” the employee says. " Ana Carballosa/Prime. Vaccaro and basketball coach George Raveling had been close friends, to the point that Raveling was the best man at Sonny's second wedding. Michael doesn’t credit Vaccaro for his deal with Nike, as he claimed Sonny did not. Getty Images Vaccaro and Raveling were close friends during their time at Nike, so much so that Raveling was the best man at Vaccaro’s second wedding. Sonny Vaccaro skipped the standard practice and contacted Michael Jordan’s family directly, talking directly with Michael’s mother, Deloris. He asked his old. Air, the new film directed by Ben Affleck, chronicles the origin story of the Air Jordan shoe line, which became a cultural icon and put the once-fledgling Nike company on the map. The trailer for Air was released on February 9. "George Raveling was with me on the 1984 Olympics team (as an assistant coach under Bob. Vaccaro and basketball coach George Raveling had been close friends, to the point that Raveling was the best man at Sonny's second wedding. Follows the history of sports marketing executive Sonny Vaccaro, and how he led Nike in its pursuit of the greatest athlete in the history of basketball, Michael Jordan. Matt Damon and Viola Davis in a scene from the movie AIR. He used to always try to talk to me, ‘You gotta go Nike, you gotta go Nike. "I traveled to. Apr 06, 2023 In 'Air,' Nike exec Sonny Vaccaro seeks to sign Michael Jordan to a historic sneaker deal. The film is based on true events about the origin of Air Jordan, a basketball shoeline, of which a Nike employee seeks to strike a business deal with rookie player Michael Jordan. Watch on. Create or log into. With Sarah Claspell, Shannon Coffey, Nicole Drespel, Melissa Gomez. He asked his old friend George Raveling, one of the coaches of the National Olympic team, to contact Micheal Jordan and set up a meeting. With Nike convinced, Vaccaro and then-friend George Raveling got a sitdown lunch with Michael Jordan at Tony Roma’s in Los Angeles during the 1984 Olympic training camp. Wayans has been cast as college basketball trailblazer George Raveling, who was the first Black coach in two iconic conferences—the Atlantic Coast Conference and the Pacific-10. But it really wasn’t Sonny, it was actually George Raveling," Jordan said. Directed by Ben Affleck, this '80s-set movie based on real events stars Matt Damon as Sonny Vaccaro, a Nike. Other cast members include Jason Bateman as Rob Strasser, Chris Messina as David Falk, Marlon Wayans as George Raveling, Chris Tucker as Howard White, Matthew Maher as Peter Moore, Gustaf. Deloris Jordan is portrayed by Viola Davis. In the movie, Michael's difficult agent, David Falk (portrayed. Marlon Wayans as George Raveling in 'Air'. Matt Damon and Viola Davis in a. Vaccaro and basketball coach George Raveling had a close friendship, so much so that Raveling served as the best man at Sonny's second wedding.