VILLANOVA, Pa. – Villanova will celebrate the iconic life of George Raveling '60 as part of its home men's basketball game vs. Georgetown on Wednesday, Jan. 21 at Finneran Pavilion. The day's events will include a special screening of the documentary film "Unraveling George" in the Villanova Room of the Connelly Center at 4 p.m. The Wildcats host the Hoyas at 7 p.m.
 
Raveling, a native of Washington, D.C., played basketball for the Wildcats and head coach Alexander Severance from 1957-1960. His 835 career rebounds – amassed in just three varsity seasons – still rank 13^th on the program's all-time carom list. He later became an assistant to Head Coach Jack Kraft, launching a career that would take him to head coaching stops at Washington State, Iowa, and USC. In 2015, he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and received an honorary doctorate from his alma mater the following year.
 
Villanova and Nike have teamed up to host an exclusive conversation with an all-star panel before the screening that includes:
 

• Jay Wright, Former Villanova Men's Basketball Coach
• Mike Tollin, Director of "Unraveling George"
• Larry Miller, President of Nike's Jordan Brand

 
They'll share insights on the film, George Raveling's impact on the game and the lessons his story continues to inspire. This is a one-of-a-kind event you won't want to miss. Admission is free, but registration is required; please use the link at the top of this page to register.
 
Raveling's memory will also be celebrated throughout the BIG EAST game that night. Both teams will wear specially designed shooting shirts in warmups and there will be a host of in-game elements honoring the many contributions "Coach Rav" made to the game over a career spanning seven decades.
 
Raveling was on stage in 1963 for "The March on Washington" working as event security, when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., handed him the original copy of the speech that would come to be known as the "I Have a Dream" speech shortly after delivering it.
 
In 2021, Coach Raveling chose Villanova University to become the next steward of Dr. King's "I Have a Dream" speech —entrusting Villanova to provide broad access to all those who seek to learn from and be inspired by Dr. King's words. As such, the University collaborated with The Smithsonian and the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C. to establish an exclusive, long-term "on loan" arrangement.