5 million over five years with a 25 per cent royalty on every shoe. Matt Damon takes on the role of Sonny Vaccaro, who led Nike’s pursuit in signing Michael Jordan during his rookie years. In Air, Damon’s Sonny Vaccaro,. Damon stars in “Air” as maverick Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro, and Affleck plays Nike co-founder Phil Knight. Sonny Vaccaro, Deloris Jordan, and Character Representation. While Sonny Vaccaro was convinced that he wanted to get Michael Jordan on board, he was on the fence about bypassing David Falk, MJ’s agent, and talking directly to his parents. George Raveling is a former Olympics basketball coach who worked with Jordan at the 1984 and 1988 Olympics. Marlon Wayans as George Raveling and Chris. 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. “There’s nothing cool about Nike,” Marlon Wayans ’s character George Raveling says in the first trailer for. 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. The heart and soul of Air really come from the idea of putting belief in oneself or another. Davis stars as Jordan’s mom, Deloris Jordan, while Damon portrays the character of Sonny Vaccaro – the marketing exec at Nike who managed to get Jordan to sign with the brand. Sonny Vaccaro is a former sports marketing executive who spent years promoting brands including Nike, Adidas, and Reebok. 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. ” Sonny Vaccaro: That’s not what it means. But it really wasn’t Sonny, it was actually George Raveling. 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. " "I stayed at [Jordan's] home," Vaccaro said. Car crash and coaching retirement, 1994. 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. Sonny met Michael almost immediately after the 1984 Summer Olympics and was introduced by George Raveling (who is played by Marlon Wayans in Air), who coached the U. Now Ben has told the story that he met with Michael Jordan in order to receive his blessing, and that led to parts for Howard White (Chris Tucker), George Raveling (Marlon Wayans) and a mandate. Jordan. Vaccaro was a key figure in. 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. ''When you talk power, that means someone who can manipulate,'' says Raveling. “Air” is the origin story of a shoe, and not just any shoe. He is not, at least on the surface, a slam dunk movie hero. At the center of the story is Sonny Vaccaro (Matt Damon, who put on "a few extra pounds" and wore a body suit for the big-gutted part), the Nike talent scout who bets his career on his desperate. Sonny Vaccaro was a central figure in the O’Bannon v. Comedian Marlon Wayans was tapped to play George Raveling, who served as an assistant coach for the 1984 U. George Raveling is a former Olympics basketball coach who worked with Jordan at the 1984 and 1988 Olympics. George Raveling was one of them. 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. (Jason Bateman), David Falk (Chris Messina), Peter Moore (Matthew Maher), George Raveling (Marlon. Viola Davis as Deloris Jordan. Courtesy of Amazon Studios. “Prior to all of that, Sonny (Vaccaro) likes to take the credit. The Good Will Hunting actors portray Nike cofounder Phil Knight (Damon) and Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro (Affleck). "Stockton's. "George Raveling was with me on the 1984 Olympics team (as an. We’ve shared the full cast list below: Matt Damon as Sonny Vaccaro. “Prior to all of that, Sonny (Vaccaro) likes to take the credit. Vaccaro and basketball coach George Raveling had been close friends, to the point that Raveling was the best man at Sonny's second wedding. And his achievements and awards reflect his legacy and contributions to the industry. 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. Rounding out the cast is Chris Tucker as Howard White, Jason Bateman as Strasser, Matthew Maher as Moore, Chris Messina as David Falk, Marlon Wayans as George Raveling, Gustaf Skarsgård as Horst. George Raveling, seen here in 1983, went from Sonny Vaccaro’s close friend to rival. Matt Damon is the star of the movie, as he plays Sonny Vaccaro,. He was replaced by George Raveling, the best man at Vaccaro’s wedding, who also talked crap about Sonny in the press for doing the same stuff that Nike Hired George to do, an attempt by Knight. George Raveling, the pioneering African-American college basketball coach, crossed paths with Martin Luther King Jr. The new posters see Damon as maverick Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro while Affleck is seen as Nike co-founder Phil Knight. He was replaced by George Raveling, the best man at Vaccaro’s wedding, who also talked crap about Sonny in the press for doing the same stuff that Nike Hired George to do, an attempt by Knight. For the briefest of moments, Sonny Vaccaro appeared in Sunday’s episodes of “The Last Dance,” the 10-part, Michael Jordan-focused documentary running on ESPN. Sonny Vaccaro talks the accuracy of 'Air' with FN and remembers his unforgettable speech at Nike HQ to. 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. Jordan Sr. There’s also a fascinating section detailing Vaccaro’s strained relationship with George Raveling, the best man at his wedding, with whom he had a falling out, Vaccaro says, after he refused. But it really wasn’t Sonny, it was actually George Raveling,” he said. 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. With Sarah Claspell, Shannon Coffey, Nicole Drespel, Melissa Gomez. Matt Damon stars in the film as Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro,. ” Raveling played at Villanova and coached at Washington. (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. Olympic team that won gold in LA. George Raveling (Marlon Wayans), to put in a good word, Raveling declares that following the “I Have a Dream” speech in. Raveling and Sonny had a falling out over the summer high school basketball programs that Sonny ran. Set at the Nike headquarters in Oregon in 1984, the film follows Sonny Vaccaro (Damon), who is tasked by C. Air: Directed by Ben Affleck. C. Of course, in the sneaker business, they’re. “But I think it’s. Damon plays maverick Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro and Affleck plays Nike co-founder Phil Knight with Jason Bateman as Rob Strasser, Chris Messina as David Falk, Matthew Maher as Peter Moore. ”. Tue, May 5, 2020 · 9 min read For the briefest of moments, Sonny Vaccaro appeared in Sunday’s episodes of “The Last Dance,” the 10-part, Michael Jordan. Marlon Wayans as iconic coach George Raveling, and. Affleck stars as Nike’s co-founder Phil Knight. George Raveling was with me on the 1984 Olympics team (as an assistant coach under Bob. George Raveling, Vaccaro journeys to Wilmington, North Carolina, to persuade Michael’s mother, Deloris,. 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. Chris Messina as David Falk. basketball trailblazer George Raveling, who was the first Black coach in two iconic. Bel-Air guest star and noted comedian Marlon Wayans plays George Raveling, a noted college basketball player and coach who would go on to be the first African American head basketball coach in the PAC-8, per the real George's LinkedIn page. But it really wasn’t Sonny, it was actually George Raveling. Sonny Vaccaro, the former shoe marketer widely credited with inventing the summer basketball scene, seethed as he watched the news conference. Advert 10 George Raveling, seen here in 1983, went from Sonny Vaccaro’s close friend to rival. Vaccaro was a key. 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. 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. George Raveling (Marlon Wayans) goes on to say “There’s nothing cool about Nike. Matt Damon is starring in "Air" as sneaker salesman turned former Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro, with Ben Affleck playing Nike co-founder Phil Knight. The package is worth approximately $100,000, according to Nike’s George Raveling. Air will be led by Affleck and Damon as they portray the respective roles of Nike co-founder Phil Knight and sports marketing executive John Paul Vincent “Sonny” Vaccaro. S. Knight said Vaccaro helped but “wasn’t the. 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. But thanks to advice from Howard White and George Raveling, Vaccaro knows that his way to connect with Michael is through his mother, Deloris. Prior to all of that, Sonny (Vaccaro) likes to take the credit. Affleck stars alongside Matt Damon (as Sonny Vaccaro), Viola Davis (as Deloris Jordan), Julius Tennon. Mais il n'y a pas que Sonny qui a fait changer d'avis MJ, il y a aussi George Raveling. Ben Affleck 's latest film, Air, is a true story based on Nike salesman Sonny Vaccaro 's successful signing of then-rising superstar Michael Jordan. Played by Matt Damon. Ben Affleck plays Nike co-founder Phil Knight and Matt Damon plays shoe salesman-turned Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro. Getty Images Vaccaro and Raveling were close friends during their time at Nike, so much so that Raveling was. 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. George Raveling. A friend of Vaccaro’s, Raveling first introduced the idea of signing Nike and Jordan. Played by Matt Damon, Sonny Vaccaro's. 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. The plot. 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. 1/200. Sonny Vaccaro, who embarked on the search to sign Michael Jordan, played by Matt Damon . George Raveling was with me on the 1984 Olympics team. 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. Matt Damon will assume the role of Sonny Vaccaro,. He used to always try to talk to me, 'You gotta go. 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. You’ve got to try. The story depicts a high-stakes gamble by an unconventional team, a determined mother and the legendary basketball player who became the. But it really wasn’t Sonny, it was actually George Raveling. Damon plays sneaker executive Sonny Vaccaro, while Affleck portrays Nike CEO Phil Knight. Bravo Teases Behind The Scenes Look At Tom Sandoval And Raquel Leviss Cheating EpisodeBravo Reveals Behind-the-Scenes Look at Tom Sandoval and Raquel Leviss Cheating Scandal Episode. But it really wasn’t Sonny, it was actually George Raveling. Vaccaro was a significant figure in the. ''But that's not Sonny. Together, the Jordans and Nike changed the shoe industry forever. — When it comes to the July recruiting period, the Wild West days of Sonny Vaccaro vs. . The movie stars Damon as Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro and Affleck as Nike cofounder Phil Knight, two sportswear icons who have differing views on how the Jordan deal materialized. Sonny Vaccaro is the controversial figure at the center of the most recent 30 for 30 film “Sole Man. Marlon Wayans as George Raveling, Chris Tucker as Howard White, Matthew Maher as Peter Moore, Gustaf Skarsgård as Horst Dassler, and Julius Tennon. Getting Fired from Nike. The roles of Jordan. -Sonny Vaccaro; I think I’m going to be remembered. to rapid success in the shoe-making. Sonny Vaccaro was planning to pursue other business plans that did not involve Nike. George Raveling was offered $3 million for his Martin Luther King Jr speech. But Vaccaro refused to give up. Sonny Vaccaro, the adidas representative who runs this camp and once ran Nike's, has criticism of the system from which he profits. 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. Cast: Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Jason Bateman, Chris Messina, Matthew Maher, Marlon Wayans, Chris Tucker and Viola Davis. 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. " Ana Carballosa/Prime. Comedian Marlon Wayans was tapped to play George Raveling, who served as an assistant coach for the 1984 U. 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). He meets with Sonny Vaccaro in Los Angeles, and that's when the Nike. Gustaf Skarsgård as. 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. ’”Matt Damon stars in the film as Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro,. Ben Affleck as Phil Knight in AIR. Ben Affleck directed AIR and stars as Nike founder and CEO Phil Knight, alongside Matt Damon as Sonny Vaccaro, the basketball expert who saw the potential of signing a talent like Jordan, and Viola Davis as Michael Jordan's mother Deloris. Michael doesn’t credit Vaccaro for his deal with Nike, as he claimed Sonny did not. Once Nike agreed, Vaccaro used his close friend, basketball coach George Raveling, to connect him to Jordan. His colleagues Howard White (Chris Tucker), Rob Strasser (Jason Bateman) and George Raveling (Marlon Wayans), one of Jordan’s coaches at the 1984 Olympics, all try to dissuade him. George Raveling is a former Olympics basketball coach who worked with Jordan at the 1984 and 1988 Olympics. Matt Damon plays Sonny Vaccaro, a former sports marketing executive who had the genius idea to sign Michael to his first-ever sneaker deal. (Jason Bateman) and Howard White (Chris Tucker); college ball coach George Raveling (Marlon Wayans); and Jordan’s mom Deloris (Viola Davis) — essentially. Or Sonny Vaccaro? Or George Raveling? Or Myron Piggie? Or Worldwide Wes? Or whatever boogeyman they could sell to the public as tarnishing their pristine (and quite pretend) world. Marlon Wayans as George Raveling and Chris. “One thing Sonny Vaccaro was very clear with me about was that the feelings of camaraderie, friendship and loyalty are his takeaways from that time. Marlon Wayans as George Raveling. Affleck and Damon, who co-wrote the screenplay (Ben directs), respectively co-star as Nike co-founder Phil Knight and former Nike exec Sonny Vaccaro, a sneaker salesman who set his sights on. “Sonny (Vaccaro) likes to take the credit. George Raveling is crazy. Vaccaro was friends with George Raveling, head coach of Washington State's men's basketball team, who introduced the pair. But it really wasn’t Sonny, it was actually George Raveling. The first was George Raveling, an. 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. Matt Damon as Sonny Vaccaro. You’ve got to try. Vicki Gunvalson from 'RHOC' said there are no good single men anymore but Peter Madrigal from 'Vanderpump Rules' wants to show her there are. With that, all of the country’s top high school talent — and college coaches — descended on Pittsburgh to see the best of the best play. The Nike executives, salesmen, and. 62°. Vaccaro and Jordan. White in 'Air'. Wayans' character Raveling worked with the USA basketball team (and therefore Jordan) at the. Post the ideation, Sonny’s next task was to persuade the NBA player to ditch Adidas and convert into a Nike enthusiast. . But it really wasn’t Sonny, it was actually George Raveling. You’re. and George Raveling. --Vaccaro’s personal friends include college coaches such as USC’s George Raveling, who was the best man at his wedding, and Georgetown’s Thompson, who. Vaccaro and basketball coach George Raveling were close friends, with Raveling serving as best man at Sonny’s second wedding. Raveling and Vaccaro already had a long-standing rivalry with one another, so these comments didn't sit well with Vaccaro. -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. Sonny believes he can restore Nike to its former glory by putting immense talent behind a sneaker. But it really wasn’t Sonny, it was actually George Raveling. George Raveling is a former Olympics basketball coach who worked with Jordan at the 1984 and 1988 Olympics. AIR | Official Trailer. George Raveling was with me on the 1984 Olympics team. In the movie, Raveling is played by Marlon Wayans, and, even though he is in just one rather short scene, it's a crucial one. 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. Sonny Vaccaro, the former shoe marketer widely credited with inventing the summer basketball scene, seethed as he watched the news conference. Prior to this encounter, MJ had no knowledge of Nike. 5 million. John "Sonny" Vaccaro has long been cast as some kind of mafioso, strong-arming amateur basketball for much of his 63 years. AVALON, N. Chris Tucker as Howard White. Marlon Wayans as George Raveling . ". Writer: Alex Convery. What we know about the Air cast and crew. “Spokane, Washington,” the employee says. "I traveled to. The cast also includes Jason Bateman as Rob Strasser, Marlon Wayans as George Raveling and Chris Tucker as Howard White. Matt Damon appears as Sonny Vaccaro, left, and Viola Davis as Deloris Jordan in a scene from “Air. Once Nike agreed, Vaccaro used his close friend, basketball coach George Raveling, to connect him to Jordan. 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. Marlon Wayans as George Raveling, former Team USA assistant coach; Chris Messina as David Falk,. Matt Damon (Sonny Vaccaro) First up on the list is the main man himself,. '. The script centers primarily on the sneaker salesman Sonny Vaccaro, who ran Nike — at the time, a middling shoe company — along with co-founder Phil Knight, and led a historic endorsement deal. Sonny and former coach George Raveling. George Raveling: Jessica Green: Katrina Sainz: Julius Tennon: James Jordan: Who is in 'AIR' in 2023?. In the same year, Jordan signed a record-breaking $2. Sonny Vaccaro talks the accuracy of 'Air' with FN and remembers his unforgettable speech at Nike HQ to. , USA Bio: Team USA Assistant Coach when Jordan Won Gold at 1984 Olympics. Courtesy of Amazon Studios. Affleck's longtime friend and longtime collaborator plays. In 2015, Michael Jordan shared his perspective on the events leading up to his deal with Nike in an interview with USA Today. -George Raveling; Your voice tells you to do some stupid sh!t. on a landmark. 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. However, after he met George Raveling at a bar in California, he knew what. George Raveling: There’s nothing cool about Nike. Vaccaro’s storied relationship with Nike ended on a. Vaccaro and Jordan. Deloris Jordan is portrayed by Viola Davis. Marlon Wayans as George Raveling; Chris Messina. It was a hard task, considering that Nike was the least favourite contender at that time. 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. Raveling, who calls Vaccaro ''Pear'' because of his shape, has been a confidant since the 1960s. The duo are joined by Viola Davis as Michael Jordan’s. Did Sonny Vaccaro really bypass Michael Jordan's agent and go directly to his parents to make his pitch? Not exactly. The former NBA Champion claimed that a Nike Executive named George Raveling was responsible for his change of heart. 22:03. Sonny Vaccaro's Side of the Story. Damon plays maverick Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro and Affleck plays Nike co-founder Phil Knight, with Jason Bateman as Nike suit Rob Strasser, Chris Messina as Jordan’s agent David Falk, Matthew. By Shikhar Verma May 17, 2023. He met the NBA player through his friend, George Raveling, who was assistant to the national team coach, Bobby Knight. “Prior to all of that, Sonny (Vaccaro) likes to take the credit. He used to always try to talk to me, ‘You gotta go Nike, you gotta go Nike. 5 million contract with Nike, which paved the way for the debut of the Air Jordan shoe line. Vaccaro sought the help of his close friend and basketball coach, George Raveling, to reach out to Jordan. Sonny's story is. P. 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. The initial. Julius Tennon as James Jordan. Mais ce n'est. 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. “Prior to all of that, Sonny (Vaccaro) likes to take the credit. Vaccaro sought the help of his close friend and basketball coach, George Raveling, to reach out to Jordan. Jason Bateman, Chris Tucker, Chris Messina, Julius Tennon and Matthew Maher also star. Viola Davis as Deloris Jordan. " He added, "Michael’s lying more than Phil [Knight] and Raveling. “Prior to all of that, Sonny (Vaccaro) likes to take the credit. Three: Sonny Vaccaro, an executive for Nike,. Marlon Wayans plays the legendary basketball player and coach George Ravelling in a brief yet crucial appearance. Long gone. We start from T-Mac, and from that. And the icon selected Viola Davis to play his mother Deloris, who was pivotal in the negotiation. George Raveling, the former USC coach and current. Matthew Maher as Peter Moore, Marlon Wayans as George Raveling, Chris Tucker. Sonny Vaccaro and his wife, Pam, currently reside in Calabasas, California. Jordan wanted his mom, Deloris Jordan (Viola Davis), to be a focal point in the story, and asked for the inclusion of key people like Howard White (Chris Tucker) and George Raveling (Marlon Wayans. 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. Prime Video’s ‘Air’ charts the origins of the Air Jordan brand, focusing on the story behind its inception and the efforts it took for Nike to get Micheal Jordan on their side. ” With Vaccaro at Adidas and his former best friend George Raveling running grassroots basketball at. George Raveling was with me on the 1984 Olympics team (as an. Having spotted a promising basketball player called Michael Jordan, Vaccaro believes that this young man will help Nike outpace the competition as the new face of the brand. Marlon Wayans as George Raveling, former Team USA assistant coach; Chris Messina as David Falk,. Raveling, who calls Vaccaro ''Pear'' because of his shape, has been a confidant since the 1960s. Matt Damon stars in the film as Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro,. George Raveling is a former Olympics basketball coach who worked with Jordan at the 1984 and 1988 Olympics. The center of “Air” is Sonny Vaccaro (Matt Damon), a Nike exec with a basketball scout’s eye for rising talent. The decision of Sonnu was not appreciated and taken well by Phil Knight and later he went on to fire his 'beloved' executive. Matt Damon stars in the film as Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro,. 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. Basketball coach George Raveling was the best man at the Vaccaro wedding before the two had a falling out in the years. 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. Sonny Vaccaro Michael Jordan. He asked his old. Sonny Vaccaro Michael Jordan. Knight, Jordan, Nike exec George Raveling, and. ”. There is a scene in the film where Sonny Vaccaro, after having a conversation with George Raveling (the assistant coach of the U. Three days later, the trailer aired during the 2023 Super Bowl. George Raveling was with me on the 1984 Olympics team (as an assistant coach under Bob Knight). Sonny Vaccaro skipped the standard practice and contacted Michael Jordan’s family directly, talking directly with Michael’s mother, Deloris. Ben Affleck as Phil Knight in AIR. Ben Affleck 's latest film, Air, is a true story based on Nike salesman Sonny Vaccaro 's successful signing of then-rising superstar Michael Jordan. Matt Damon (Sonny Vaccaro), Ben Affleck (Phil Knight), Jason Bateman (Rob Strasser), Marlon Wayans (George Raveling), Chris Messina (David Falk), Chris Tucker (Howard White) Discover the game-changing partnership between a then undiscovered Michael Jordan and Nike’s fledgling basketball division which revolutionized the world of sports. He used to always try to talk to me, ‘You gotta go Nike, you gotta go Nike. KGW Top Stories: 11 p. 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. Air is a 2023 American biographical sports drama film directed by Ben Affleck and written by Alex Convery. “He’s the one, in all honestly, that really persuaded me to look at Nike. 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,” he said. 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). In 2015, Michael Jordan shared his perspective on the events leading up to his deal with Nike in an interview with USA Today. Director Ben Affleck and castmates Matt Damon, Chris Tucker, Jason Bateman, Chris Messina and Marlon Wayans talk new film "Air. Raveling took up a rival position at. But it really wasn’t Sonny, it was actually George Raveling,” he said. “Prior to all of that, Sonny (Vaccaro) likes to take the credit. The story will center. “There’s nothing cool about Nike,” Marlon Wayans ’s character George Raveling says in the first trailer for. Matthew Maher as Peter Moore, and Marlon Wayans as George Raveling, three additional Nike. George Raveling was with me on the 1984 Olympics team. Raveling became a rival to Sonny for the same position at Nike. No, this story is about the men behind the deal – Affleck as Phil Knight, the co-founder of Nike, Matt Damon as Sonny Vaccaro,. Matt Damon stars as Vaccaro while Ben Affleck, who also directs, plays Nike co-founder Phil Knight. It was the summer of 1984 and Vaccaro was waiting at a Tony Roma's restaurant in Santa Monica, California, for his then best friend George Raveling, the head coach of the University of Iowa and an assistant on the U. AIR parents guide (2023) I was able to screen AIR in order to write this AIR Parents Guide. By remaining on this website, you indicate your consent. " Ana Carballosa/Prime. Nike colleges. Raveling had a falling out with Sonny over the business of summer high school basketball camps that Sonny ran. However, their relationship soured due to a dispute over the summer high school basketball camps organized by Vaccaro. He famously takes credit for bringing Michael. The footage features Nike CEO Phil Knight (Ben Affleck) questioning Sonny Vaccaro. Back then, Sonny was laughed at by Nike honchos Howard White (Chris Tucker), Rob Strasser (Jason Bateman) and George Raveling (Marlon Wayans). Comedian Marlon Wayans was tapped to play George Raveling, who served as an assistant coach for the 1984 U. ) to hear their proposal. "Air," the new movie directed by Affleck and written by Alex Convery, tells the story of Nike’s pursuit to sign Michael Jordan and. Sonny Vaccaro Personal Life. Tensions run high between Fennel,. Michael Jordan says marketing executive George Raveling, not Sonny Vaccaro, sold him on signing. "Prior to all of that, Sonny (Vaccaro) likes to take the credit. George Raveling was with me on the 1984 Olympics team (as an. 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. George Raveling, director of international basketball for Nike, played by Marlon Wayans . George Raveling was with me on the 1984 Olympics team (as. S. The first addition was George Raveling, who was the assistant coach on the 1984 Olympics team Jordan played on. "I traveled to. Instead, he briefly met Jordan with the help of his old friend George Raveling, pitching Jordan the idea of a shoe designed solely around him. Deloris Jordan is portrayed by Viola Davis. But it really wasn't Sonny, it was actually George Raveling," Jordan told USA Today in 2015. George Raveling is a former Olympics basketball coach who worked with Jordan at the 1984 and 1988 Olympics. Then, Rob and I met with Falk at the meeting at the Hermitage [hotel in. 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. Matt Damon stars in the film as Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro,. 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. What's amazing is that Raveling stands aside Sonny Vaccaro as the people most in charge of destroying the fabric of American basketball. ” “Puma”, “Please use my a**. Watch on. Many NBA fans were under the opinion that a former American sports marketing executive named John Paul Vincent “Sonny” Vaccaro was the man behind Jordan’s decision to sign with Nike. 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. “Prior to all of that, Sonny (Vaccaro) likes to take the credit. Create or log into. But it really wasn’t Sonny, it was actually George Raveling. He met the NBA player through his friend, George Raveling, who was assistant to the national team coach, Bobby Knight. 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. With Matt Damon, Jason Bateman, Ben Affleck, Chris Messina. ”And while that might have been the case in 1984. Olympic Men’s Basketball team), decides that he needs to go to. , and Vaccaro decides to. He is the co-author of Under the Tarnished Dome: How Notre Dame Betrayed Its Ideals for Football Glory, Pros and Cons: The Criminals Who Play in the NFL, and George Washington's Secret Six: The Spy Ring That Saved the American Revolution, Thomas Jefferson and. Raveling’s shorthand with Sonny speaks of a past history and trust communicated with small gestures and easy laughs. Sonny Vaccaro and basketball coach George Raveling were close friends, so Raveling was Sonny’s second wedding best man. Sonny Vaccaro is played by Matt Damon. Phil Knight is sinful. "George Raveling was with me on the 1984 Olympics team (as an assistant coach under Bob. Getting Fired from Nike.