Joining the Good Will Hunting stars are Jason Bateman as Rob Strasser, Chris Messina as David Falk, Matthew Maher as Peter Moore, Marlon Wayans as George Raveling, Chris Tucker as Howard White. 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. The film centers on Sonny Vaccaro (Matt Damon), a bold sports marketing executive looking for a star for Nike’s basketball division. Nike colleges. “Sonny (Vaccaro) likes to take the credit. George Raveling, director of international basketball for Nike, played by Marlon Wayans . He was doing a favor for George Raveling, the assistant coach on the Olympic team and my best man at my wedding, meeting me. Is the 2023 movie Air good or bad?War is hell: Former USC coach George Raveling stood up at Vaccaro’s wedding. 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. Marlon Wayans as iconic coach George Raveling, and. "I traveled to. Basketball coach George Raveling was the best man at the Vaccaro wedding before the two had a falling out in the years. Sonny Vaccaro Michael Jordan. Affleck serves as director and co-producer alongside Damon, David. Yet he no longer speaks to George Raveling,. The roles of Jordan. 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. Raveling became a rival to Sonny for the same position at Nike. Vaccaro, on the podcast, responded to Jordan's comments: "Michael is delusional. “There’s nothing cool about Nike,” Marlon Wayans ’s character George Raveling says in the first trailer for. That’s probably not a revelation to anyone who’s been following high school and college basketball recruiting for years, and familiar with names like Sonny Vaccaro and George Raveling. But it really wasn't Sonny, it was actually George Raveling," Jordan told USA Today in 2015. 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. Matt Damon and Viola Davis in a scene from the movie AIR. Director (and Boston’s own) Ben Affleck’s latest tells the tale of. George Raveling was an assistant coach for the Team USA basketball squad at the 1984 Olympics. Sonny Vaccaro credits his relationship with Michael Jordan’s mother, Deloris, as the catalyst for one of the most significant deals in sports marketing history. Pioneering coach George Raveling's surprising connection to MLK. Matt Damon as Sonny Vaccaro . Damon takes on the role of Sonny Vaccaro, the sneaker salesman who believed Michael Jordan was going to be the big basketball star that he became. Matt Damon and Viola Davis in a scene from the movie AIR. Director: Ben Affleck. and George Raveling. “He used to always try. Sonny and former coach George Raveling. Marlon Wayans plays George Raveling seriously and straightforwardly. “Prior to all of that, Sonny (Vaccaro) likes to take the credit. is on the verge of bankruptcy due to low footwear sales. “He’s the one, in all honestly, that really persuaded me to look at Nike. Matt Damon as 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. 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. 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. Raveling had a close personal relationship with Vaccaro at that time. Olympic team that won gold in LA. Con todo, Sonny Vaccaro perseveró y, a través de George Raveling, el asistente del entrenador de la selección nacional Bobby Night, logró contactar al deportista. 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. The sports drama will see Affleck in the role of Nike co-founder Phil Knight, while Damon will play Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro. 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. Sonny Vaccaro, Deloris Jordan, and Character Representation. Matt Damon stars in the film as Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro,. “Air” shows how former sports executive Sonny Vaccaro and Nike created a pitch for young basketball star Michael Jordan to partner. S. Michael Jordan was not interested in signing the deal with Nike at first, but Vaccaro convinced Deloris Jordan in the early 1980s and used that connection to sign Jordan to his first. C. Watch on. 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. He used to always try to talk to me, 'You gotta go. 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. Advert 10George Raveling, seen here in 1983, went from Sonny Vaccaro’s close friend to rival. But it really wasn't Sonny, it was actually George Raveling. Getting Fired from Nike. 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 Michael Jordan. Even what it means, “Adidas”, “All day I dream about sex. But it really wasn’t Sonny, it was actually George Raveling. 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. Air is set in 1984, when Nike exec Sonny Vaccaro (Matt Damon) persuaded Jordan to be the face of Nike's basketball shoes. George Raveling was with me on the 1984 Olympics team (as an. The company had a modest goal of earning $3 million from the sneakers over a three-year period. 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. Sonny Vaccaro skipped the standard practice and contacted Michael Jordan’s family directly, talking directly with Michael’s mother, Deloris. John "Sonny" Vaccaro has long been cast as some kind of mafioso, strong-arming amateur basketball for much of his 63 years. ''When you talk power, that means someone who can manipulate,'' says Raveling. “But I think it’s. George Raveling. Despite his rumored deal with Adidas, Vaccaro believes that Jordan is the generational talent that will change Nike forever and after an inspirational chat with George Raveling, Vaccaro decides to. Raveling and Vaccaro were also close friends, and the basketball coach was instrumental in making the Nike deal with the Jordan family a reality by putting in a. Vaccaro was a key. That’s probably not a revelation to anyone who’s been following high school and college basketball recruiting for years, and familiar with names like Sonny Vaccaro and George Raveling. 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. The movie AIR is a story about Sonny Vaccaro (played by Matt Damon) and the journey he takes the Nike team on to sign Michael Jordan with them. Vaccaro was a key figure in. Revelling/Reckoning: Directed by Zach Neumeyer. Viola Davis as Deloris Jordan. He fell out with Sony over a high school summer basketball camp business operated by Sonny. George Raveling was with me on the 1984 Olympics team (as an. With that mantra as his guiding force, Affleck orchestrated a feel-good story that traces former Nike marketing executive Sonny Vaccaro’s steps in 1984 as he vied to lift the company’s. Marlon Wayans as George Raveling, Matthew Maher as Peter Moore,. Raveling became Sonny's competitor in the same position at Nike. Vaccaro and basketball coach George Raveling had been close friends, to the point that Raveling was the best man at Sonny's second wedding. Matt Damon as Sonny Vaccaro and Viola Davis as Deloris Jordan / Courtesy of Amazon Studios. “Sonny (Vaccaro) likes to take the credit. '. 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. The movie tells the story of how Nike and former sports executive Sonny Vaccaro pursued a rookie MJ and eventually collaborated with him for a blockbuster deal that went on to revolutionize the sneakers industry. 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. Jordan Sr. AVALON, N. Ana Carballosa/Prime Video; David E. Vaccaro and Jordan. He used to always try to talk to me, ‘You gotta go Nike, you gotta go Nike. -George Raveling; Your voice tells you to do some stupid sh!t. But it really wasn’t Sonny, it was actually George Raveling,” he said. Jason Bateman as Rob Strasser. The biopic will focus on sneaker salesman Sonny Vaccaro. Matt Damon stars in the film as Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro,. Matt Damon is starring in "Air" as sneaker salesman turned former Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro, with Ben Affleck playing Nike co-founder Phil Knight. J. Sonny Vaccaro Personal Life. 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. ". George Raveling (Marlon Wayans), to put in a good word, Raveling declares that following the “I Have a Dream” speech in. Writer: Alex Convery. Damon plays Sonny Vaccaro while the role of Phil Knight is essayed by Affleck. Courtesy of Amazon Studios. Matthew Maher as Peter Moore, and Marlon Wayans as George Raveling, three additional Nike. ” Raveling played at Villanova and coached at Washington. By Shikhar Verma May 17, 2023. In the film, Vaccaro first met with Jordan through his friend George Raveling, who was the assistant to the national team coach, Bobby Knight. Matt Damon plays Sonny Vaccaro, an executive of Nike’s basketball division tasked with breathing live into the department. S. AIR features an all-star cast, including Matt Damon as maverick Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro, Ben Affleck as Nike co-founder Phil Knight, and Viola Davis as Deloris Jordan. “Spokane, Washington,” the employee says. Marlon Wayans as George Raveling, former Team USA assistant coach; Chris Messina as David Falk,. The biopic will focus on Sonny Vaccaro, the creator of the Air Jordan sneakers. ’. Sonny Vaccaro and his wife, Pam, currently reside in Calabasas, California. George Raveling was with me on the 1984 Olympics team (as an. Well, all of. This website stores data such as cookies to enable essential site functionality, as well as marketing, personalization, and analytics. But it really wasn’t Sonny, it was actually 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. Marlon Wayans supports the cast as longtime college basketball coach George Raveling, who served as the head coach of three Division I basketball programs over a span of twenty years. P. 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. 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. 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. Damon stars in “Air” as maverick Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro, and Affleck plays Nike co-founder Phil Knight. 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. Former basketball coach George Raveling (left) is. Vaccaro also has to convince Jordan to sign with Nike despite a previous preference for Adidas. Matt Damon as Sonny Vaccaro. Ben Affleck as Phil Knight. (Nike marketing official) George Raveling and. 5 million. Elsewhere, the cast features Jason Bateman as Rob Strasser, Chris. No, this story is about the men behind the deal – Affleck as Phil Knight, the co-founder of Nike, Matt Damon as Sonny Vaccaro,. -Sonny Vaccaro; I think I’m going to be remembered. 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. But it really wasn’t Sonny, it was actually George Raveling. Sonny Vaccaro. Undoubtedly, this agreement marked a historic milestone in the sports industry, propelling Nike Inc. George Raveling. One particular scene with Vaccaro and US Olympic basketball assistant coach George Raveling (Marlon Wayans) used a baffling amount of pull-focuses, often changing focus between Damon and Wayans. The film, about how Nike signed Michael Jordan in 1984, also stars Matt Damon as Nike exec Sonny Vaccaro. In Air, Damon’s 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. Sonny Vaccaro was fired from Nike for allegedly planning on pursuing other business ventures outside of the Nike franchise, whilst. 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 plays Sonny Vaccaro, a former sports marketing executive who had the genius idea to sign Michael to his first-ever sneaker deal. AIR stars Matt Damon as the outspoken Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro, Ben Affleck as Nike co-founder Phil Knight, and Viola Davis as Deloris Jordan, Michael’s mother, who was a fierce advocate for. Image via Amazon Studios. 62°. Affleck stars as Nike’s co-founder Phil Knight. Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix split following nine years. Director (and Boston’s own) Ben Affleck’s latest tells the tale of. Tensions run high between Fennel,. 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. Raveling's prediction: International players will comprise 50% of the NBA by 2010. But it really wasn’t Sonny, it was actually George Raveling. Air, a sports biopic drama, is the newest collaborative effort between Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, who both star in the film. The story depicts a high-stakes gamble by an unconventional team, a determined mother and the legendary basketball player who became the. 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. Marlon Wayans as George Raveling, Chris Tucker as Howard White, Matthew Maher as Peter Moore, Gustaf Skarsgård as Horst Dassler, and Julius Tennon. , USA Bio: Team USA Assistant Coach when Jordan Won Gold at 1984 Olympics. Getty Images Vaccaro and Raveling were close friends during their time at Nike, so much so that Raveling was. The cast also includes Marlon Wayans as George Raveling, the first Black basketball coach in the Atlantic Coast Conference and the Pacific-10,. S. You've got to try. Played by Matt Damon, Sonny Vaccaro's. But it really wasn’t Sonny, it was actually George Raveling. -Sonny. “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. 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. Viola Davis as Deloris Jordan. 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?. to rapid success in the shoe-making. The story will center. We’ve shared the full cast list below: Matt Damon as Sonny Vaccaro. . ”. But it really wasn’t Sonny, it was actually George Raveling," Jordan said. and George Raveling (Marlon Wayans) who helped. In “Air” Sonny was conflicted about how to get Michael Jordan over the line so he flew to Los Angeles, seeking advice from this friend George Raveling, famed American Olympic basketball coach. " "I stayed at [Jordan's] home," Vaccaro said. Cast: Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Jason Bateman, Chris Messina, Matthew Maher, Marlon Wayans, Chris Tucker and Viola Davis. , Saturday, October 14, 2023. AIR | Official Trailer. Damon plays sneaker executive Sonny Vaccaro, while Affleck portrays Nike CEO Phil Knight. Affleck stars alongside Matt Damon (as Sonny Vaccaro), Viola Davis (as Deloris Jordan), Julius Tennon. Vaccaro was friends with George Raveling, head coach of Washington State's men's basketball team, who introduced the pair. Matt Damon stars as Vaccaro while Ben Affleck, who also directs, plays Nike co-founder Phil Knight. Post the ideation, Sonny’s next task was to persuade the NBA player to ditch Adidas and convert into a Nike enthusiast. Sonny Vaccaro was fired from Nike for allegedly planning on pursuing other business ventures outside of the Nike franchise, whilst still working for the iconic company. However, after he met George Raveling at a bar in California, he knew what. Matt Damon stars in the film as Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro,. Inspired by the true story of Nike's partnership with Michael Jordan, the. Nike colleges. 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,. 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. Matt 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, Marlon Wayans as George Raveling, Chris Tucker as Howard White, Viola Davis as Deloris Jordan, Gustaf Skarsgård as Horst. One could make an argument that the system which has developed through greedy businessmen building on Vaccaro's. 'Air' was a hit, but casting Matt Damon as Sonny Vaccaro was a miss. There is a scene in the film where Sonny Vaccaro, after having a conversation with George Raveling (the assistant coach of the U. Raveling was a dear friend of. Moving on, we have Marlon Wayans, a famous comedic actor who is taking on the role of George Raveling in Air. But thanks to advice from Howard White and George Raveling, Vaccaro knows that his way to connect with Michael is through his 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. Falk bristled at the most recent comments from Sonny Vaccaro,. The biopic comes from Amazon Studios, Mandalay Pictures, and Skydance Sports. Deloris Jordan is portrayed by Viola Davis. Sonny Vaccaro, the former shoe marketer widely credited with inventing the summer basketball scene, seethed as he watched the news conference. Marlon Wayans as George Raveling and Chris. Collaborators and longtime friends Affleck and Damon reunite as Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro and Nike co-founder Phil Knight, respectively. Raveling had a falling out with Sonny over the business of summer high school basketball camps that Sonny ran. Sonny (Vaccaro) likes to take the credit. 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. Vaccaro and basketball coach George Raveling were close friends, with Raveling serving as best man at Sonny’s second wedding. George Raveling is a former Olympics basketball coach who worked with Jordan at the 1984 and 1988 Olympics. Additional cast includes Jason Bateman as Rob Strasser, Chris Messina as David Falk, Marlon. KGW speaks with Sonny Vaccaro, portrayed by Matt Damon in upcoming film 'Air'. Then he also said Howard White is integral to this too. The film will be released in theaters April 5, 2023. 5 million contract with Nike, which paved the way for the debut of the Air Jordan shoe line. In the movie, Michael's difficult agent, David Falk (portrayed. Sonny Vaccaro and basketball coach George Raveling were close friends, so Raveling was Sonny’s second wedding best man. After 60 years in the game, the legendary basketball savant, Sonny Vaccaro, finds himself at the center of an extraordinary tale in Ben Affleck’s feature film, “Air (2023). Post the ideation, Sonny’s next task was to persuade the NBA player to ditch Adidas and convert into a Nike enthusiast. S. Matt Damon as Sonny Vaccaro in "Air. George Raveling, seen here in 1983, went from Sonny Vaccaro’s close friend to rival. George Raveling Another stern request Jordan had before giving Affleck his blessing to make the film was for the inclusion of one of his coaches at the 1984 Olympics, George Raveling. ''But that's not Sonny. 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. Enter Sonny Vaccaro, a tenacious Nike employee tasked with discovering a fresh face for the brand. 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 American men’s. Peter Moore, Played By. 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. Wayans plays George Raveling, a "college basketball trailblazer" and the first Black coach in two major conferences. ’” George Raveling, seen here in 1983, went from Sonny Vaccaro’s close friend to rival. Knight took exception to. George Raveling: There’s nothing cool about Nike. 'Air' was a hit, but casting Matt Damon as Sonny Vaccaro was a miss. Nike. ’ It centers on the efforts of Nike exec Sonny Vaccaro (played by Damon) as he persuades CEO Phil Knight (played by Affleck) to bet big on Jordan. But it really wasn’t Sonny, it was actually George Raveling. Marlon Wayans as George Raveling. 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, Deloris Jordan, and Character Representation. Nike is looking for a way to become one of the premier basketball shoe brands in the U. Matt Damon appears as Sonny Vaccaro, left, and Viola Davis as Deloris Jordan in a scene from “Air. Chris Messina as David Falk, and Marlon Wayans as George Raveling. " Ana Carballosa/Prime. (Jason Bateman) and Howard White (Chris Tucker); college ball coach George Raveling. Yet he no longer speaks to George Raveling,. “Prior to all of that, Sonny (Vaccaro) likes to take the credit. Rob Strasser (Jason Bateman), to save Nike. ". He recently appeared on the Brown and. Marlon Wayans as George Raveling in 'Air'. Matt Damon takes on the role of Sonny Vaccaro, who led Nike’s pursuit in signing Michael Jordan during his rookie years. Vicki Gunvalson from 'RHOC' said there are no good single men anymore but Peter Madrigal from 'Vanderpump Rules' wants to show her there are. But it really wasn’t Sonny, it was actually George Raveling,” Jordan told USA Today. 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. Don Yaeger was an Associate Editor at Sports Illustrated magazine. That said, the part in the film in which Sonny Vaccaro visits Deloris in North. Vaccaro claimed he was able to convince Jordan — who wore Converse in college. The heart and soul of Air really come from the idea of putting belief in oneself or another. Sonny was hired by Phil Knight (portrayed by Affleck) to revamp his basketball shoe division, which has only gotten smaller since Vaccaro’s arrival. He asked his old. Alex G. 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. Williams and Raveling insist Williams does not receive money personally. 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. Getty Images Vaccaro and Raveling were close friends during their time at Nike, so much so that Raveling was. 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. Matthew Maher as Peter Moore, Marlon Wayans as George Raveling, Chris Tucker. The day after the US team won the Los Angeles Olympics, he offered Jordan $2. Matt Damon is Sonny Vaccaro. We start from T-Mac, and from that. But it really wasn't Sonny, it was actually George Raveling," Jordan told USA Today in 2015. Ben Affleck as Phil Knight in AIR. SONNY VACCARO. In the mid-80s, Sonny Vaccaro (Matt Damon) was a Nike honcho who sought to sign the rookie basketball star of the Chicago Bulls, Michael Jordan, to promote his company’s revolutionary new Air Jordan sneaker, giving him his brand identity, as he’s on his ways in the ensuing years to arguably becoming the goat in pro basketball. 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. ’”Matt Damon stars in the film as Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro,. 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. Sonny Vaccaro was a central figure in the O’Bannon v. . Knight, Jordan, Nike exec George Raveling, and. S. 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. 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. 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 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. Nike is looking for a way to become one of the premier basketball shoe brands in the U. 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. Affleck's longtime friend and longtime collaborator plays. He famously takes credit for bringing Michael. The starry cast includes Damon as Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro, Affleck as Nike co-founder Phil Knight, Jason Bateman as Rob Strasser, Chris Messina as David Falk, Matthew Maher as Peter Moore. The new posters see Damon as maverick Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro while Affleck is seen as Nike co-founder Phil Knight. The former NBA Champion claimed that a Nike Executive named George Raveling was responsible for his change of heart. Until, that is, Nike’s Sonny Vaccaro convinced his CEO Phil Knight to go all-out and blow their annual budget on recruiting one player: Michael Jordan. S. "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 says that Vaccaro's emergence was a matter of good timing: Nike needed a front man, and Sonny knew the people. You’ve got to try. Long gone. Raveling replaced Sonny in the same job at Nike. Damon stars as Sonny Vaccaro, the maverick Nike salesman who signed rising basketball player Michael Jordan to a shoe contract in the mid-’80s that launched the global, multibillion-dollar. Raveling and Sonny had a falling out over the summer high school basketball programs that Sonny ran. In an attempt to find support among the people close to Jordan, Vaccarro gets in touch with George Raveling, who coached Jordan. Little did he know that this search would lead to the birth of a sneaker empire and redefine the world of athletic endorsements. ) to hear their proposal. 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. He used to always try to talk to me, ‘You gotta go Nike, you gotta go Nike. He used to always try to talk to me, 'You gotta go 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. In a follow-up interview with USA Today, Vaccaro stated that he was "the savior of Nike. 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. But it really wasn’t Sonny, it was actually George Raveling. In the same year, Jordan signed a record-breaking. “Sonny (Vaccaro) likes to take the credit. Sonny Vaccaro was planning to pursue other business plans that did not involve Nike. White in 'Air'. Raveling became Sonny's competitor in the same position at Nike. Coach George Raveling. “George Raveling was with me on the 1984 Olympics team (as an. But it really wasn’t Sonny, it was actually George Raveling,” he said. ”. “Spokane, Washington,” the employee says. Crafts/DIY. In 1984, Oregon-based Nike, Inc. He meets with Sonny Vaccaro in Los Angeles, and that's when the Nike. Net worth: $5 million. Back then, Sonny was laughed at by Nike honchos Howard White (Chris Tucker), Rob Strasser (Jason Bateman) and George Raveling (Marlon Wayans). The center of “Air” is Sonny Vaccaro (Matt Damon), a Nike exec with a basketball scout’s eye for rising talent. Comedian Marlon Wayans was tapped to play George Raveling, who served as an assistant coach for the 1984 U. E. Both Ben Affleck and Matt Damon will star as Phil Knight and Sonny Vaccaro, respectively. George Raveling was with me on the 1984 Olympics team (as an. Marlon Wayans (The Curse of Bridge Hollow) as George Raveling, Jordan’s assistant coach on the 1984. m. 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. However, the founder of Nike, Phil Knight spoke against Vaccar. 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. Getty Images Vaccaro and Raveling were close friends during their time at Nike, so much so that Raveling was. Image via Amazon Studios Where did Nike, a brand that was barely. Then, Rob and I met with Falk at the meeting at the Hermitage [hotel in. ” It was a very different. ” Raveling played at Villanova and coached at Washington. Raveling introduced Jordan to Vaccaro, and Jordan told USA Today that Raveling kept telling him, “You gotta go Nike, you gotta go Nike. George Raveling, the pioneering African-American college basketball coach, crossed paths with Martin Luther King Jr.