George Raveling

Raveling succeeded Lute Olson as head coach at the University of Iowa in 1983, and guided the Hawkeyes to consecutive 20-win seasons and NCAA tournament berths in 1985 and 1986.

In 1984, he served as the assistant coach for the USA Olympic men's basketball team. Bob Knight served as the head coach, and Steve Alford and Michael Jordan were guards on that team. Shooting 63.9 percent from the floor, the US team captured the ninth Olympic title with a convincing 96-65 victory over Spain in the gold medal game.

During his 4-year tenure at Iowa, Raveling is probably best known for his recruits and outstanding players, including B.J. Armstrong, Kevin Gamble, Ed Horton, Roy Marble and Greg Stokes, all of whom went on to play in the NBA, and contributed to great success after Raveling left Iowa.

Born 6/27/1937 and died on 9/2/2025 at the age of 88.

HEAD COACH SEASONS

1983-1984 Basketball
1984-1985 Basketball
1985-1986 Basketball

VIDEOS

Coach George Raveling Interview on The Tim Ferriss Podcast

Coach George Raveling Delivers Speech at Iowa State Coaches Clinic

BOOKS and MOVIES

Graced With Opportunity: A Self-Discovery Journal to Cultivate Your Dreams with Gratitude, Mindfulness, Intention and Strategy (1/9/2019)
Graced With Opportunity is a six-month undated self-discovery journal. With a simple structured weekly format based on positive psychology research, the journal inspires readers to spend a few minutes each morning and evening disconnecting from their devices and reconnecting with their spirit through gratitude, self-awareness and productivity exercises. This uplifting personal growth tool provides techniques and proven strategies for dreamers and doers everywhere to manifest their goals and greatest desires into reality.

War On The Boards: A Rebounding Manual (2/7/2017)
Never before in the history of the game of basketball has anyone devoted a single text to the art of rebounding. This book is written with the desire that it will partially fill the void that has existed in basketball literature. Perhaps, this work will guide coaches to place a high degree of emphasis on this neglected phase of the game. Most books devote chapter after chapter to offensive and defensive fundamentals, but include only a few pages of information on rebounding. It is paradoxical that in this era of high powered offenses and defenses, basketball literature fails to give emphasis to the very tools and techniques that are necessary to build strong offenses and defenses — namely, rebounding. Rebounding in basketball is more than a mere fundamental. It represents a struggle or conquest in a form which seldom draws the praise of coach or fan. Rebounding makes basketball a contact sport. Is is symbolic of the sacrifice, the emotion, mental toughness, and hard work which precedes victory in most of life's endeavors. It is my fervent wish that the readers will share with me the joy and excitement that is contained within the world of rebounding. Kindly allow this manual to serve as your constant guide, as you seek a higher level of achievement in basketball. Keep in mind that "It is not where you are today that counts, it's the direction in which you are headed."

FAMOUS QUOTES from George Raveling

No one ever had anything negative to say about the University of Iowa other than they said the weather was bad...I've been tremendously impressed with the warmth and sincerity of the Iowa people. I'm going to love it here.
4/12/1983... - After being hired at Iowa - Link to source

I agonized over this game from the moment we lost the Arkansas State game. I sincerely regret I ever said (Lehigh didn't deserve an NCAA berth). If there was ever a case of putting my foot in my mouth, that was it. I told the kids that I put them in a bad situation, because I knew Lehigh wouldn't forget that.
...from Iowa vs. Lehigh on 12/7/1985