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Jim Valvano

Basketball Coach

1946–1993

Biography

Jim Valvano, born on March 10, 1946, was an American college basketball coach and broadcaster. He is most recognized for leading the North Carolina State University men's basketball team to an unexpected NCAA Championship victory in 1983. This underdog triumph is often cited as one of the greatest upsets in college basketball history. Valvano's coaching career spanned from 1968 to 1990, with significant periods at Iona College and NC State. In addition to his coaching accomplishments, Valvano became a beloved ESPN broadcaster, renowned for his passionate commentary and vibrant personality. In 1993, he delivered a powerful speech at the ESPY Awards, shortly before his death from cancer, where he announced the creation of the V Foundation for Cancer Research. This foundation has since raised millions of dollars for cancer research.

About

Born March 10, 1946

Died April 28, 1993

Birthplace Queens, New York, USA

Nationality American

Education Bachelor of Arts in English

School Rutgers University

Resting Place Oakwood Cemetery, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA

Popular Quotes

"Never give up! Failure and rejection are only the first step to succeeding."

Motivation Inspiration Success Resilience

"I asked a ref if he could give me a technical foul for thinking bad things about him. He said, of course not. I said, well, I think you stink. And he gave me a technical. You can't trust em."

Humor Trust Attitude Sports

"If you laugh, you think, and you cry, that's a full day. That's a heck of a day. You do that seven days a week, you're going to have something special."

Motivation Inspiration Personal growth Happiness

"There are 86,400 seconds in a day. It's up to you to decide what to do with them."

Motivation Inspiration Philosophy Self-improvement

"People think I have courage. The courage in my family are my wife Pam, my three daughters here, Nicole, Jamie, LeeAnn. "

Love Courage Strength Support

"Time is very precious to me. I don't know how much I have left and I have some things that I would like to say. Hopefully, at the end, I will have said something that will be important to other people too."

Inspiration Life Reflection Time

"How do you go from where you are to where you want to be? I think you have to have an enthusiasm for life. You have to have a dream, a goal. And you have to be willing to work for it."

Motivation Inspiration Success Determination

"Be a dreamer. If you don't know how to dream, you're dead."

Motivation Inspiration Self-improvement Life

"Cancer can take away all my physical abilities. It cannot touch my mind, it cannot touch my heart, and it cannot touch my soul."

Resilience Perseverance Strength Inner strength

"A person does not become whole until he becomes a part of something bigger than himself"

Personal growth Purpose Unity Community

"To me, there are three things we all should do every day. We should do this every day of our lives. Number one is laugh. Number two is think. And number three is you should have your emotions moved to tears."

Motivation Inspiration Personal growth Self-improvement

"Other people go to the office. I get to coach. I know I've been blessed"

Inspiration Happiness Gratitude Positive mindset

"My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person, he believed in me"

Inspiration Love Faith Belief

"Don't give up, don't ever give up"

Motivation Inspiration Resilience Determination