In the world of sports, some individuals have a tendency to take on a larger than life personality. Whether it be due to the caliber of their athleticism or a certain quality about them that resonates with their fans, their image becomes representative of not just themselves, but the organizations they represent as well as anything else they may be connected to in some way or form. That would be the case with Jim Valvano, former college basketball coach whos battle with cancer in the 1990’s inspired countless individuals both within and well beyond the world of sports. Now Valvano’s life and struggles with his health will be explored in an upcoming biopic, with it being announced this week that Ray Romano would play the role of the iconic Jimmy V.
Jim Valvano is best remembered for the inspirational speech he gave at the 1993 ESPY Awards hosted by ESPN just months before his death. Terminally ill with cancer at the time, Valvano gave a speech that emphasized the importance of things such as strength and perseverance in a way that moved the audience in a way unlike anything else. Since then ESPN has gone on to create the Jimmy V Award which they hand out to just one individual in the world of sports each year whose experience embodies the principles inherent in Valvano’s iconic speech, honoring and preserving his legacy for years to come. Now his legacy is set to be honored again in an upcoming biopic that is currently in production, and this week it was officially announced that Romano, best known for his hit television series Everybody Loves Raymond, would play the role of the iconic basketball coach.
Jim Valvano is an icon in the world of sports and well beyond, with the V Foundation, opened in his memory, raising over $300 million to date in the hopes of battling the same illness that claimed Valvano’s life. The upcoming biopic will only add further fuel to the fight and further extend upon Valvano’s undeniable legacy. Moviegoers can continue to check back here as further details emerge about the budding project in the near future.
