Ray Romano cast as Jim Valvano in new biopic

Hollywood is hitting the hardwood with a new Jim Valvano biopic and they just landed a big-name star to play the former NC State head basketball coach. Everybody Loves Raymond actor and comedian Ray Romano will star in the leading role. Romano, with his dark, shaggy hair, bears a passing resemblance to the 1983 National Championship-winning head coach. The actor and coach were also both born in Queens, New York.

Valvano, also known as “Jimmy V,” passed away in 1993 from metastatic adenocarcinoma, but not before he left an indelible mark on college hoops.

Romano is producing the film, along with others, and members of the Valvano family are serving as executive producers on the project.

“We couldn’t be more excited to finally tell my father’s story in the form of a feature film, especially with Ray Romano and game1 as partners,” Jamie Valvano, one of Jim and Pam Valvano’s daughters, said in an interview with Deadline. “We had a front-row seat to one of the greatest stories of all time, and we are thrilled to share it with the entire world, as well.”

On top of making history with his improbable victory over the Houston Cougars team that stared Clyde Drexler and Hakeem Olajuwon, Valvano started the V Foundation for Cancer Research. Each year, ESPN also recognizes one individual for perseverance with the Jimmy V Award.

Dick Vitale to receive Jimmy V Award

Dick Vitale battled and eventually defeated cancer over the past year. The iconic ESPN figure rung the bell last month, completing his chemotherapy after a long battle that began in October. Now, ESPN has announced that Vitale will receive the 2022 Jimmy V Award for Perseverance at the upcoming ESPYs in July.

“When I received the call from Jimmy Pitaro about receiving this award, I was absolutely blown away,” Vitale said, via ESPN. “I remember that day almost 30 years ago, when I stood on stage at the first ESPYS, introduced Jimmy V and witnessed him give that incredible speech we all remember. I reflected on his speech many times during my seven month battle – ‘don’t give up, don’t ever give up Dickie V’ – and I remembered my mother and father, who taught me never to believe in ‘can’t’. Jimmy V was special and his legacy lives on. I am so grateful to receive this tremendous award in his honor.”

In Pitaro’s eyes, Vitale is a perfect person to receive this year’s award in honor of Jimmy V.

“Dick is one of a kind,” said Pitaro. “He has embodied the spirit of the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance his entire career, and his fight against cancer has been no different. He has taken his struggle as an opportunity to help others, to help people to understand the challenges and to remove the stigmas and false assumptions. It’s fitting that we will present this award to him almost 30 years after he stood by Jimmy V’s side on the ESPYS stage, and it is an honor to add Dick to the distinguished list of winners of this award.”

On3’s Jonathan Wagner contributed to this report.