Jim Valvano delivered his “Don’t give up” speech 25 years ago Sunday

As this season’s N.C. State basketball team prepares for what it hopes is a memorable run through March, Sunday marked a memorable anniversary for the man who led the Wolfpack to one its greatest achievements in the sport.

Jim Valvano, coach of N.C. State’s 1983 NCAA championship team, delivered his famous “Don’t Give up” speech on ESPN on March 4, 1993 -- 25 years ago Sunday.

Less than two months before metastatic cancer would claim his life at age 47, Valvano traveled to New York for the first ESPY Awards show. He was the recipient of the inaugural Arthur Ashe Courage and Humanitarian Award.

Weakened and nausiated from his cancer treatements, Valvano delivered a rousing speech where he announced the formation of the Jimmy V Foundation for Cancer Research.

“And its motto is, Don’t give up . . . don’t ever give up,” Valvano said. “And that’s what I’m going to try to do every minute that I have left. I will thank God for the day and the moment I have.”

This story was originally published March 4, 2018 at 3:58 PM with the headline "Jim Valvano delivered his “Don’t give up” speech 25 years ago Sunday."