Ronnie L. Valentine is an American former professional basketball

Basketball

Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...

 player.

College

A 6'7" forward, Valentine attended Old Dominion University

Old Dominion University

Old Dominion University is a state university located in Norfolk, Virginia, United States, and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools...

 from 1976 to 1980. He set a school record with 2,204 points in his college career and scored ten points or more in 101 consecutive games. His career high for the Old Dominion Monarchs

Old Dominion Monarchs basketball

The Old Dominion Monarchs Basketball team represents Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia in NCAA Division I men's competition. The school's team currently competes in the Colonial Athletic Association...

 was 44 points in a game against Tulane University

Tulane University

Tulane University is a private, nonsectarian research university located in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States...

 during his sophomore year. As a senior in 1980, he led Old Dominion to their first appearance in the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament, where the team fell to UCLA.

Professional career

After college, Valentine was selected by the Denver Nuggets

Denver Nuggets

The Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National Basketball Association . They were founded as the Denver Rockets in 1967 as a charter franchise of the American Basketball Association, and became one of that league's more successful teams...

 with the 51st pick of the 1980 NBA Draft

1980 NBA Draft

The 1980 NBA Draft was the 34th annual draft of the National Basketball Association . The draft was held on June 10, 1980, before the 1980–81 season. In this draft, 23 NBA teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball players and other eligible players, including international players...

. He played 24 games for the Nuggets during the 1980–81 NBA season, scoring 84 points. Valentine later played in the Continental Basketball Association

Continental Basketball Association

The Continental Basketball Association was a professional men's basketball league in the United States, which has been on hiatus since the 2009 season.- History :...

, the United States Basketball League

United States Basketball League

The United States Basketball League , often abbreviated to the USBL, was a professional men's spring basketball league. The league was formed in 1985. The final champions are the Kansas Cagerz, who won the title game on July 1, 2007.-History:...

, and in Italy

Italy

Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...

. In 1982, he earned the CBA's MVP Award after averaging 32 points per game for the Montana Golden Nuggets

Montana Golden Nuggets

The Montana Golden Nuggets are a former Continental Basketball Association that played from 1980/81 to 1982/83.Montana reached the CBA finals in 1981 and 1983, with George Karl earning Coach of the Year honors both seasons....

. He also led the West team with 25 points in the 1982 CBA All-Star Game.