Peter Press "Pete" Maravich (June 22, 1947 – January 5, 1988) was an American basketball player known for his incredible shooting abilities, creative passing, and dazzling ballhandling. Also known as "Pistol Pete", he starred in college and for three NBA teams. Maravich is still the all-time leading NCAA scorer, averaging a staggering 44.2 points per game, without the benefit of a three-point line.
Born in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Pittsburgh, and of Serbian descent, Pete amazed his family and friends with his basketball abilities from an early age. His father Press Maravich, a former professional player turned coach, showed Pete the fundamentals starting when Pete was 7. Pete would obsessively spend hours practicing ball control tricks, passes, head fakes, and long range shots.
Pistol Pete was an amazing athlete and and a amazing scorer at all levels of competetion. In his first game at LSU, as a freshman he put up 50 points, 11 assits and 11 assists. Pistol’s squad only lost one game that season. In his time in College, Maravich became one of the greatest to ever play the college game. At the end of his college career Maravich scored more points in college than any other player in history. In only three years playing for his father Press at LSU, Maravich scored 3,667 points — 1,138 points in 1968, 1,148 points in 1969 and 1,381 points in 1970 while averaging 43.8, 44.2 and 44.5 points per game. In the process, "Pistol Pete" set 11 NCAA and 34 Southeastern Conference records, as well as every LSU record in points scored, scoring average, field goals attempted and made, and free throws attempted and made. In his collegiate career, the 6-5 (1.96 m) guard averaged an incredible 44.2 ppg in 83 contests and led the NCAA in scoring three times. He also set an NCAA record by scoring more than 50 points 28 times. He was named a three-time All-American and still holds many of these records, more than 35 years later.Maravich was a three time first team All-American and was named The Sporting News' player of the year in 1970, and received the Naismith Award as well. He scored a personal record of 69 points versus Alabama during a game that year, and garnered numerous other awards and college records.Maravich shined on the court and LSU slowly turned around a lackluster program. The year before he arrived, the varsity posted a 3-20 record. In Pete's senior season, LSU was 20-8 and participated in postseason play.
After graduating from LSU in 1970, Maravich was the third selection in the first round of the National Basketball Association's (NBA) player draft and made league history when he signed a $1.9 million contract — one of the highest salaries at the time — with the Atlanta Hawks. He wasted little time becoming a prime time player by averaging 23.2 points per game his rookie season. After spending four seasons in Atlanta, Maravich was traded to the New Orleans Jazz where he peaked as an NBA showman and superstar. He made the All-NBA First Team in 1976 and '77 and the All-NBA Second Team in 1973 and '78. He led the NBA in scoring in 1977 with a personal high 31.1 points per game. Maravich finished his career with the Utah Jazz and the Boston Celtics in 1980, where he played for one season alongside Larry Bird before retiring.
In ten NBA seasons, Maravich, a five-time NBA All-Star, scored 15,948 points in 658 games for a 24.2 ppg average (15th All Time). He led the league in scoring with 31.1 points per game in 1977. His NBA single game high, a 68-point explosion, came against the New York Knicks on February 25, 1977. He shares the record for most free throws made in a quarter with 14.
The magic of Pistol Pete was his play, which were years ahead of his time. His fancy passes and his moves challenged the way basketball was played and the direction in which basketball was heading towards. Although some basketball purists would argue that Maravich took away from the team game and made it more of an individual display, it made the game more entertaining and exciting for the audience. Pistol Pete led the way for many of great players of our generation such as Allen Iverson, Jason Kidd and Steve Nash.
Here is a display of his skills at his finest
As you guys can see he was a dynamic scorer and was creative beyond imagination when he had the rock in his hands
I am always concerned about the music when I show you these video mixes and I think the music goes very well with this mix
Born in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Pittsburgh, and of Serbian descent, Pete amazed his family and friends with his basketball abilities from an early age. His father Press Maravich, a former professional player turned coach, showed Pete the fundamentals starting when Pete was 7. Pete would obsessively spend hours practicing ball control tricks, passes, head fakes, and long range shots.
Pistol Pete was an amazing athlete and and a amazing scorer at all levels of competetion. In his first game at LSU, as a freshman he put up 50 points, 11 assits and 11 assists. Pistol’s squad only lost one game that season. In his time in College, Maravich became one of the greatest to ever play the college game. At the end of his college career Maravich scored more points in college than any other player in history. In only three years playing for his father Press at LSU, Maravich scored 3,667 points — 1,138 points in 1968, 1,148 points in 1969 and 1,381 points in 1970 while averaging 43.8, 44.2 and 44.5 points per game. In the process, "Pistol Pete" set 11 NCAA and 34 Southeastern Conference records, as well as every LSU record in points scored, scoring average, field goals attempted and made, and free throws attempted and made. In his collegiate career, the 6-5 (1.96 m) guard averaged an incredible 44.2 ppg in 83 contests and led the NCAA in scoring three times. He also set an NCAA record by scoring more than 50 points 28 times. He was named a three-time All-American and still holds many of these records, more than 35 years later.Maravich was a three time first team All-American and was named The Sporting News' player of the year in 1970, and received the Naismith Award as well. He scored a personal record of 69 points versus Alabama during a game that year, and garnered numerous other awards and college records.Maravich shined on the court and LSU slowly turned around a lackluster program. The year before he arrived, the varsity posted a 3-20 record. In Pete's senior season, LSU was 20-8 and participated in postseason play.
After graduating from LSU in 1970, Maravich was the third selection in the first round of the National Basketball Association's (NBA) player draft and made league history when he signed a $1.9 million contract — one of the highest salaries at the time — with the Atlanta Hawks. He wasted little time becoming a prime time player by averaging 23.2 points per game his rookie season. After spending four seasons in Atlanta, Maravich was traded to the New Orleans Jazz where he peaked as an NBA showman and superstar. He made the All-NBA First Team in 1976 and '77 and the All-NBA Second Team in 1973 and '78. He led the NBA in scoring in 1977 with a personal high 31.1 points per game. Maravich finished his career with the Utah Jazz and the Boston Celtics in 1980, where he played for one season alongside Larry Bird before retiring.
In ten NBA seasons, Maravich, a five-time NBA All-Star, scored 15,948 points in 658 games for a 24.2 ppg average (15th All Time). He led the league in scoring with 31.1 points per game in 1977. His NBA single game high, a 68-point explosion, came against the New York Knicks on February 25, 1977. He shares the record for most free throws made in a quarter with 14.
The magic of Pistol Pete was his play, which were years ahead of his time. His fancy passes and his moves challenged the way basketball was played and the direction in which basketball was heading towards. Although some basketball purists would argue that Maravich took away from the team game and made it more of an individual display, it made the game more entertaining and exciting for the audience. Pistol Pete led the way for many of great players of our generation such as Allen Iverson, Jason Kidd and Steve Nash.
Here is a display of his skills at his finest
As you guys can see he was a dynamic scorer and was creative beyond imagination when he had the rock in his hands
I am always concerned about the music when I show you these video mixes and I think the music goes very well with this mix
4 comments:
Jeez, that was the most entertaining MIX I've ever seen. I still don't know what to make of this guy. I wish I could see him in a full game. I've watched it three times.
Pete Maravich is certainly fun. And stylish. I can sure see where Magic Johnson got his game. I tried to buy the book but the damn thing is sold out everywhere.
Thanks for the link. Pistol Pete is fast becoming my favorite old school player. Did you see the wrist-pass? Plus there's an assist where he goes through his legs, freezes his defender, and then slaps the ball to a teammate for an easy lay-in. I don't know the rock song in the middle. Is that Van Halen?
wats going on guys
thanks for your comments
i first learned of pistol pete in a video game
nba streets 2
and i just had to do more research on him
he is really sick, way before his time but this goes back does style win you championships, rarely, only magic johnson did it and did it with style
and handlez sorry man i dont know wat that rock song is in the middle but i will ask my roomates if they know cuz i am notr eally into that type of music
MB
This is great info to know.
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