Pete Maravich

At 40 years old, Pete Maravich has this physical status:

College career

Since NCAA regulations barred first-year students from participating at the varsity level, Maravich was forced to play on the freshman team. Maravich scored 50 points, 14 rebounds, and 11 assists against Southeastern Louisiana College in his first game.

Maravich scored 3,667 points, 1,138 of those in 1968–69, and 44.5 per game respectively, in only three years (and under his dad's tutee) at LSU, including an unprecedented 43.8, 44.2, and 44.5 points per game. The 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) guard averaged 44.2 points per game in 83 games during his collegiate career, leading the NCAA in scoring for three seasons in a row.

When three main factors are factored in, Maravich's long-standing collegiate scoring record is particularly notable: if three main factors are taken into account:

However, some of his NCAA and LSU records still stand more than 50 years later. Maravich was a three-time All-American. Despite the fact that he never appeared in the NCAA tournament, Maravich was instrumental in turning around a poor season that had set a 3–20 record prior to his arrival. Maravich played for the 1970 National Invitation Tournament, where LSU finished fourth.

Freshmen did not participate on the varsity team at this point, and these statistics do not appear in the NCAA record books.

Professional basketball career

The Atlanta Hawks selected Maravich with the third pick in the 1970 NBA draft, where he worked for coach Richie Guerin. He was not a natural fit in Atlanta, as the Hawks already boasted a top-notch scorer at the guard position in Lou Hudson. In fact, Maravich's flamboyant style stood in stark contrast to Hudson and star center Walt Bellamy's conservative play. It also didn't help that many of the veteran players resent the $1.9 million salary they earned from the team -- a significant pay at that time.

Maravich played in 81 games and averaged 23.2 points per contest, earning NBA All-Rookie Team recognition. Hudson managed to blend his style with his colleagues, so much so that he surpassed his career record by scoring 26.8 points per game. The team sank to a 36–46 record, winning 12 more games than in the previous season. However, the Hawks qualified for the playoffs, losing to the New York Knicks in the first round.

During his second season, Maravich's second season was a little disappointing. His scoring average fell to 19.3 points per game, and the Hawks posted their second disappointing 36-46 record. They qualified for the playoffs once more, but in the first round, they were disqualified. However, Atlanta fought hard against the Boston Celtics, with Maravich averaging 27.7 points in the series.

Maravich's third season was an improvement, scoring 26.1 points (5th in the NBA) and giving out 6.9 assists per game (6th in the NBA). With 2,063 points, he combined with Hudson (2,029 points) to become only the second pair of teammates in the league to surpass 2,000 points in a single season. The Hawks soared to a 46-36 record, but they were bowed out in the first round of the playoffs. However, the season was good enough to win Maravich's first-ever appearance in the NBA All-Star Game and also All-NBA Second Team accolades.

The following season (1973–74) was his best yet, at least in terms of individual accomplishments. Maravich earned his second appearance in the All-Star Game, posting 27.7 points per game, second in the league behind Bob McAdoo. Atlanta, on the other hand, dropped to a disappointing 35–47 record and skipped entirely from the postseason.

An expansion franchise was gearing up for its first season of action in the NBA in the summer of 1974. The New Orleans Jazz were looking for something or someone to elicit a lot of excitement among their new basketball followers. Maravich was seen as the hottest man for the job thanks to his exciting style of play. In addition, he was already a celebrity in the state due to his LSU achievements. The Jazz cut two players and four draft picks to Atlanta in order to acquire Maravich.

In its first season, the expansion team suffered a lot. Maravich managed to score 21.5 points per game, but they missed a career-best 41.9 percent from the floor. The Jazz set a 23-59 record, the lowest in the NBA.

Maravich's leadership did its best to provide him with a more sympathetic cast. Despite the team's dramatic rise, the team maintained 38–44 records in its second season (1975-76), but did not qualify for postseason play. Maravich suffered with injuries that limited him to 62 games this season, but his crowd-pleasing antics continued his. He was named to the All-NBA First Team this year.

The following season (1976–77) was his most efficient in the NBA. With an average of 31.1 points per game, he led the league in scoring with an average of 31.1 points per game. In 13 games, he scored 40 points or more, while in four games, he had scored 50 or more. Wilt Chamberlain and Elgin Baylor's 68-point masterpiece against the Knicks was the most points ever scored by a guard in a single game, and only two players at any position had ever scored more: his 68-point masterpiece against the Knicks at the time, and only two players at any position had ever scored more: Wilt Chamberlain and Elgin Baylor. At that time, Baylor was the Jazz head coach. Despite Maravich's results, the team ended 35-47 (three wins behind the previous season) and then failed to make the playoffs for the first time.

Maravich made his third All-Star game appearance and was named the All-NBA First Team for the second year in a row.

During the 1977-78 season, the following season saw him miss 32 games due to knee injuries to both knees. Despite being robbed of some quickness and athleticism, he still managed to score 27.0 points per game, and he also added 6.7 assists per game, his highest average as a member of the Jazz. Several of those assists were given to rookie Truck Robinson, who had joined the team as a free agent during the off-season. Robinson played 22.7 points and a season-best 15.7 rebounds per game in his first year in New Orleans. Robinson's presence stopped opponents from focusing solely on Maravich, and the Jazz lifted the Jazz to a 39–43 record, just shy of the club's first-ever appearance in the playoffs.

Maravich suffered with knee pains for the remainder of his life. He appeared in 49 games between 1978 and 1979. He averaged 22.6 points per game during his fifth and final All-Star appearances. However, his scoring and passing skills were seriously hampered. The team suffered on the court, but it also faced serious financial challenges. Management was desperate to make some improvements. Robinson was traded by the Phoenix Suns to receive draft picks and some cash in exchange. However, Sam Battistone, the Jazz's team's owner, moved the Jazz to Salt Lake City in 1979.

The Utah Jazz appeared in 1979-1980 as a member of the Utah Jazz Orchestra. Maravich followed the team to Salt Lake City, but his knee injuries were more severe than ever. He appeared in 17 games early in the season, but his injuries stopped him from exercising much, and new coach Tom Nissalke had a strict rule that players who didn't practice were not allowed to play in games. Maravich was therefore sitting on the bench for 24 straight games, much to Utah fans' chagrin and to Maravich himself. Adrian Dantley became the team's franchise player during that time.

In January 1980, the Jazz put Maravich on waivers. He signed with the Celtics, the top team in the league this year, led by rookie Larry Bird. Maravich transitioned to a new role as a part-time reporter, offering Boston a "hired gun" off the bench. In the regular season, he helped the team post a 61–21 record, the best in the league. Maravich also played in the NBA playoffs for the first time since his early career in Atlanta. During the offseason, he appeared in nine games, but the Celtics were upended by Julius Erving and the Philadelphia 76ers in the Eastern Conference finals, four games to one.

Maravich retired at the end of the season after realizing that his knee pains would never go away. The NBA introduced the 3-point shot just in time for Maravich's last season in the league. He's always been known for his long-range shootings, and his final year gave an official measure of his results. He made ten of 15 3-point shots during his brief playing time in Utah and Boston, bringing him a career completion rate behind the arc.

Maravich played in 658 games, averaging 24.2 points and 5.4 assists per game throughout his ten-year NBA career, averaging 658 points and 5.4 assists per game. In 1987, he was accepted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, where he was No. 91. Both the Jazz and the New Orleans Pelicans have been out of 7 jerseys, as well as his No. 58. The Atlanta Hawks' 44 jersey is a playmaker.

Source

Collegiate awards

• The Sporting News College Player of the Year (1970)
• USBWA College Player of the Year (1969, 1970)
• Naismith Award Winner (1970)
• Helms Foundation Player of the Year (1970)
• UPI Player of the Year (1970)
• Sporting News Player of the Year (1970)
• AP College Player of the Year (1970)
• The Sporting News All-America First Team (1968, 1969, 1970)
• Three-time AP and UPI First-Team All-America (1968, 1969, 1970)
• Led the NCAA Division I in scoring with 43.8 ppg (1968); 44.2 (1969) and 44.5 ppg (1970)
• Averaged 43.6 ppg on the LSU freshman team (1967)
• Scored a career-high 69 points vs. Alabama (February 7, 1970); 66 vs. Tulane (February 10, 1969); 64 vs. Kentucky (February 21, 1970); 61 vs. Vanderbilt (December 11, 1969)
• Holds LSU records for most field goals made (26) and attempted (57) in a game against Vanderbilt on January 29, 1969
• All-Southeastern Conference (1968, 1969, 1970)
• #23 Jersey retired by LSU (2007)
• In 1970, Maravich led LSU to a 20–8 record and a fourth-place finish in the National Invitation Tournament

NBA awards

• NBA All-Rookie Team
• All-NBA First Team (1976, 1977)
• All-NBA Second Team (1973, 1978)
• Five-time NBA All-Star (1973, 1974, 1977, 1978, 1979)
• Led the league in scoring (31.1 ppg) in 1977, his career best
• Scored a career-high 68 points against the New York Knicks on February 25, 1977
• #7 jersey retired by the Utah Jazz (1985)
• #7 jersey retired by the Superdome (1988)
• NBA 50th Anniversary All-Time Team (1996)
• NBA 75th Anniversary Team (2021)
• #7 jersey retired by the New Orleans Hornets (now Pelicans) (2002), even though he never played for them—one of only four players to have a number retired by a team they did not play for; Maravich did play professionally for the New Orleans Jazz, however, and has remained a greatly admired figure amongst New Orleans sports fans ever since.
• #44 jersey retired by the Atlanta Hawks (2017)