If Pistol Pete Maravich played today...

[cavsfan2]

Re: If Pistol Pete Maravich played today...

Im only 15 and i just saw some highlights on youtube. I think the best word to describe Pistol Pete is "crafty". He could finish around anyone. He mastered the up and under move and from what I saw that was one of his go-to moves, though i might be wrong. I think in todays NBA he would be sort of like Steve Nash only a better scorer and a worse defender.
How tall was Pistol Pete anyway? He looked like he was 6'4 on the videos i saw.

[cmebfresh]

Re: If Pistol Pete Maravich played today...

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[TripleCrown9]

Re: If Pistol Pete Maravich played today...

Im only 15 and i just saw some highlights on youtube. I think the best word to describe Pistol Pete is "crafty". He could finish around anyone. He mastered the up and under move and from what I saw that was one of his go-to moves, though i might be wrong. I think in todays NBA he would be sort of like Steve Nash only a better scorer and a worse defender.
How tall was Pistol Pete anyway? He looked like he was 6'4 on the videos i saw.

Close. He was 6'5".

[st0rmb11]

Re: If Pistol Pete Maravich played today...

Im only 15 and i just saw some highlights on youtube. I think the best word to describe Pistol Pete is "crafty". He could finish around anyone. He mastered the up and under move and from what I saw that was one of his go-to moves, though i might be wrong. I think in todays NBA he would be sort of like Steve Nash only a better scorer and a worse defender.
How tall was Pistol Pete anyway? He looked like he was 6'4 on the videos i saw.

decent assessment. he used the up & under, but I wouldn't call it a go to move. He could score in as many ways as, if not more than, Jordan. He had range out to about 30 feet. He was 6'5" and wiry, but had some pretty good athleticism. He would be the most creative ball handler in the league today. He would likely be the best shooter in the league today, and one of the top 3 pure scorers (right there with Durant & Melo).
I disagree with the Nash comparison. While Maravich was a very flashy passer, he wasn't a good passer. He didn't have near the mentality that Nash has.
If I had to compare him to a current player, he would be like Manu Ginobili, with more scoring ability. Better shooter than Manu. About the same passer. More crafty at getting a shot off. Could finish with either hand, and hit a very high percentage with either hand. Just wasn't near the defender Ginobili is. (I do laugh almost hysterically at you calling anyone a worse defender than Nash.) Maravich wasn't a horrible defender. I'm sure he was athletic enough and rangy enough to play some D. He just had less than zero interest in defense.

Maravich would be a perennial All-Star in the league today & a big time fan favorite. I will guess that Maravich would average about 27 to 32 points in the league today, 4 to 7 assists, 2 to 5 rebounds, probably hit over 40% of his threes, probably hit right around 50% from the field, and hit 85-90% from the line.

Can't say whether or not he would be a winner because we never really got to see how well he played in huge games, as he was never on a good team.

But, I would say that if he played in the league today, he would be a top 5 guard in the league.

[MotorTown354]

Re: If Pistol Pete Maravich played today...

Pistol was mindblowing, he did moves that I never saw no one replicate and he was doing moves way before certain players trademark them. He was doing the dream shake before Hakeem, touch passes, behind-the-back passes, between the leg passes, fake behind-the-back passes before... well, everybody else.
If he played today, there's no doubt in my mind, he would average 30 plus points if he wanted to, he was just an amazing shooter and creative scorer. He was amazing at shooting off the drible, in traffic and off balance and also at spotting up and coming off of screens. He had great range and from close he could use both hands and did crazy layups and hook shots. He was an unbelievable ball handler and great passer that could benefit from today's rules.
With all that being said, he was also a bit of a ball hog and took many low success shots, he sometimes made the flashy pass when he didn't need to and he had no interest in playing defense, although he had the right tools to do it. Maybe if he was on the right team and became disciplined he could also have been a great leader averaging less points but more assists, playing some D.

[rockchisler]

Re: If Pistol Pete Maravich played today...

If he played today he would average 21 points 10 assists game would make the all star team EVERY YEAR....

[MotorTown354]

Re: If Pistol Pete Maravich played today...

If he played today he would average 21 points 10 assists game would make the all star team EVERY YEAR....

The all star team I agree, the rest I dunno. I mean, he was never on great teams but if he played the way he did, I can't see him doing those numbers, he was mainly a scorer, a showman, with great shooting and dribbling skills, loved to shoot, who happened to be also an amazing flashy passer. If he became more disciplined I can see him doing those numbers, ppg going down but better percentages and apg going up.
People compare him to Nash, because they're great ball-handlers, passers and shooters... also because they're both white... but Pete could score in many more ways than Nash, he had a poor shot selection and he wasn't willing to share the ball as much as Steve. He also didn't care about defense that much.
However I'll say it again, he was never on great teams that catered to his style though.

[DownunderCanuck]

Re: If Pistol Pete Maravich played today...

I reckon if pistol played today he would revolutionize the concept of the combo guard, how often do we see guys like Juan Dixon or other pg sg tweeners just not seem to fit into a role on the team. I could really see him do well playing sg, with a shooting pg like mo Williams or something, def an all star, he will always be a fan favorite. One of the few greats from the old days who could still play in the league today, no debate, hell he'd be better off now than back then, maybe we can clone him....

For a comparison I don't know but with those long arms, and uncanny ability to finish, I'm thinking add a sick jumper and a bucket of flash to tyreke evans, and that sounds alot like pistol

[bamalam]

Re: If Pistol Pete Maravich played today...

good player-would definitely be in the league in today's game and very popular ala ai. but where was his leadership?

i think would be a very similar career actually to ai (a little better %), if he was a number 1 guy on the team, but probably wouldnt reach the finals as a #1

[daflyboys]

Re: If Pistol Pete Maravich played today...

From what I know, Maravich wasn't really a vocal guy. Keep in mind that when he joined the Hawks at the time, he was a kid and the team had lots of veterans and apparent leadership, but the league wasn't diluted like it is now with less teams and tons of talent all over the place.

Maravich became more outspoken much later after he became a Christian, more so witnessing to those around him.

[Colts18]

Re: If Pistol Pete Maravich played today...

If he played today, his drug usage would flood social networking sites to the point that he would be alienated by most fans. Are we forgetting about this aspect of his life?

Also, not being able to guard anyone would stand out way more today. I don't think he would even be on the floor that much to be honest.

[AlexBrady]

Re: If Pistol Pete Maravich played today...

Maravich would score 30 points per game with no hand-checking. His handle was so tricky and he had so many release points on his creative shots. Today's point guards are faster though and he would surrender about 40 points per game.

There are many other players from years long ago who would also thrive in today's game. Adequate foot speed is a must to keep up with all the jet-setters now. Guys like George Mikan, Bob Cousy, Ed Macauley, and most of the pre shot clock players couldn't make it today.

[st0rmb11]

Re: If Pistol Pete Maravich played today...

If he played today, his drug usage would flood social networking sites to the point that he would be alienated by most fans. Are we forgetting about this aspect of his life?

Also, not being able to guard anyone would stand out way more today. I don't think he would even be on the floor that much to be honest.

I don't think this aspect of his life would be an issue today. EVERYONE had drugs issues in Pete's era. have him grow up in a different era (the era of drug, most notably cocaine, awareness), I don't think he would jump into drug use like he did in the 70s. when, like I said, everyone in the league was using.

Pete only started using when he joined the NBA. if he joined the NBA this year, the influence of drugs wouldn't be around. maybe he'd have a few pot busts, but..just throw him in Portland from 2000-2005, and he'll fit right in.