Pete Maravich

"Pistol" Peter Maravich was an NBA basketball player of the most etertaining nature. As Pat Riley, now Head couch of the Miami Heat, said: "Pete was the original. He was the best ball handler I ever saw. Ever."

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Childhood

Pete was the son of Helen and Press Maravich, born in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, on June 22, 1947. Growing up he had a strong urge to win. Depending on your point of view, he was a sore loser, or he just had this unreasonable desire to excel. Just as unreasonable, was his father's expectations for him to perform. Consequently, Pete quickly became a competent basketball player. Because he was always pushing himself; and his father-the college couch-was always encouraging, guiding, critisizing him; by the time he was 13 years old he was practicing 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. Even more on Saturdays. And on Sundays, when the Gym was closed, he would crawl in through a window and practice for a few hours. He hardly ever did homework: he would wake up early to practice before school. The school and gym were a coulple miles from his house in Woodland Heights, so he learned to dribble on his bycicle. He brought his basketball with him everywhere, when he walked to school, the ball was part of him; dribbling became unconscious as he did it for 2 miles, twice a day, everyday. He made sure to use his right hand as much as his left. One time at a drugstore, Pete was spining a ball on his finger when a local kid bet him he couldn't spin it for one hour. Pete got $5 after he did it.

College

Pete Maravich went to school at Louisiana State University from fall 1968 to spring 1970. He became the only to score more than 1,000 points as a sophmore. Before Pete came, basketball at LSU was a hobby. It took second place to football. Then people became interested when the team began to win more games because of one firey gaurd. In fact

Born Again

After leaving the NBA Pete isolated him self from his trophies and awards, his friends, and even playing basketball. His wife saw his moods swing between confusion, resignation and despair. He had a very strict diet, mostly vegan, and he would sometimes fast to "test himself".

The Legacy

The Pistol changed the way basketball was played. Modern players are still inspired by him; he set a precedent and changed the whole style of the game.

Source material: Maravich - Wayne Federman and Marshall Terrill- Sport Classic books -c. 2006