RateItAll: The Opinion Network

Who couldn't he score on?

Certainly there have been better players, but Pistol Pete might be the most underrated ever. People knock him for shooting 44% from the floor. They forget that the great Wilt Chamberlin only shot 47%, even with his overall dominence. Definitely a 5.

Far and away the best ball handler, passer, and shooter I've ever seen. He just would not miss when the pressure was on, and there was never a shot he didn't like or couldn't make. Never was appreciated for his skills, never put in a situation to be on a championship team. Died too young.

I saw Maravich play several times, when he was with Atlanta. Greatest ball handler ever; no one else has ever been close. Once saw him triple teamed. He bounced the ball between his legs, with his right hand, caught it, with his left, then flipped it behind his back, above his head, where he grabbed it and put it in, from about 30 feet! Despite his unbelievable abilities, the teams he played for could never adapt to his commanding style; likewise, he could never adapt to a true team-oriented game plan. I sure miss him, though!

The greatest ball-handling skills of any player ever. Pistol Pete would have averaged well over fifty points a game for his career at LSU (As is was, he averaged 43.8) had they had the three point shot in those days. Hamstrung by inferior teams until his final season with the Celtics, Pete didn't get many chances to play on a national stage. But those who saw him play will never forget him. He played with the ball like it was a yo-yo on a string. He would show it to you, take it away, put it between his legs, then run by you with it on the way to the basket. And there was nothing that you could do about it.

Pete Maravich could do more with the ball than anyone who ever played. He was like a magician. I saw him get 51 points against Phoenix when half his Jazz teammates were injured. He was unstoppable. Lightning in a bootle. He dropped 68 points on the Knicks (without a 3-point line) and fouled out! He's still ahead of his time. The most skilled basketball player ever. (OK, his defense was average)

pistol pete baby, best passer of all-time.

Russell wanted to be the greatest team player ever, and he was; Chamberlain wanted to be the greatest statistical player, and he was; Pistol wanted to be the most entertaining basketball player, and he was. Just because his goals weren't the same as Wilt's, or Bird's, or Russell's doesn't make him any less of a great player.

To all you people who say maravich wasnt a great pro all i will say is this.Maravich scored 68 points on walt frazier,arguably the greatest defensive guard of all time.

HE is amazing! there is not a greater player than him that will ever step foot onto the court

The Pistol's game was 30 years ahead of his time.I don't think we will ever see a player with more skills than Maravich.

GREAT college player, not a great pro. Is anyone else noticing a white player bias in these rankings?

I had the good fortune of seeing him play at LSU and with the N.O. Jazz. I only wish that he had come along 10 years later when they had a shot clock and 3 pointers. In his last NBA year they added 3 pointers and he hit 10 of 15. He would have had MONSTER numbers with both. He also would never have been called showboat or hot dog as he was in his career. My two favorite memories were a no-look half-court hook shot at the buzzer that he drained, and a no-look, behind-the-back, between-a-defender's-legs bounce pass to a teammate. My favorite player of all time, and sorely missed.

Rated too high on here, but an awesome talent. Always played on crappy teams unfortunately, which really hurts his career fair or not.

"Pistol Pete" is the greatest. He is one of the best to ever play. Greatest shooter of all time. I mean come on he's the Pistol!!

Best college--not the best NBA.

most under rated pro of all time.Greatest showman ever

The movie "birth of a legend" is a great movie for all people. This really showed how much Pete Maravich was dedicated to the game of basketball and how much Press Maravich loved the game also. Pete Maravich would of averaged more than 44 points in college if they had the three point line. He is the one of the greatest basketball players of all time and the best college player of all time

Jim234 said it all. That movie "birth of a legend", is how I discovered the pistol. What I'd like to add is mostly what I think is missing. Since he was so good at passing, I thought he would own some records for assists, but the rest of his records speak for themselves.

he a was a man of todays style of play. many appperciated his talent but others thought it to a showboat way to score pionts of to make an assist. more people should stop and appreciate Pete Maravich's great talent and love for the game.

HE SPENT MORE HOURS PRACTICING BASKETBALL THAN ANYONE ELSE. GIVE HIM HIS DUE.

The comparison of Pistol Pete and Jordan isn't fair...I agree that competetively, Jordan was the greatest player of all time. His sheer will is beyond anyone else's. But Pete played the game on a level that Jordan couldn't understand. Pete was someone who wanted to be the Mozart of basketball. He redefined the limits of the game, and turned to the unknown for his basketball genius. Jordan had his moments, but Pete lived in the zone of basketball, where his creative impulse took over any drive towards victory. It wasn't solely about entertaining an audience, instead it was a fulfillment of his incredible artistic passion for the game--making it more than just a game.

The Pistol is one of the NBA's greatest guards. I saw him tear through the Knicks for 68 points and he barely broke a sweat. If you add up his points, assists, and rebounds per game - he only trails four guards: Jordan, Oscar, Magic, and Jerry West. That's pretty good company. A legend.

DAMN GOOD, but jordan is the greatest.

I understand a lot of people never had the opportunity to see Pistol Pete play. Thus, I reccommend they watch "The Pistol: Birth of a Legend," and witness a biography where basketball greatness is personified. Best showmen in the history of Basketball? Jordan, Vince Carter, and Pistol Pete.

THE PISTOL!

Pistol Pete is one of the greatest shooters of all time.

Pistol Pete was the most exciting NBA player of all time. The boy has got mad skillz - yo!

Pete Maravich was one of the greatest b-ball players of all time. He was probably the greatest college player ever. His work ethic is an example for every b-ball player today.

very, very good ballhandling guard. played on some awful teams. a special talent. I felt very good for him when he won w/ Boston after his prime.

Pistol Pete was awesome. I've won tons of games of Horse copping a move I saw him make back in 1977: around the back and through the legs into a reverse layup. Nice!