Bill you are a true professional: classy interesting articulate enthusiastic informative... Your prais for Pistol Pete blesses his legacy but also indirectly shows how insightful, knowledgeable & grateful you are.
Maravich was the best passer and ball handler of all time. If he had players around him that could handle his skills I can only imagine what he and they would have accomplished. His scoring prowess is well documented but I know people who saw him play in college and he literally was playing against five guys and they still could not stop him. Pistol Pete was the best.
Gene Silvers Agreed. Took it to a whole other level. Every time he'd touch the ball you never knew what sheer delight he had in store. An icon of the game.
He had psychological issues that kept him from being as good as he could have been. He also had health issues. A bad heart is what killed him at a young age.
Travis Kraft -- "ORagnar What psychological issues did he have?" I don't know exactly. I listened to a documentary on youtube last year where they talked about his drinking problem. It seemed clear that he was not a happy person.
I saw Pete Maravich LIVE a couple of times in Portland, Oregon. Before one game, during warm-ups, I was under the Atlanta Hawks basket watching. A ball bounced to me and Pete and I made eye contact. I threw a perfect chest pass to him and he made a long jump shot. I was 15 years old and I just assisted my hero on a basket. Very cool.
btw he was born without a left coronary artery that supplies blood to the heart !!!!look that up in a medical book & really be amazed how he did what he did.
He really said, I do not want to play in the NBA X number of years and die from a heart attack at age 40. That is what exact,y happened How he did All those amazing things with a bad heart is unbelievable
Been a long time fan of his and always will be. I was too young to see him in his playing days but grew up during the 80s and remember the Celtics. He was ahead of his time and doesn't get enough attention. He's a top 50 All Time Player. People should factor in his health condition. If not for the health issue he didn't know he had when playing, then he would of been off the charts in the NBA like he was in College I believe. Regardless his talents far surpass the numbers. He is a legend of the game. What I like about him is his love of the game was expressed and passed on to others. The flare and fun is what made watching him special. He knew in the end that and not wins and losses is how he will leave his mark on the game.
Pistol Pete was an entertainer who used his bountiful basketball skills like a magician. He was Houdini on a basketball court and a truly nice human being. So sad to see how todays basketball " so called stars " care only about mega $$$$$$$$$ dollars and so many character & morality issues. Thank GOD for the rare ones like PETE MARAVICH !
How many years since he has passed? I still tear up thinking about him. How many years since he played pro ball? I still tear up for him. How many years since he lit up the college basketball world. I still tear up for him. I'm glad that he found His peace, a peace he looked for, for so long.
Pistol was the best ball handler I ever saw live, even better than Magic, Earl the Pearl, Tiny, Nash, Stockton, etc. I always said he's the ONLY player I ever saw that made it look like he had the ball on a yoyo. I can see why the Harlem Globetrotters had real interest in Pete!! Unreal imagination on the court! Loved the way he beat my man, Ice Gervin, in classic horse contest of 1977. George thought he matched Pete by shooting off the glass, while both sitting on the floor!! Pistol gave the E to Ice by jumping from out of bounds, underneath the backboard and reversing a layup in. He was too ahead of his teammates. Once saw him make a behind the back pass, just as he crossed half court to E.C.Coleman underneath, that poor EC couldn't imagine could be made. Incredible player, who really learned how to play with others late in his career.
Bill Walton is a terrific hype man too - if you consider his well thought-out, albeit sometimes eclectically expressed, comments to be "hype". I remember the year my Butler Bulldogs played for the national title in our hometown of Indianapolis - at Lucas Oil Stadium. We were so down after having so narrowly lost the game to Duke in the final seconds. But as we piled into the car to head home and reflexively turned on the radio, only to hear Bill Walton wax-on about the greatness of the game - and just how exponentially great it WOULD have been should Gordon Haywood's half court shot have been just 1/2" shorter. He does his research, knows the history of the game as well as it's current methods & strategies, adding so much otherwise lost context to whatever event he's broadcasting. My family still recalls Walton's words as a part of our recounted memories of that incredible NCAA final experience. Yes, Pete was a talent that left too soon - first due to his badly tortured knees and then a tragically flawed heart. I will buy the book just because of this video - and Bill Walton.
It makes Pete's achievement even more spectacular, as he beat the defending champs. Of course, there may have been another actual game that Walton actually remembered from 74-75, but Walton hardly played that year as rookie.
I'd buy the 57 point average part. The night Pete scored 68 points in '77 he would have made 90 with 3 pointers. His shots from range were unbelievable.
When I was in Jr. H.S. in the late 60's-1971 in Cocoa Beach, Fl. I can remember being in the car with my Dad and he said he wanted to listen to a college basketball game that was on the radio...he told me about a white kid who wore baggy socks and was lighting it up at LSU, they called him Pistol Pete...I still remember listening to that game (I think they were playing the Gators) and how astounded I was...it seemed every time LSU came down the floor Pistol Pete scored the basketball...I think he put up 45 that day and that was back when that wasn't much below an average team score....dude was a bad man.
Got to meet Pete as my cousin was roommates with him his first year in Atlanta. Sat in a cab with Walt Bellamy and another player. Went to old Statler-Hilton for dinner after game in Buffalo and in walks Pete with sunglasses on at night. Awesomeness for a 14 year old.
People today will never really know how great Maravich was. He was a scoring and passing marvel. Probably the only player ever carried off the floor by cheerleaders ..........from the opposing team.
Pete was the GOAT! I was a younger basketball player back in the day and like many others, Pistol Pete was my idol .... the passing and shooting, the hair and the floppy socks !
Just finished reading "Pistol" by Mark Kriegel... Anyone who likes Pete or old school basketball should read it. Helps understand why he was so troubled and why he didn't succeed as much as he could have in the pros
I watched this because I wanted to compare and see how good Frank Caliendo's impersonation of Walton was. WOW! If you haven't seen it, check it out... spot on!
Pistol was not among the top 5 if all times. He was among aTHE TOP 3: Bill Russell (BEST defensive Center with BEST Celtics - 11titles); Pete himself and Air Jordan.
Pete went to Needum Broughton hs while his dad was a coach at NC State. He use to have a friend drive him in his VW bug and Pete would dribble the ball out hanging outside of the window.
I don't know how old you are, or how many years you have watched, or played basketball, but I can tell you MJ was NOT the greatest of all time. You sound like the media of the last 15 years looking for an idol. I had the good fortune of seeing Maravich for almost all his games with the Jazz, & before that, several NBA seasons with Wilt going against Russell. The only thing MJ would win over Maravich would be number of slams & blocks. Everything else, no contest- Pistol Pete would win out!!
Reason why ppl say jordan was the greatest is because overall he could play and be dominant in his era or todays era. Magic or wilt probably could be good in thier era and todays as well. Now for other players especially in the 70's and before it not fair to even question how they would be in jordan or today's era. Overall athleticism is no comparison, the style was too past tense.
NEVER, repeat, NEVER, saw Pistol slam his chest on an AND 1. Today's DOPES fist pound their chest and raise their arms to the heavens for adulation, then on cue, MISS the free throw. Dopes like Blake Griffin and Carmelo Anthony come to mind.
"Unbelievable! I can remember being at Berkeley. Blotches of beard not connecting on my face, I could smell colors. I could feel sounds! Have you ever seen a player better than Detlef Schrempf!?"
How can you not love Bill Walton's enthusiasm? It's soooo genuine! Why people like Maravich, Walton, Dave DeBusschere, and Dennis Johnson among so many others are taken from us before their times . . . so unfair, especially when there are so many rotten humans who seem to live forever. Google Robert Mugabe . . . 95 years old. Ugh.
I used to not be a fan of Walton.....but I have been in recent years....... He is much funner to watch calling games now, then he used to be. I have gotten my daughter to watch some UW Husky BBall games with me. She likes his commentary as well. Bill keep on being you......and put in a plug for getting a team to replace the Sonics.
You are certainly right. Pistol, Barry, Baylor, West, Robertson, Havlicek. Many today think it's only MJ and Kobe. Maybe Magic and Larry as an afterthought.
Actually, that's true. But I will point out that Pistol Pete, after traded to the Jazz, led his team in Points, Rebounds, and Assists. So, yes, there are other stats than scoring, and Pete still led his team in them.
Threes weren't invented until the last year or so of his career. It was being experimented with, that's why so few attempts. Also, at that pt in his career, he was washed up and played very few minutes
Bill Walton reminded me when he said he was an avid reader... Back in his day, it was Lew Alcindor (aka Kareem ) or Bill Walton as best center. Kareem was probably better, and Kareem was also maybe more classically intelligent. But the word was that Walton was right there with him. Now it seems Bill mellowed from some on his own early days. Haven't seen much where Kareem paid compliments to hardly any other player. If someone knows different, point us to the link. I mean this post more as a compliment to Bill for his comments here than a criticism of Kareem.
Pete Maravich scored 68 so easily on the Knick's Walt Frazier, Earl Monroe and Spencer Haywood, all future HOF players. He was like MJ scoring 63 on Bird, McHale and Parish. Too bad his teams did not build the right players around him, never had the management, coach or kind of teammates that Magic, Jabbar, Jordan or Bird had that led them to their championships.
Pete Maravich was a fantastic college player. No doubt he would’ve averaged over 50 points a game had there been a three point line. I’ve only seen one comparable player and that was Freeman Williams from Portland State University, came out with Larry bird. Freeman lead the country in scoring. Saw him in a small Portland state gym and that guy had range like you wouldn’t believe. Think Steph Curry. He always had the greenlight to shoot. I remember seeing a game and the tip went right to Freeman. He took one step over Half court line and shot… Swish!
To go back and look at the tapes and say what Pete would score with a three-point line is ridiculous, because the defenses would adjust to a 3-point line!
@keeohn I think the reason Pete never had any NCAA titles was because the championship system was different when he played college ball and LSU wasn't eligible somehow for tournament play. I think Wooden tried to recruit him but his Dad wouldn't allow it, if anything his Dad probably kept him from truly acheiving greatness in the college and pro ranks
If you were right about no defense being played back then, a bunch of players would have averaged over 40 points per game, correct? But NO ONE ELSE DID, EVER...
Dr. J and Pete played on the same team briefly in pre-season practice. After practice they played 1 on 1. Dr. J said they ended up having to buy each other some dinners after the heads up match. To be a fly on the wall to see that 1 on 1 match would of been magical and historic.
Right now I'm having a debate with some guys that want to argue MJ who I'm a fan of is an all around better player than pete. These kids need our help.lol
RIP Mr. Walton. You were a helluva player. He absolutely loved Pistol. These guys played in an era where basketball was worth watching. Anyone who never got to see Pistol you should watch all the video highlights. Absolutely amazing
Pete inspired many kids back in those days is why we have such skilled players today. Lots of the fundamentals he performed along with variety of incredible moves helped the generations today.
Nothing better than a fellow underrated legend, HOFer, franchise player, friend and beast (and to the highest collective and individual NBA success, AND despite the body) in Bill to deliver such a fantastic tribute to him.
yeah basketball jones does not even compare even though he slept with a basketball under his pillow at night. basketball jones basketball jones oh baby ooh.
I absolutely love Bill Walton. He is so cool. He's so complimentary about other players and coaches. The kind words he has for John Wooden are priceless. Bill, you are the best.
bill respected john wooden..... but did not like cutting his hair short as demanded by Wooden.....Bill has always been a cool dude..... strolling across UCLA campus without attitude..... and demonstrated against the war in viet nam while on campus.. and was carted away by the police.... ( me on the other hand got the hell out of there before they got me)
I think he meant from a passing point of view. If Pete played in today's NBA with players being more aware of unorthodoxed passes, he would be one of the all time assists leaders. There isn't any one player that had all the qualities of Pete. There are players that have possessed one or some of the talents of Maravich, but not all at one time. Nash and Magic could pass on almost his level. But were not as good shooters as Pete. Almost every Maravich shot was off balance and awkward and remarkably went in. If he wasn't off balance he was almost perfect. He holds the record for free throws in a game with 30. That's impressive in itself. Now add in the fact that he shot 31 free throws that game and made 30, makes it mythical.
The NBA was not ready for his style of play. He is the one who started to change the game into what it is today. His ball handling and passing are unrivaled even today. he was a joy to watch.
Love listening to Walton, he’s got it, that zest for life. The guy is genuinely excited and his enthusiasm is electric. Obviously talking about Pistol Pete helps too
Huey Newton You're on to it! Magic Johnson said Maravich was one of the few players from his era who would have been better in today's era than he was back then. I think Magic is dead-on in that assessment.
Watching him play in college made me marvel. I still haven't seen anyone near Pistol's love for the game along with his simply incredible passing and shooting. Whew, what a player he was!!!!
The socks! Pistol was it. No one like before or since. His spiritual journey ended with Jesus, and He was on fire with the fire of Heaven. Died on the basketball court playing with a bunch of Christian men, including James Dobson of Focus on the Family.
@@spaceghost8995 ...Sports your "God" is it! Or is it "hate"? You know nothing of Pete's personal life! He was throwing it away till he found God and became a mentor for "good behavior"!
And, you know, if Bill hadn’t had the array of injuries he had, he would’ve put up numbers to rival the great centers of the 70s and 80s. Still, he played on 2 or 3 NBA championship teams, including that great year at Portland with Maurice Lucas et al
please remember that in an interview Pete maravich said he wanted to be remembered as a Christian and doing things for Christ opposed to being remembered only as a basketball player!
Ed Mckinney-----That reminds me of the British runner , Roger Bannister , who in 1954 , was the first man to run the 4:00 minute mile . He had a long and distinguished career and wanted to be known for that , rather than his running .
What you mean one of the best? Who was better? 44 pts per game? And that's no 3 pointers? Get creek in real dude. NO ONE COMES EVEN CLOSE! Haven't you been paying attention?
He was so amazing. I remember him in college. Besides no 3 point line, there was also no shot clock so opponents would often try to slow things down. I remember one game where he scored his team's [LSU] first 25 points.
It´s only natural that Magic would have been influenced by Maravich, and Earl Monroe, Oscar Robertson and Walt Frazier--not to mention George Gervin and Kareem, too. Just like later generations copied Jordan and now Curry.
I remember as a kid having a Magic Johnson poster in my room that read, "Showtime." It wasn't until years later that my stepdad told me about the original Showtime Pete Maravich. He told me these crazy stories about things Maravich did when he went to Campbell College in NC for a basketball camp when he was a kid and Press and Pete were hosting the camp. He said he would stand halfcourt and shoot an arc all the way to the rafters and the ball would bounce around the foul line and go in. He said Pete would race the fastest kid full court and the kid would not have a basketball and Pete would beat him even though he was dribbling between his long legs while running. Dribbling like it was a snare drum, trick shots behind the backboard, half court, etc. I could go on. He was no doubt a huge influence on Magic, Isaiah, and countless others. Steve Nash probably too. Magic and Isaiah I know for sure because I have heard them say this. Maravich was a remarkable example of the power of the brain to make the body do it's will. He was obsessively compulsive about basketball. Maybe to an unhealthy point. Press Maravich was obsessed too and manifested his obsession through his son and cultivated his son's same obsession into a basketball prodigy. It wasn't Pete's unathletic underdeveloped 13 year old body that got him on the high school team. It was the drive and will to excel that allowed him to figure out how to be a great shooter even though he was too weak to shoot the ball properly. I think he would have been great even if he didn't grow from 5'9" to 6'4" over the summer from junior to senior year. He ended up being 6'5 1/4."
@Don P "Magic" wouldn't have had his name if it weren't for Maravich. Where do you think he got his passes from? He wasn't as far above his peers as Maravich was. Magic didn't change the game of basketball. Maravich did.
Bill Walton is such a great guy, delivers a fantastic tribute to Pistol Pete!
Walton was a stud before injuries took their toll on him.
Indeed, save his greatness as a person already, what a tribute and set of stories he had.
Not surprising, Bill is great!
Another gracious great.Talk about a college career he was and is a class act.I hated him when iwas a kid. Kentucky fan.UCLA always smoked us.
Bill Walton sure made me feel good with his gracious words and respect for Pete.
Very nice Bill Walton.
Two criminally underrated legends Walton and Pete Maravich are.
Bill Walton is one of the nicests NBA legends, if not the most.
Bill is the same guy in real life...
@@dusk6159 Both careers hobbled and ended much too soon by injuries, sadly. Oh, what might have been...
@@alfredodistefanolaulhe2212 Just don't get him mad :)
Bill you are a true professional: classy interesting articulate enthusiastic informative... Your prais for Pistol Pete blesses his legacy but also indirectly shows how insightful, knowledgeable & grateful you are.
I could listen to Bill Walton tell basketball stories from the greatest era of basketball ever (1960's-1980's) all the live long day...
Maravich was the best passer and ball handler of all time. If he had players around him that could handle his skills I can only imagine what he and they would have accomplished. His scoring prowess is well documented but I know people who saw him play in college and he literally was playing against five guys and they still could not stop him. Pistol Pete was the best.
Today, I would argue that Steph Curry was equally good as Maravich when they were both in their prime years. They are stunning to watch.
Seldom do we really know of the giants that walk among us. Pete was one of those.
The kid was possessed. Most exciting NBA player ever.
Gene Silvers Agreed. Took it to a whole other level. Every time he'd touch the ball you never knew what sheer delight he had in store. An icon of the game.
He had psychological issues that kept him from being as good as he could have been. He also had health issues. A bad heart is what killed him at a young age.
ORagnar What psychological issues did he have?
Travis Kraft -- "ORagnar What psychological issues did he have?"
I don't know exactly. I listened to a documentary on youtube last year where they talked about his drinking problem. It seemed clear that he was not a happy person.
Its AWESOME how bill makes you really FEEL what youre seeing, the greatness that youre watching
just superb
I saw Pete Maravich LIVE a couple of times in Portland, Oregon. Before one game, during warm-ups, I was under the Atlanta Hawks basket watching. A ball bounced to me and Pete and I made eye contact. I threw a perfect chest pass to him and he made a long jump shot. I was 15 years old and I just assisted my hero on a basket. Very cool.
I wouldn't forget that either. Good for you. My BB favorite growing up as well.
M A, Thx. Some players are forgotten once they stop playing. I wish the younger fans knew how good Pistol Pete was.
@@rogerpeet7399 Absolutely. In Pete's era, few know much about Dave Bing or Tiny Archibald, too.
M A, You are correct, sir.
@Scott ?????? Every detail is very good.
Always loved when Bill Walton said This is a disgrace during The Malice In The Palace brawl.
The Pistol was the equivalent of Barry Sanders of the NFL.
he was better
btw he was born without a left coronary artery that supplies blood to the heart !!!!look that up in a medical book & really be amazed how he did what he did.
Pete Maravich was UUNNNNN Believable!!
one legend lavishing over another legend - clips like this validate youtubes existence
He really said, I do not want to play in the NBA X number of years and die from a heart attack at age 40. That is what exact,y happened How he did All those amazing things with a bad heart is unbelievable
He actually had problems with drugs and alcohol, but that's the hidden part of the story.
He actually had a congenital heart defect. He had a single right coronary artery, two is normal.
Been a long time fan of his and always will be. I was too young to see him in his playing days but grew up during the 80s and remember the Celtics. He was ahead of his time and doesn't get enough attention. He's a top 50 All Time Player. People should factor in his health condition. If not for the health issue he didn't know he had when playing, then he would of been off the charts in the NBA like he was in College I believe. Regardless his talents far surpass the numbers. He is a legend of the game. What I like about him is his love of the game was expressed and passed on to others. The flare and fun is what made watching him special. He knew in the end that and not wins and losses is how he will leave his mark on the game.
Pistol Pete was an entertainer who used his bountiful basketball skills like a magician. He was Houdini on a basketball court and a truly nice human being. So sad to see how todays basketball " so called stars " care only about mega $$$$$$$$$ dollars and so many character & morality issues. Thank GOD for the rare ones like PETE MARAVICH !
How many years since he has passed? I still tear up thinking about him. How many years since he played pro ball? I still tear up for him. How many years since he lit up the college basketball world. I still tear up for him. I'm glad that he found His peace, a peace he looked for, for so long.
Pete was the flippin man. When you talk about the all time greats, if Pete Maravich ain't in your top five, you're just talking meaningless smack.
But West, Robertson, Cousy, Maravich, Frazier, Monroe, Havlicek when he played the backcourt... they had great guards then, not just now.
Pistol was the best ball handler I ever saw live, even better than Magic, Earl the Pearl, Tiny, Nash, Stockton, etc. I always said he's the ONLY player I ever saw that made it look like he had the ball on a yoyo. I can see why the Harlem Globetrotters had real interest in Pete!! Unreal imagination on the court! Loved the way he beat my man, Ice Gervin, in classic horse contest of 1977. George thought he matched Pete by shooting off the glass, while both sitting on the floor!! Pistol gave the E to Ice by jumping from out of bounds, underneath the backboard and reversing a layup in. He was too ahead of his teammates. Once saw him make a behind the back pass, just as he crossed half court to E.C.Coleman underneath, that poor EC couldn't imagine could be made. Incredible player, who really learned how to play with others late in his career.
bill walton is the gary busey of basketball... They could be twins
Walton and Maravich are arguably the best college basketball players ever.
Russell , too.
Kareem is arguably the greatest college basketball player ever.
Bill Walton is a terrific hype man too - if you consider his well thought-out, albeit sometimes eclectically expressed, comments to be "hype".
I remember the year my Butler Bulldogs played for the national title in our hometown of Indianapolis - at Lucas Oil Stadium. We were so down after having so narrowly lost the game to Duke in the final seconds. But as we piled into the car to head home and reflexively turned on the radio, only to hear Bill Walton wax-on about the greatness of the game - and just how exponentially great it WOULD have been should Gordon Haywood's half court shot have been just 1/2" shorter. He does his research, knows the history of the game as well as it's current methods & strategies, adding so much otherwise lost context to whatever event he's broadcasting. My family still recalls Walton's words as a part of our recounted memories of that incredible NCAA final experience.
Yes, Pete was a talent that left too soon - first due to his badly tortured knees and then a tragically flawed heart. I will buy the book just because of this video - and Bill Walton.
It makes Pete's achievement even more spectacular, as he beat the defending champs. Of course, there may have been another actual game that Walton actually remembered from 74-75, but Walton hardly played that year as rookie.
The beat goes on.
I'd buy the 57 point average part. The night Pete scored 68 points in '77 he would have made 90 with 3 pointers. His shots from range were unbelievable.
I agree 100%! In a 142 games head to head Wilt averaged 28.7 points and 28.7 rebounds and Russell averaged 14.5 points and 23.7 rebounds.
1977 Bill Walton was the NBA's greatest center if not for injuries he'd have been 1, 2, or 3 All time center in the NBA.
Walton is such a classy guy...but Pistol Pete WAS something special.
When I was in Jr. H.S. in the late 60's-1971 in Cocoa Beach, Fl. I can remember being in the car with my Dad and he said he wanted to listen to a college basketball game that was on the radio...he told me about a white kid who wore baggy socks and was lighting it up at LSU, they called him Pistol Pete...I still remember listening to that game (I think they were playing the Gators) and how astounded I was...it seemed every time LSU came down the floor Pistol Pete scored the basketball...I think he put up 45 that day and that was back when that wasn't much below an average team score....dude was a bad man.
I was at that game if it was at night. I saw Maravich play the gators at UF. scored 50.
Got to meet Pete as my cousin was roommates with him his first year in Atlanta. Sat in a cab with Walt Bellamy and another player. Went to old Statler-Hilton for dinner after game in Buffalo and in walks Pete with sunglasses on at night. Awesomeness for a 14 year old.
I love Bill’s enthusiasm !!!
Pete should have been the greatest point guard ever.
People today will never really know how great Maravich was. He was a scoring and passing marvel. Probably the only player ever carried off the floor by cheerleaders ..........from the opposing team.
Pete was the GOAT! I was a younger basketball player back in the day and like many others, Pistol Pete was my idol .... the passing and shooting, the hair and the floppy socks !
Just finished reading "Pistol" by Mark Kriegel... Anyone who likes Pete or old school basketball should read it. Helps understand why he was so troubled and why he didn't succeed as much as he could have in the pros
I watched this because I wanted to compare and see how good Frank Caliendo's impersonation of Walton was. WOW! If you haven't seen it, check it out... spot on!
Pistol Pete must have been phenominal when he was healthy and on his game.
Pistol was not among the top 5 if all times. He was among aTHE TOP 3: Bill Russell (BEST defensive Center with BEST Celtics - 11titles); Pete himself and Air Jordan.
Did you just call the man on the logo a benchwarmer?
Pete went to Needum Broughton hs while his dad was a coach at NC State. He use to have a friend drive him in his VW bug and Pete would dribble the ball out hanging outside of the window.
I don't know how old you are, or how many years you have watched, or played basketball, but I can tell you MJ was NOT the greatest of all time. You sound like the media of the last 15 years looking for an idol. I had the good fortune of seeing Maravich for almost all his games with the Jazz, & before that, several NBA seasons with Wilt going against Russell. The only thing MJ would win over Maravich would be number of slams & blocks. Everything else, no contest- Pistol Pete would win out!!
Carlito1988 let's not get crazy here....he wasn't better than jordan lol....when people name their top 10 he's seldom even mentioned there either
Reason why ppl say jordan was the greatest is because overall he could play and be dominant in his era or todays era. Magic or wilt probably could be good in thier era and todays as well. Now for other players especially in the 70's and before it not fair to even question how they would be in jordan or today's era. Overall athleticism is no comparison, the style was too past tense.
Of course Jordan is not the best of all time. Larry Bird is.
@@scottnone58 YA Baby!!!
The closest thing that we have seen in the last 20 years in terms of passing and style is Jason Williams (White Chocolate).
Ken Vaughn ok you said it. but why? did you get a little erection making an irrelevant and pointless comment?
@@steveswangler6373 wow...Merry Christmas to you too.
NEVER, repeat, NEVER, saw Pistol slam his chest on an AND 1.
Today's DOPES fist pound their chest and raise their arms to the heavens for adulation, then on cue, MISS the free throw. Dopes like Blake Griffin and Carmelo Anthony come to mind.
Then they high 5 one another after the MISSED FT!
Pfft... You would've been benched for that kind of BS back then.
Grow up, plus... nevermind
Nobody gives a shit boomer
@@Slipknot5301 I do. I give about 2 - 2 .5 shits. The rest are for the weekend.
"Unbelievable! I can remember being at Berkeley. Blotches of beard not connecting on my face, I could smell colors. I could feel sounds! Have you ever seen a player better than Detlef Schrempf!?"
How can you not love Bill Walton's enthusiasm? It's soooo genuine! Why people like Maravich, Walton, Dave DeBusschere, and Dennis Johnson among so many others are taken from us before their times . . . so unfair, especially when there are so many rotten humans who seem to live forever. Google Robert Mugabe . . . 95 years old. Ugh.
Pete played his whole career not even knowing that he had no coronary arteries on one side of his heart.
I used to not be a fan of Walton.....but I have been in recent years....... He is much funner to watch calling games now, then he used to be. I have gotten my daughter to watch some UW Husky BBall games with me. She likes his commentary as well. Bill keep on being you......and put in a plug for getting a team to replace the Sonics.
You are certainly right. Pistol, Barry, Baylor, West, Robertson, Havlicek. Many today think it's only MJ and Kobe. Maybe Magic and Larry as an afterthought.
Actually, that's true. But I will point out that Pistol Pete, after traded to the Jazz, led his team in Points, Rebounds, and Assists. So, yes, there are other stats than scoring, and Pete still led his team in them.
He shot a grand total of 15 threes in his career, and hit 10 of them.
Threes weren't invented until the last year or so of his career. It was being experimented with, that's why so few attempts. Also, at that pt in his career, he was washed up and played very few minutes
@BIGKELL9614 add also that the regular season during that time is 10-12 games less.
Those black Cons were so tough on the feet not much cushion a very little support!💯
did he finally give up his ten speed bicycle
Bill Walton reminded me when he said he was an avid reader... Back in his day, it was Lew Alcindor (aka Kareem ) or Bill Walton as best center. Kareem was probably better, and Kareem was also maybe more classically intelligent. But the word was that Walton was right there with him. Now it seems Bill mellowed from some on his own early days. Haven't seen much where Kareem paid compliments to hardly any other player.
If someone knows different, point us to the link. I mean this post more as a compliment to Bill for his comments here than a criticism of Kareem.
Pete Maravich scored 68 so easily on the Knick's Walt Frazier, Earl Monroe and Spencer Haywood, all future HOF players. He was like MJ scoring 63 on Bird, McHale and Parish. Too bad his teams did not build the right players around him, never had the management, coach or kind of teammates that Magic, Jabbar, Jordan or Bird had that led them to their championships.
Someone show this to Jerry West, heard him disrespect Pete on an interview.
Bill Walton always speaks the truth
the man was an innovator. best passer of all-time
Pete Maravich was a fantastic college player. No doubt he would’ve averaged over 50 points a game had there been a three point line. I’ve only seen one comparable player and that was Freeman Williams from Portland State University, came out with Larry bird. Freeman lead the country in scoring. Saw him in a small Portland state gym and that guy had range like you wouldn’t believe. Think Steph Curry. He always had the greenlight to shoot. I remember seeing a game and the tip went right to Freeman. He took one step over Half court line and shot… Swish!
To go back and look at the tapes and say what Pete would score with a three-point line is ridiculous, because the defenses would adjust to a 3-point line!
@keeohn I think the reason Pete never had any NCAA titles was because the championship system was different when he played college ball and LSU wasn't eligible somehow for tournament play. I think Wooden tried to recruit him but his Dad wouldn't allow it, if anything his Dad probably kept him from truly acheiving greatness in the college and pro ranks
44 pts per game for 3 years in the era without 3-point shooting. That's just unbelievable....
Agree, but they also played no D back then either.
you know NOTHING. they didn't have the same protective fouls... people were BRUTAL.
What are you talking about? Players play no D today.
Watch the old film, guys had all kinds of space between man and ball.
If you were right about no defense being played back then, a bunch of players would have averaged over 40 points per game, correct? But NO ONE ELSE DID, EVER...
My Dad guarded him in college. He said he had a great game cuz he held Pete under his average, only dropped 41 on em😂🤣😂!
"Pete Maravich is the most skilled basketball player I've ever seen."- Julius "Dr. J" Erving
Wow, he knew legendary basketball 🏀 player connie Hawkins
@@lloydkline6946 I saw one interview with the Doctor where he said he tried to emulate his game on a combination of Hawkins and Baylor.
The "Doctor" would know. "The Pistol" did things with a basketball that to this day have never been duplicated. He was a basketball genius.
Dr. J and Pete played on the same team briefly in pre-season practice. After practice they played 1 on 1. Dr. J said they ended up having to buy each other some dinners after the heads up match. To be a fly on the wall to see that 1 on 1 match would of been magical and historic.
Right now I'm having a debate with some guys that want to argue MJ who I'm a fan of is an all around better player than pete. These kids need our help.lol
RIP Mr. Walton. You were a helluva player. He absolutely loved Pistol. These guys played in an era where basketball was worth watching. Anyone who never got to see Pistol you should watch all the video highlights. Absolutely amazing
Pistol Pete was Larry Bird AND Magic Johnson put into one player without any all stars in New Orleans. Pete was something else........
Pete made m.johnson
Pete inspired many kids back in those days is why we have such skilled players today. Lots of the fundamentals he performed along with variety of incredible moves helped the generations today.
Don P leading scorer in college and the nba. Only other player to do it since is steph curry. Fuck outta here
@Don P how old are you?
@Don P Explain
This man Pistol Pete made his legacy with a BAD HEART, he is just unbelievable, what a legend.
Nothing better than a fellow underrated legend, HOFer, franchise player, friend and beast (and to the highest collective and individual NBA success, AND despite the body) in Bill to deliver such a fantastic tribute to him.
57 points per game if there was a 3 point line, unbelievable!
Once there was a player named Pistol Pete, ...just once.
yeah basketball jones does not even compare even though he slept with a basketball under his pillow at night. basketball jones basketball jones oh baby ooh.
I believe your comment about Pistol Pete is the greatest I've ever seen.
His talent truly was indescribable!
Amen. Like soooo many great players from the past, today's fans have simply no idea how great Pistol Pete was.
It is sad. Pete, Baylor, West, Barry, Havlicek, Robertson, Bing, to name some.
Always a treat to watch when Pete played. He was awesome...and so was and is Bill Walton.
I absolutely love Bill Walton. He is so cool. He's so complimentary about other players and coaches. The kind words he has for John Wooden are priceless. Bill, you are the best.
KK and Bud Chase For one season the best player in three universe,
bill respected john wooden..... but did not like cutting his hair short as demanded by Wooden.....Bill has always been a cool dude..... strolling across UCLA campus without attitude..... and demonstrated against the war in viet nam while on campus.. and was carted away by the police.... ( me on the other hand got the hell out of there before they got me)
KK and Bud Chase lol i love hearing bill commentate the pac 12 basketball ball games. Bias s.o.b. he is. Legend. Go pistol pete
I like how dude wasn't ready to hand it off to Bill quite yet, and Bill just took off with it lol. He's great.
K.K. Chase zzzz
pistol pete was a legend in school as much as in the pros. steve nash is good but don't compare him to pistol pete.
mel bias Don't compare anyone to Pistol Pete.
I think he meant from a passing point of view. If Pete played in today's NBA with players being more aware of unorthodoxed passes, he would be one of the all time assists leaders. There isn't any one player that had all the qualities of Pete. There are players that have possessed one or some of the talents of Maravich, but not all at one time. Nash and Magic could pass on almost his level. But were not as good shooters as Pete. Almost every Maravich shot was off balance and awkward and remarkably went in. If he wasn't off balance he was almost perfect. He holds the record for free throws in a game with 30. That's impressive in itself. Now add in the fact that he shot 31 free throws that game and made 30, makes it mythical.
@@pizzulo81 Nash was a great shooter, too. But not the pure ball handling wizard Pete was. Or Isiah, for that matter.
The 30 free throw record was in college.
@Don P Nash wasn't in Pete's league
I remember Pete Maravich at LSU, he was unbelievable.
Gosh. The effect that guy had on me for the love of the game of basketball. The greatest of the greats. A master of passing and scoring.
@@briandm33 k
The NBA was not ready for his style of play. He is the one who started to change the game into what it is today. His ball handling and passing are unrivaled even today. he was a joy to watch.
The NBA wasn't ready for Magic, Michael or Steph Curry either. But the NBA Fans had their own Agenda.
No one has come remotely close to what Pete did. He scored huge amounts of points... but he was actually a pass first player.
the pistol and Bill Walton two of my favorites ever
Michael Zeigler..... Two of my top five players ever.
It’s so great and so very nice when you have legends talking about legends. There is No better, no more accurate or genuine source of information.
More proof that todays players, AND I don't care who you name, stand on the shoulders of Giants.
Love listening to Walton, he’s got it, that zest for life. The guy is genuinely excited and his enthusiasm is electric. Obviously talking about Pistol Pete helps too
Interesting to hear Walton, a bball genius himself, has to say about Pete.
Bill is VERY appreciative of other stars. Pete, Dr J, Bird, Magic, Barry, West, Jordan to name some.
Pistol Pete played in the wrong era just imagine what he would be in today's game where players are expecting some of those crazy passes
Huey Newton You're on to it! Magic Johnson said Maravich was one of the few players from his era who would have been better in today's era than he was back then. I think Magic is dead-on in that assessment.
Watching him play in college made me marvel. I still haven't seen anyone near Pistol's love for the game along with his simply incredible passing and shooting. Whew, what a player he was!!!!
The socks! Pistol was it. No one like before or since. His spiritual journey ended with Jesus, and He was on fire with the fire of Heaven. Died on the basketball court playing with a bunch of Christian men, including James Dobson of Focus on the Family.
@@spaceghost8995 ...Sports your "God" is it! Or is it "hate"?
You know nothing of Pete's personal life! He was throwing it away till he found God and became a mentor for "good behavior"!
I have Pistol Pete autographed rookie picture with the Hawks , Prized Posession
THE BEST HANDS in the game ....= Pistol
best passer and ball handler ever
If only Pistol Pete could have been in his prime when playing with Larry Bird. Oh my!
LOL That would have been awesome to watch.
Both John Havlicek and Dave Cowans later said that if they had known Bird was coming, they would have kept playing. Imagine that team.
@@davidlipman8093 yes sir of course cowens did run one season with bird...havlicek would have made it real sweet your right
Just imagine Pete did all of that with a major heart defect his whole life....
And, you know, if Bill hadn’t had the array of injuries he had, he would’ve put up numbers to rival the great centers of the 70s and 80s.
Still, he played on 2 or 3 NBA championship teams, including that great year at Portland with Maurice Lucas et al
nobody knew his heart was bad until he died
Pete was amazing. His widow, Jackie, is just as amazing. She is the epitome of class.
please remember that in an interview Pete maravich said he wanted to be remembered as a Christian and doing things for Christ opposed to being remembered only as a basketball player!
Ed Mckinney-----That reminds me of the British runner , Roger Bannister , who in 1954 , was the first man to run the 4:00 minute mile . He had a long and distinguished career and wanted to be known for that , rather than his running .
That's all well and good, but Pete was an alcoholic. He found Christ through AA, and it saved his life, for awhile.
Pete was ahead of his time, he was a genius on the basketball court. I'm glad he made peace with God through Jesus Christ.
Too bad. I modeled my game after him with no regrets. I’m also Christian but it’s a part of me.
If they had free agency back then he could have gone to a great team. If he played today he would be one of the best point guards of all time
Uh...Any special reason he is NOT the best point guard of all time?
What you mean one of the best? Who was better? 44 pts per game? And that's no 3 pointers? Get creek in real dude. NO ONE COMES EVEN CLOSE! Haven't you been paying attention?
He already is
Pete was the greatest playmaking guard that ever played in the NBA!
People talk so much about his ball handling and amazing shots, but not much is said about either his quickness or straight ahead speed.
The greatest player ever.
When healthy, not even Michael Jordan could touch him.
What they fail to mention that in his time they didn't allow freshman to play. His point total would have been MUCH higher.
+TheRattler33: No, they couldn't have.
I believe that is true
Sound fucking stupid mike would easily stop him mike guarded harder people , and mike would for sure have 50 on him
@Don P .. Pete would have eaten Micheals lunch. Get real dude.
He was so amazing. I remember him in college. Besides no 3 point line, there was also no shot clock so opponents would often try to slow things down. I remember one game where he scored his team's [LSU] first 25 points.
Absolutely a great player. He was showtime
How can you not love a Bill Walton interview? These 126 people have no appreciation for real class. And that is what Walton is: pure class
Pete Maravich , great player.
NBA Street Vol 2 baby!!! This man averaged 44ppg during his 3 year career at LSU WITHOUT A 3PT LINE!!! That's insane!!!
He did well, but the LSU team never did anything in the way of championships.
Magic Johnson stole a lot of Maravich's repertoire.
It´s only natural that Magic would have been influenced by Maravich, and Earl Monroe, Oscar Robertson and Walt Frazier--not to mention George Gervin and Kareem, too. Just like later generations copied Jordan and now Curry.
Isiah, too. Why not?
Then added 12 of Magic's own.
...
I remember as a kid having a Magic Johnson poster in my room that read, "Showtime." It wasn't until years later that my stepdad told me about the original Showtime Pete Maravich. He told me these crazy stories about things Maravich did when he went to Campbell College in NC for a basketball camp when he was a kid and Press and Pete were hosting the camp. He said he would stand halfcourt and shoot an arc all the way to the rafters and the ball would bounce around the foul line and go in. He said Pete would race the fastest kid full court and the kid would not have a basketball and Pete would beat him even though he was dribbling between his long legs while running. Dribbling like it was a snare drum, trick shots behind the backboard, half court, etc. I could go on. He was no doubt a huge influence on Magic, Isaiah, and countless others. Steve Nash probably too. Magic and Isaiah I know for sure because I have heard them say this. Maravich was a remarkable example of the power of the brain to make the body do it's will. He was obsessively compulsive about basketball. Maybe to an unhealthy point. Press Maravich was obsessed too and manifested his obsession through his son and cultivated his son's same obsession into a basketball prodigy. It wasn't Pete's unathletic underdeveloped 13 year old body that got him on the high school team. It was the drive and will to excel that allowed him to figure out how to be a great shooter even though he was too weak to shoot the ball properly. I think he would have been great even if he didn't grow from 5'9" to 6'4" over the summer from junior to senior year. He ended up being 6'5 1/4."
@Don P "Magic" wouldn't have had his name if it weren't for Maravich. Where do you think he got his passes from? He wasn't as far above his peers as Maravich was. Magic didn't change the game of basketball. Maravich did.