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“My father baited me into playing basketball!”: ‘Pistol’ Pete Maravich reveals how he got into Basketball and how he stayed motivated

Arun Sharma
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"My father baited me into playing basketball!": 'Pistol' Pete Maravich reveals how he got into Basketball and how he stayed motivated

‘Pistol’ Pete Maravich is a name that is etched into history books for being one of the best players ever.

To become the player he was, Pete jumped through hoops of fire. Ever since he was a kid, he watched his father play, and he wanted to too. His father was not a professional NBA player, but he played at the ABA level. “Press” Maravich was also a guard by trade, which is why Pistol too become one of the most famous guards ever.

He spoke at length in an interview about how he became the player he was. His father did not allow him to shoot the ball, even though he badly wanted to. He kept pushing him away, until one day he was allowed. From then on, Pete lived his life with a basketball. He shot the ball constantly, dribbled it everywhere, and even slept with it.

To him, Basketball was not just a game, but a release from reality. When he found out his father could not afford to send him to college, he knew basketball was the only way he could further his ambition. He played 6-10 hours a day, extremely focused on getting through. He finally did, becoming one of the most recognizable faces of the NBA.

Also Read: “He shined my shoes and I gave him $300”: When Pete Maravich hilariously revealed what he did with his money after becoming the first million-dollar contract player

‘Pistol’ Pete Maravich got his nickname because of his style of play – he handled the ball like a bullet

A legend in the college circuit, Pistol Pete was a pioneer in basketball history. Taking shots from 35 feet even before the addition of a 3-point line, Pete was ahead of his time. He could shoot like Larry Bird, and pass like Magic Johnson. His life may have been cut short because of a heart attack, but his stories live on.

He played almost his whole career before the introduction of the 3-point line, with his last season being the year it came into existence. He did not take too many, but he made almost all of them. 10/15 shots from beyond the arc showcased to the world what he truly could have been.

His range of shooting was wise, and his action from the hips is what gave him the moniker “Pistol”. His passes and dribbling style was the highlight of his playstyle though, with him able to pass the ball with bullet-like accuracy.  The world got to witness greatness, but only for 17 games.

Also Read: “I don’t have friends!”: When Kobe Bryant shared the nature of the competitive relationship the Black Mamba had with His Airness, Michael Jordan

About the author

Arun Sharma

Arun Sharma

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Arun Sharma is an NBA Editor at The SportsRush. A double degree holder and a digital marketer by trade, Arun has always been a sports buff. He fell in love with the sport of basketball at a young age and has been a Lakers fan since 2006. What started as a Kobe Bryant obsession slowly turned into a lifelong connection with the purple and gold. Arun has been an ardent subscriber to the Mamba mentality and has shed tears for a celebrity death only once in his life. He believes January 26, 2020, was the turning point in the passage of time because Kobe was the glue holding things together. From just a Lakers bandwagoner to a basketball fanatic, Arun has spent 16 long years growing up along with the league. He thinks Stephen Curry has ruined basketball forever, and the mid-range game is a sight to behold. Sharma also has many opinions about football (not the American kind), F1, MotoGP, tennis, and cricket.

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