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  • July 25, 2007 12:14 PM ET

On an all time greats list Pete Maravich belongs ahead of Kobe Bryant!

ballbright (7-3-3) vs Basketball Jesus: CHAMPION! (103-30-6)
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Pete Maravich belongs ahead of Kobe Bryant on the all-time greats list. I don't really need to add much more to this as it is just true, but if you counter I'll be more than happy to smack down your assertations to the otherwise.


For his entire career, Maravich was basically a scorer. Kobe's just as good a scorer, and brings much more to the table. What seperates the two? Defense.

Kobe's made the all-defense 1st or 2nd team seven times in eleven seasons. Maravich couldn't even spell defense.

Bryant has made more all-star teams than Maravich already, and he's not even 30.

Kobe's been on the All-NBA first, second, or third team 9 times, Maravich was 4 times.

EVEN when you factor in Bryant's seasons as an 18 year old rookie, and 19 year old sophomore, Bryant still has averaged more PPG over his entire career.

Bryant's been one of the best defenders in the league, has consistently been one of the best players at his position, and even has bested Maravich in scoring. Bryant's superior in almost every way.


Maravich was much more than a scorer, though he was a great scorer as well. He still leads the NCAA in career scoring average with an astonishing 44.2 ppg career average without the benefit of a three point line I might add.

Maravich really made a name for himself with his sound fundamentals, great passing and ball handling abilities.

Maravich's unselfish play, his wizardry with the basketball, and his ability to score nearly at will make him light years better than Kobe.


That wizardry with the basketball turned out to be pretty useless in the pros.

Maravich might have done great in college, but performing well in college is not the same as performing well in the pros. Think of it this way:

Saying Maravich is better than Kobe because Maravich had a great college career is like saying Laettner is better than McHale because of Laettner's college performance.

Anyway, in college, Marvich's coach was his dad. Maravich's dad didn't have the team in mind while coaching, but only his son's welfare. So, what was the gameplan? Feed Petey the ball, and watch him shoot.

Seriously, there are few players in all of college basketball right now throw up enough shots to even have a shot at scoring 44 in a game. In the pros, where it matters most, Kobe's beaten Maravich at his own game: he's a much better scorer. Kobe's a great defender too.


Maravich played in a much tougher defensive era of basketball, and didn't have the benefit of having Shaq on his team for half of his career.

Bryant's numbers are a product of the current "And 1" mentality of basketball. High on scoring and dunks, low on fundamentals. Its why the Europeans keep beating us.


Once again, Bryant is one of the best defensive talents in the league. He's not just a great scorer and dunker.

Bryant wasn't even on the last USA basketball team, so just because USA didn't bag the gold, doesn't mean Bryant should get blamed.

As good as Maravich was, he couldn't lead the New Orleans Jazz to the playoffs. Even Kobe, who hasn't had much help the past few years, has been able to routinely take his team to the playoffs.

Sure, he's benefited from having Shaq on his team, but Kobe was integral to the championship teams. I doubt the Lakers could have won three straight championships without Kobe.

Bryant's averaged more points per game, more rebounds, has been to more all star games, and has been on more All-NBA teams. Kobe isn't even 30 years old yet, so the best may be yet to come.

Comments (20) Add A Comment

July 25, 2007  12:37 PM ET
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yeah, KB for MVP- no player means more to his team than kobe

July 25, 2007  12:42 PM ET
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Ballbright. I'm glad you're confident in your argument, but perhaps you could go into more detail for the voting public, especially for the yunguns who might not even know who Pistol Pete was. I for one can barely remember anything he did except that he went with the Celts to start...any other reason why you think Pete was better than Kobe is?

July 25, 2007  01:04 PM ET
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no no no no. Pistol Pete = OVERRATED

one of the best college players ever, but NBA, noope.

July 25, 2007  01:15 PM ET
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This shouldn't be this close.

July 25, 2007  01:19 PM ET
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pistol pete was sick but kobe is more athletic and a far better scorer

July 25, 2007  01:19 PM ET
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pistol pete was sick but kobe is more athletic and a far better scorer

July 25, 2007  02:19 PM ET
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IS THIS GUY SERIOUS! U WANNA TALK BALL HOG!!!! PISTOL PETE TOOK OVER 50% OF HIS TEAMS SHOTS IN COLLEGE. IT KOBE SHOT LIKE THAT HE WOULD GET BLASTED. HE DIDN'T WIN NOTHING IN COLLEGE. ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. WHAT DID HE DO IN THE PROS. ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. GREAT NICK NAME AND THATS IT. 4 PLAYOFF APPERENCES ALL IN WHICH IN WHICH IS NUMBER DECREASED ONCE HE GOT INTO THE PLAYOFFS. AS GREAT AS PASSER EVERYONE SAYS HE WAS HE AVEREAGE 5.4 ASSIST PER GAME FOR HIS CAREER. HIS HIGHEST SEASON WAS 6.9. 5 ALL-STAR GAMES. 2 FIRST TEAM ALL-NBA'S.

HE IS SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO SOOOOOOOOOOOOO SOOOOOOOOOO OVERRATED. I CAN NOT BELIEVE THAT KOBE IS NOT WINNING THIS THROWDOWN. 5 TIME ALLSTAR!!!!!!!!! 2 FIRST TEAM ALL-NBA'S. HIS HIGHEST SCORING AVERAGE WAS 31.1. NO MVPS NO CHAMPIONSHIPS

A NICKNAME, HIGHLIGHTS, AND A COLLEGE CAREER THAT EVERYONE SAYS WAS GREAT BECAUSE OF HIS SCORING ABILITY. WELL IF JORDAN SHOT THAT MUCH HIS NUMBERS WOULD HAVE BEEN INSANE. ARE U SERIOUS?? PISTOL OVER KOBE. U SIR ARE TRULY AN IDIOT

July 25, 2007  02:27 PM ET
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How does he have 12 votes without a single comment!?!

July 25, 2007  02:31 PM ET
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I said list of all time greats NOT PROS...

great basketball players...



I have no idea how I have no comments to go with my lead in the votes, perhaps its people who aren't fooled by all the fluff they see on TNT or ESPN. Pistol Pete was abetter player than Kobe.

July 25, 2007  02:35 PM ET
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You prove how great you are in the pros. Laettner's not an all time great....Len Bias is not an all-time great.

July 25, 2007  02:43 PM ET
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o well in that case Adam Morrison is better than Dwayne Wade.

July 25, 2007  02:45 PM ET
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You prove how great you are by playing basketball. Laettner is a college great. Maravich coninued his level of play on the pro level, Bias and Laettner didn't.

July 25, 2007  02:47 PM ET
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You guys are setting up straw man aguments with this college nonsense. Look at their whole careers.

Maravich is still better than Bryant.

July 25, 2007  02:55 PM ET
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Bryant has a higher scoring average, more All-NBA team apperances, more rebounds per game and 1 assist per game less.

Kobe's been on All-Defensive teams, Pete hasn't.

If anything going just by highlights should favor Maravich, he pulled off more impressive feats, but had a worse career.

July 25, 2007  03:04 PM ET
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Maravich played in a much tougher defensive era of basketball, and didn't have the benefit of having Shaq on his team for half of his career.

Bryant's numbers are a product of the current "And 1" mentality of basketball. High on scoring and dunks, low on fundamentals. Its why the Europeans keep beating us.

Kobe is the worst thing to happen to the Lakers since Magic contracting HIV.

July 25, 2007  03:06 PM ET
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Why don't you mention some of those things in your argument so we can get on with the TD?

July 25, 2007  03:09 PM ET
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ok, done

July 25, 2007  03:18 PM ET
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maravich did not play in an era with better defense. the average team scored way more points per game then than they do now. Posessions were much higher as well. more possessions means more ponts. yet kobe still averages more ppg than maravich.
i agree bball jesus i dont understand how this is so close.

July 25, 2007  03:28 PM ET
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Crud, I forgot to mention the average team's points per game part.

During the 70's though, most teams did average over 100 PPG.

 
July 25, 2007  03:30 PM ET
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Kobe is still playing in the NBA......u never know wat else he might do, stupid throwdown

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