Pete Maravich Life Story

About Pistol Pete

Pete was passionate about basketball from the age of 7 on, after his Dad inspired him with images of becoming one of the 11 or 12 greatest players on the face of the earth in basketball and of being given a big “World Champion” ring.

He would practice drills for hours a day. He even went to bed with a basketball until he was 14-years-old, so he would not miss the opportunity to shoot the ball up in the air a few more times while repeating the mantra “Fingertip control, backspin, and follow though” until he finally fell asleep, “soaking wet from sweat because [he] could not wait to get up the next day to play.”

Pete’s dedication to basketball paid off. He went on to become one of the greatest college players ever to play basketball. He averaged 44 points a game all 3 years he played at LSU. Pete was a first team all-American for 3 years. He was voted College Player of the Year in 1970 by Sporting News. He averaged 24.2 points per game in a 10 year NBA career and was named to the All-Star team 5 times. Pete was the youngest player ever inducted to the basketball hall of fame.

But Pete soon discovered that the god of basketball and the fame and fortune it brought him did not satisfy. He needed something more. He wanted to find peace. His search brought him across the entire religious spectrum, from Hinduism to the occult to Ufology. After Pete had “come to the flat ball,” he turned to God; “He came into my life, no feeling, just fact. He came in and since that day my life has been changed so much that I can’t even begin to tell you.”

After reflecting back on his unfulfilling desire for a world champion ring, Pete concludes that “the world says that the essence of this life is happiness and rewards. They’re wrong. The essence of the Christian life is joy and peace—joy that’s unspeakable…. I can’t tell you the joy that I have. The peace that I have is lasting and permanent.”

“Jesus said, ‘Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled or let it be fearful.’”

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