A Basketball Nerd Post
Plenty of people are complaining that Caitlin Clark has the all-time NCAA scoring record now instead of Pete Maravich, because Clark is playing four years and Maravich only played three.Comparing players of different sexes across different era is dumb. It's only happening because it helps ESPN whip their hype machine into a frenzy. It's phony.
Having said that, though, let's take it seriously.
It's true, Maravich played only three years. It's also true that he was a once-in-generation, legendary players.
Lots of that legend was for the wrong reasons, though.
He took 38 shots a game. He did score 44 points a game, but it was on 43% shooting. Those numbers were look strange in any generation, but the story behind it is even stranger.
Press Maravich, Pete's dad, was the coach. He expressly built a team with no second star so there would be no dilution of his fame. Pete was the Harlem Globetrotter, and the rest of the team were the Washington Generals.
In other words, the environment where Pete put up those numbers was entirely artificial. It wasn't about winning, it was about Pete getting as many shots as possible.
His college film is stunning. Just to see him flying all over the court, taking ridiculous shots--plenty of which go in--is astonishing. He might have been the greatest dribbler in history. He wasn't playing as part of a team, though. He was the team.
He was one of one, and so is Caitlin Clark. They're totally different, though. Clark has one of the quickest releases I've ever seen. She doesn't hog the ball, and she's remarkably efficient.
It's an insult to both to compare them. They're both legendary and don't need to be compared to anyone.
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