Pistol Pete Maravich - 68 Points vs. Knicks Highlights!

[JimmyMcAdocious]

God, I hope someone 6-5 could dunk. Has there ever been an NBA player that tall who couldn't?

[SHAQisGOAT]

God, I hope someone 6-5 could dunk. Has there ever been an NBA player that tall who couldn't?

A legit 6'5 player (that's w/o shoes, like Pistol)? Doubt it, or at least doubt there's been many.. has to be really unathletic. Who knows though

[CavaliersFTW]

A legit 6'5 player (that's w/o shoes, like Pistol)? Doubt it, or at least doubt there's been many.. has to be really unathletic. Who knows though

I can't remember which book it came from but even in the early 1960's, 6-4 Dick Barnett had the reputation around the league as the tallest player in the NBA at that time who couldn't stuff

[JimmyMcAdocious]

I think Kerr (6-3) said he couldn't dunk unless it was an alley at the rim. Might have been joking, tho.

[SHAQisGOAT]

Too bad statheads wont like him just like Iverson.

Well like I've said, he would try the most difficult contested shot or move (shooting from like 26' even without a 3pt line), the toughest dribble through the most crowded places, the flashiest, most wreckless passes, most of the time, which was great to watch but doesn't really translate into winning-basketball.
He mastered the game, it was somewhat "boring" to him, so he had to keep it entertaining, and like he said, he played for the fans. Plus his father was his coach in college and he let Pete run the show.. so there it was, a really talented player, playing more for the show than for the win, let's say, doing what he "wanted to", never with the right type of mentality or the correct understanding of the game. Plenty of players with considerable less talent, managed to "do" better.
I remember his first NBA coach, Richie Guerin, saying that he had to teach Maravich a lot, how to play as a team and how to "get" wins, not being too wreckless, teaching him about team defense - Pete didn't care much for it but quick reflexes compensated a bit, more on-ball and on steals/blocks, he was atrocious off-ball on rotations, especially at 1st.

He was drafted into a pretty good team in Atlanta, with the likes of Lou Hudson, Walt Bellamy or Walt Hazzard, and with him (and Joe Caldwell gone because of money) they got worse. It wasn't the right situation for him though, didn't fit there.. Black veteran players watching the white kid get payed much more, they didn't like his over-flashiness or went along with his playing style much.

Then in his best years, in New Orleans, he managed to change a bit, and the team was designed/built for him, but his teammates were pretty average, he was carrying the load, when they got Truck Robinson and started to somewhat click, he got injured, never was the same again.

He had a couple of pretty good playoff series but only got there 3 times before injury, can't say he did much there, at all. So you can't really put him quite in the same category as a player like Iverson, in terms of career, but of course you also have to consider some of the things I've said. If he played for the 70's Celtics since the start, his career might've been considerable different, for example.
Furthermore, if he played in this era he would've gotten much more praise, with his majorly flashy ways (much more "accepted" now), crazy creativeness and ridiculous offensive talent, as a white superstar guard, with these rules making it easier plus much less stricter game.

[SHAQisGOAT]

I can't remember which book it came from but even in the early 1960's, 6-4 Dick Barnett had the reputation around the league as the tallest player in the NBA at that time who couldn't stuff

Somewhat surprising to me, wouldn't think that he couldn't.

I think Kerr (6-3) said he couldn't dunk unless it was an alley at the rim. Might have been joking, tho.

[pudman13]

God, I hope someone 6-5 could dunk. Has there ever been an NBA player that tall who couldn't?

I find this hard to believe, because the guy was athletic and had so much hang time, but 6'3" Earl Monroe claimed that he couldn't dunk. Jeff Hornacek, listed at 6'4", also said he could not dunk.

Also...I'm sure he could, but Wes Unseld (6'7") may well be the only NBA center who has no dunks anywhere among the available game footage and highlights.

P.S. My comment about "he could dunk too" was a joke--a jab at all of those people who claim players of the 70s and before were unathletic.