When Did Stephen Curry Become Pistol Pete?

You can count the number of great players that have played in the NBA as if you were attempting to go outside when it’s pitch black at 3 a.m. in the morning and count the stars.

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There’s that many talented players that have played in the league. That’s why when it comes to basketball, I can say that I truly enjoy looking up the history of the game because of all the great players.

With that being said, I’m 24 years old and I never had the opportunity to watch one of the greatest players in league history, Pistol Pete Maravich, play live.

Thankfully because of Stephen Curry, the NBA’s newly crowned MVP, people who might be sharing that same feeling that I have on missing out on watching Maravich play don’t have to the burden of feeling any way like that anymore.

Curry is the 21st century version of Maravich and the process of watching his game develop was more than worth the wait.

May 19, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) pumps his fist in the second half in game one of the Western Conference Finals of the NBA Playoffs against the Houston Rockets at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /

In most circles Maravich is considered arguably one of the greatest ball handlers, scorers, and shooters to ever play the game. The fact that I never got a chance to see him play live has always been something that upsets me and makes me think from time to time that I wish I had a hot tub time machine in order to watch him play in that generation.

I can remember hearing about Maravich when I was 12 years old and studying the game. Day after day my friends and I would talk about how to become a better jump shooter off the dribble like Maravich. I would go on YouTube and look up highlights with such rigor attempting to emulate the myth that we had grown to hear about.

Hour after hour I would go out in practice in my driveway attempting to perfect my dribbling skills and my passing ability from his instructional videos.

That’s why in 2009 when I heard that Davidson’s Stephen Curry was going to enter the NBA Draft instead of attempting to break Maravich’s NCAA scoring record, it was a pleasant surprise.

In my mind I wanted to see Curry break Maravich’s record. On the surface though how could I blame someone who averaged 28.6 points, 4.4 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 2.5 steals while shooting 45 percent from the floor for the decision to enter early?

It was a no-brainer. Curry was ready to play in the league. Five years later he’s arguably the best player in it.

No matter what way it’s sliced every argument to the best NBA players is looking more and more like LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Curry.

One of the biggest reasons why you could give Curry a Pistol Pete comparison is because of the style of their game.

Maravich as a player was a showman. Maravich understood that any time he walked into a gymnasium the fans wanted to see him put on a show and that’s what he gave the fans. From the fancy dribbling, to the awesome shooting, to the beautiful dimes to his teammates, he was the main attraction.

Sound familiar?

Like Maravich the fact that the underrated tag seems to follow these two great players throughout their career is the reason why people keep tuning in to watch him and being amazed.

It’s like looking into a mirror and forgetting your shadow and then walking back into a mirror and being surprised on how you look. We honestly forget how great Curry is as a player.

When I get the chance to interview him, I’ll ask him how he feels about being called the next Pistol Pete because he’s already earned the comparison. Shortly though, Curry only has seven more games to win and he’ll accomplish a feat that Maravich himself couldn’t do, win an NBA championship.

It’s ironic that in the 2009 NBA draft everyone was shouting from the mountain top that Ricky Rubio was the second coming of Pistol Pete. However, Curry was picked two selections later than Rubio (No. 7) and he’s shown that his game is more comparable to Maravich than anyone in the last two decades.

Oh how we couldn’t have been more wrong.

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Utah Jazz: When Did Stephen Curry Become Pistol Pete Maravich?

By DJoumbarey A. Moreau | May 21, 2015

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