Atlanta Hawks Will Retire Pete Maravich’s Number
The Atlanta Hawks are going to retire the number of the late, great basketball legend, "Pistol" Pete Maravich.
A date has not yet been set, but the Hawks will hoist #44, the number Maravich wore with the Hawks, up in the rafters of Phillips Arena, later this season.
Maravich, who was drafted by the Hawks with the third-overall pick of the 1970 NBA Draft, played four years with the franchise, averaging 24.3 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 5.6 assists, while being named twice to the All-Star team, before being traded to the New Orleans Jazz in 1974.
The honor means that Maravich's number will be the fifth retired by the Hawks, joining Bob Pettit (#9), Lou Hudson (#23), Dominique Wilkins (#21) and Dikembe Mutombo (# 55).
A 5-time NBA All-Star, Maravich, who played five seasons in New Orleans, also has his #7 jersey retired by both the New Orleans Pelicans and the Utah Jazz.
Maravich, who died of heart failure in 1988, at the age of 40, is the all-time leading scorer in NCAA college basketball history, averaging 44.2 points per game in 83 contests, while leading the nation in scoring in each of his three seasons at LSU.
LSU has also long retired #23, the number Maravich wore in college.
Below, watch a H-O-R-S-E between Maravich and NBA Hall of Famer, George Gervin:
Below, enjoy some highlights of "Pistol" from his NBA days:
Below, enjoy a Pete Maravich documentary: