Steph Curry's skills aren't revolutionary; we've seen them before
Between his 28-footers and mesmerizing dribbling and passing, Steph Curry has basically changed the way the game is being played at all levels of basketball. His popularity is at an all-time high, judging from his jersey sales.
But as dazzling as Curry has been, he's not the first to be a wizard with the ball. Years before Twitter, Vine or even the 3-point arc, there was "Pistol" Pete Maravich -- a player who brought a flair to the game that the league hadn't seen before he arrived.
Here's a sampling of what Maravich could do with the ball.
Regrettably, there isn't a laundry list of YouTube videos for Pistol Pete because of when he played. So comparing Maravich's highlight reel to Curry's would be an exercise in futility.
But in case you need a reminder of how great the reigning MVP is, here you go.
Maravich was a marvel during his 11-year career, which was cut short due to a leg injury. He averaged 24.2 points and 5.4 assists during his Hall of Fame career. Those numbers paled in comparison to the damage he did at LSU, where he averaged an unreal 44.2 points during his three-year stay -- with no 3-point arc.
The NBA instituted the 3-point line before the 1979-80 season, the final campaign of Maravich's career. He made 10 of 15 that season, a glimpse of what kind of damage Pistol Pete might have done if the 3 were used as readily then as it is now. Curry, for example, has taken at least 15 attempts from beyond the arc six times THIS SEASON.
Now, would Maravich, who died suddenly at age of 40 while playing a pick-up game in Pasadena, California, in 1980, make shots from the logo as consistently as Curry does? We'll never know. But before you say Curry is blazing a trail in the NBA, take a moment to remember Pistol Pete Maravich.
