NBA

33 Years Ago Today, Pete Maravich Died, Exactly Like He Predicted Years Earlier

On January 5, 1988, Hall of Famer Pete Maravich died at the young age of 40 after suffering a heart attack, as a consequence of a previously undetected heart defect, while playing in a pick-up game in Pasadena, California.

What makes his unexpected death even more tragic, is the fact that he predicted it to happen, inadvertently.

In an interview with the Beaver County Times in 1974, Pete Maravich said following sentence:

“I don’t want to play 10 years in the NBA and die of a heart attack at age 40.”

Tragically 14 years later, exactly what he said, would happen.

After becoming one of the NBA’s biggest stars, injuries forced Pistol’s retirement in 1980 following a ten-year career.

Pistol Pete was arguably the greatest ball-handler the league has ever seen. During his ten-year career in the NBA, he averaged 24.2 points and 5.4 assists per game and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1987, one year prior to his death. His No. 7 jersey is retired by both the Utah Jazz and the New Orleans Pelicans, as well as his No. 44 jersey by the Atlanta Hawks.