Utah Jazz: The 50 greatest players in franchise history

All-time greatest Utah Jazz players: No. 8 Pete Maravich (NO and Utah)

• Seasons with the franchise: Six (1974-75 to 1979-80)
• Regular-season games played: 330
• Averages as a Jazzman: 25.2 points, 4.3 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 1.4 steals, 0.3 blocks
• Shooting percentages: 43.4 from the field, 82.9 from the foul line
• Playoff games with Utah: None

Pistol Pete.

Plain and simple, despite his high scoring averages in most of his seasons as a Jazzman, No. 8 is as high as Pete Maravich can rank on this list nowadays given his lack of postseason appearances with the franchise. That said, the 6-foot-5 guard out of LSU, a North Carolina native, regularly put on a show in New Orleans and during the Jazz’s first season in Utah.

Maravich, a three-time All-Star while a Jazzman who came to New Orleans for the inaugural season in a trade from the Atlanta Hawks, ranked No. 1 in the NBA with his average of 31.1 points across the 1976-77 campaign. And he wound up No. 3 in the MVP race that year.

However, knee issues took their toll on Maravich.

After averaging only 17.1 points in 17 games for Utah in 1979-80, the Jazz waived the Hall of Fame legend. At age 32, Maravich then finished out his NBA career that same season with the Boston Celtics.