New York Knicks: 10 best No. 3 picks in NBA Draft history

4. Pete Maravich, 1970

Slash Line: .441/.667/.820
Career Averages: 24.2 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 5.4 APG, 1.4 SPG, 0.3 BPG

Pete Maravich had nine very good NBA seasons and was one of the most dynamic guards of the ’70s. With his dynamic ball handling and ability to score, who knows how much better he’d hold up in modern-day basketball.

If not for four years at LSU where Maravich averaged an unbelievable 44.2 points per game, the NBA could have seen him sooner. Picture him in the league two seasons prior, and he may have put up enough numbers to be a greater, all-time player.

Maravich dazzled in years with the Hawks and the New Orleans franchise, which was the Jazz, before moving to Utah, where they are today. There was a six-year stretch when he averaged 26.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game, including 31.1 points in the 1976-77 season.

There was also this epic performance against the New York Knicks:

Maravich’s peak felt short, though, due to knee injuries. He only left the game at age 32, falling into a smaller role with Utah and a brief stint with the Boston Celtics.

Still, for that stretch in the ’70s, Maravich looked one of the NBA’s all-time greats with scoring ability few have rivaled since. It was in a historic class, as well, featuring Bob Lanier, Dave Cowens and Tiny Archibald in 1970.