Detroit Mercy's Antoine Davis Chases Pistol Pete

[Will Lavender]

The asterisk here is that this is a fifth-year player who took a COVID year.

BUT Davis has averaged 24 or more points all five years, which is an astounding feat.

He's 125 behind Maravich at the moment. 3,543 career points. Mind-boggling.

[justford]

No three point line when Pistol Pete played.

[matt colvin]

^ I’ve seen some estimates of what Pete would have averaged with the 3point line where a person had gone through the games using the shot chart. I can’t remember what year this review was conducted but still he obviously was taking modern 3pt shots. Just really interesting.

I’m only 36 so obviously I didn’t get to watch him, but there’s a decent amount of footage on YouTube. The videos of him playing HORSE against Grevey, George Gervin, etc are neat. Interesting to think what might have been if he’d stayed healthy. I’m sure that had to bother him greatly and his interviews made him seem like a person who was in search of himself.

[Will Lavender]

No three point line when Pistol Pete played.

Also played in only 83 college games.

[Pobilly]

Impressed for the young man but not impressed. He could not hold a candle to Pete. Greatest college player ever in my books. He could do a bunch except beat UK. He did not just score, his passing was light years before most others.

[GOCAT15]

Yea, it's impressive but for anyone to mention this guy in the same breath as Pistol Pete is a joke.

This is why I despise when people talk about some of these records because of the changes in the game(3 point line, amount of games played, etc.) they really are not true comparisons whatsoever.

[Matt Dillon]

Impressed for the young man but not impressed. He could not hold a candle to Pete. Greatest college player ever in my books. He could do a bunch except beat UK. He did not just score, his passing was light years before most others.

I agree 100%.

[40bill]

Impressed for the young man but not impressed. He could not hold a candle to Pete. Greatest college player ever in my books. He could do a bunch except beat UK. He did not just score, his passing was light years before most others.

Agreed 100%

[Catgrad7072]

Impressed for the young man but not impressed. He could not hold a candle to Pete. Greatest college player ever in my books. He could do a bunch except beat UK. He did not just score, his passing was light years before most others.

Ditto Pobilly. Saw Pete twice in Memorial. He was a showman without being a show-off.

One game I had an aisle seat; the guy sitting next to me was in the walkway drinking from a wineskin! . Good times.

[Will Lavender]

Yea, it's impressive but for anyone to mention this guy in the same breath as Pistol Pete is a joke.

This is why I despise when people talk about some of these records because of the changes in the game(3 point line, amount of games played, etc.) they really are not true comparisons whatsoever.

Of course Maravich is also hard to compare to some other greats simply because he played in that era when the SEC was first starting to integrate.

But yes, the guy in the original post needs a MASSIVE asterisk. That’s five years of playing. It’s a COVID record.

[Will Lavender]

^ Having said that though, to average almost 25 a game for five solid years is an incredible accomplishment.

Certainly not as historic as anything Pistol Pete did, but still impressive.

As mentioned the lack of a three point line and the amount of games makes statistical comparisons virtually impossible in college basketball. Have to compare similar eras with one another. In the "modern" era (three point line, up to 40 games) the best player would probably be either Tim Duncan or the infamous Christian Laettner.

But in the "one-and-done" era it's also hard to make comparisons. I think Anthony Davis is likely the best player to ever play here, or at least the second best behind Issel, and yet trying to compare a player who was only here a year with players who were here three or four is very tough.

[matt colvin]

^ Yes, definitely agree. It's difficult to imagine. I have to think Dan Issel, for example, would be super successful in the college game today but perhaps not as much as a pro. He did some of the things Oscar does now, but was hellaciously better offensively.

People like Tyler Hansbrough, Shane Battier, etc. probably deserve to be in the conversation of best college player in the modern era. Laettner wears the crown though. Subjectively I think you could argue that players like Mashburn garner at least a mention.

It's tough because frankly there a lot of really, really good players that come to mind that wouldn't even garner serious conversation.

[40bill]

Of course Maravich is also hard to compare to some other greats simply because he played in that era when the SEC was first starting to integrate.

But yes, the guy in the original post needs a MASSIVE asterisk. That’s five years of playing. It’s a COVID record.

The integration thing bothers me because I see that more and more. Great players are great players regardless of skin color.
Pete was a one man show that every defense was keyed on...as was Issel. Three years, no shot clock, no three point lines...
these guys were special.

[Will Lavender]

The integration thing bothers me because I see that more and more. Great players are great players regardless of skin color.

Integration rocked the sport. The Before and After of it have to be accounted for if anybody's trying to talk about players back then.

Pistol Pete is probably different because he'd be great in any era. Also he played in an integrated game, but not fully.

Have to at least account for that split though when talking about the game back then.

[40bill]

I understand your point Will, but I stand by mine as well. Many things rock sports world. Trouble is if we start putting asterisks everywhere, there will be no records. Basketball..integration, 3 point shot, change in lane size, shot clock. Baseball has plenty. So does football.
I'm proud to have been in elementary school in Kentucky during integration, but we have to get past this race thing somehow.