Josh Maravich, the son of basketball legend Pete Maravich and a former LSU basketball player, passed away at the age of 42, as announced by the university on Sunday. His death occurred on Friday at the family residence in Covington, Louisiana.
Following in the footsteps of his iconic father, Josh Maravich played four seasons at LSU from 2001 to 2005. Despite not seeking stardom, he pursued his passion for the game as a walk-on player, driven by a desire to honor his father’s legacy.
“I wanted to come here for my dad to make him proud,” he expressed in an interview with LSU’s student newspaper, The Daily Reveille, in 2005. “I knew I wasn’t going to be a star player, but for me, being a walk-on was what I always wanted to do.”
Pete Maravich, renowned for being the NCAA’s all-time leading scorer, garnered renewed attention earlier in the year when his scoring record was surpassed by Iowa’s Caitlin Clark. His untimely death in 1988 at the age of 40 due to an undiagnosed heart condition remains a poignant chapter in basketball history.
The cause of Josh Maravich’s death has not been disclosed by LSU. His contributions to honoring his father’s memory were evident, as he and his mother Jackie represented Pete Maravich during significant events like the retirement of his jersey by the Atlanta Hawks in 2017.
In 2022, Josh Maravich played a pivotal role in the unveiling of a bronze statue commemorating “Pistol Pete” Maravich at LSU. Alongside his brother Jaeson, they conceived the idea to depict their father in the iconic pose of his signature behind-the-back pass.
The passing of Josh Maravich marks a somber moment for the basketball community, reflecting on his dedication to family and preserving the legacy of a basketball icon.