It is with great sorrow that we announce the demise of former LSU basketball player Josh Maravich, the son of the late Hall of Fame basketball player Pete Maravich, at the age of 42. As per the statement released by the university on Saturday evening, Josh Maravich passed away at his residence on Friday. The cause of death has not been disclosed at this time.
During his tenure at LSU, Josh Maravich served as a backup player for the LSU basketball team, which is renowned for hosting its home games in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center. He was part of the team from the 2001-02 to 2004-05 seasons under the coaching of John Brady.
For Josh Maravich, playing for LSU was a childhood aspiration come true, as it was the same university where his father, Pete Maravich, achieved the men’s NCAA Division I scoring record of 3,667 points between 1967 and 1970. In a 2005 interview with The Daily Reveille, the LSU student newspaper, Josh expressed his desire to make his father proud by playing for LSU, even though he knew he wouldn’t be a star player. Being a walk-on for the team was something he had always strived for.
Pete Maravich, his father, was also a legendary figure in basketball, known for his prolific scoring during his NBA career. His career, unfortunately, was cut short in 1980 due to lingering effects of a major knee injury. Pete Maravich passed away at the age of 40 in 1988 from a previously undetected heart condition.
Earlier this year, Pete Maravich was back in the news when his Division I scoring record was surpassed by Iowa star Caitlin Clark, who scored 3,951 points. This scoring record had remained unmatched by any men’s or women’s player for over 50 years.
In 2022, LSU unveiled a bronze statue of Pete Maravich outside its basketball facility. The sculpture, which portrays Pete Maravich making a behind-the-back pass, was attributed to the idea of Josh Maravich and his older brother Jaeson Maravich. The statue pays homage to Pete Maravich’s showmanship and creativity on the basketball court.
We offer our deepest sympathies to the Maravich family and the entire LSU community during this challenging period. Josh Maravich’s contributions to LSU basketball and his lasting legacy as the son of a basketball icon will always be remembered and treasured.