Although it's widely assumed I have a huge, awkward Apollo-Rocky style Man Crush on Kobe Bryant, complete with an "I heart Kobe" t-shirt, let me set the record straight: I don't. It's just I'm pleading to the masses to recognize greatness when it's in front of their eyes.

Something else be known here, as the inbox has flooded lately with e-mails all of the sudden calling me a Jordan-hater for yesterday's comparison, let me be the first to say I don't think Kobe Bryant's the Next Michael Jordan. What I am saying is he's the first Kobe Bryant and the only one who's come even close to filling the legendary Air Jordan's.

What I'd really like is to have the masses who debate these issues open their eyes for a minute, because I'm about to lay another one on you: Neither Bryant, nor Jordan, nor Magic Johnson or Larry Bird is the Greatest Basketball Player of All Time.

That distinction belongs to Pete Maravich.

For a moment, forget about NCAA Championships. Forget about NBA Championships. I'm talking about individually the Greatest Basketball Player we've ever seen--and he certainly peaked in college. You just can't put Maravich up against the others, like Jordan who won six rings, because Maravich never had a team like Jordan had, with great spot shooters, a key rebounder and a decent coach.

But he still put up the most impressive numbers we're ever going to see. You can say, "Yeah, Maravich was a gunner, just look at his nickname". But the Pistol was more than a gunner. He'd hit people in the hands when they couldn't even see the pass coming. Besides, like Jordan or Bryant, would you want anyone else shooting the ball at the end of the game? Why would you support the theory that LeBron James is a truly great basketball player when he passes off at the end of games? To be truly great, don't you need that killer instinct? You can only hit your team mates in the hands so many times before you realize the best option for your team to win is by you scoring.

Pistol Pete was "White Chocolate" before Jason Williams. He was the original Scoring Machine. Pistol Pete rarely made the same move twice; his wizardry left opponents confused, fans breathless and his own team mates amazed. He was the first Sports "Shock and Awe".

Pete Maravich's records are legendary: NCAA record for most points in a career (3,367), a 44.2 average; NCAA record for most field goals made (1,387) and attempted (3,166); NCAA record for most free throws made (893) and attempted (1,152); NCAA record for most games scoring at least 50 points (28). He owns NCAA single season records for: points (1,381), average (44.5 in 1970, 44.2 in 1969 and 43.8 in 1968), field goals made (522), attempted (1,668) and single season record for most 50 point games, with 10 in 1970.

He did it all playing for his father, Press Maravich, at LSU from 1968-1970. As a freshmen (when you weren't allowed to play varsity ball), the Pistol averaged 43.6 points per game. And while you may argue that Maravich played for his father, which made it easier, consider that the LSU was an also ran in the SEC before he arrived. And just answer me this: could you have done those things, even if you were playing for your father? Probably not. Maravich basically carried a team of mediocre basketball players to a 20-8 record in 1970 while being named College Player of the Year.

His single game feats at LSU are the stuff of legend. He hit 30 of 31 free throws against Oregon his senior year. His career high of 69 came against Alabama; he dropped 64 on Kentucky, 66 on Tulane and 61 against Vanderbilt. He did it all in just 83 career games. To this day, no one's even come close to touching his records.

In the NBA, Maravich played against better players, but he still was a five time All-Star, averaged 24.2 ppg (15th best All-Time) and did most of it while dealing with injuries and personal problems. Heck, if the Pistol hadn't been hurt near the end of his career, he'd probably be higher up the All-Time scoring list.

If you actually want to try and compare different players from different eras, consider this: Maravich scored 68 against the New York Knicks in 1977, a team that had Bob McAdoo, Earl Monroe, Walt Frazier and Spencer Haywood. So when you talk about Kobe scoring 81 on the Raptors or David Robinson scoring 71 to win a scoring title, how about a little credit to Maravich for doing it against a team like the Knicks that featured players with pride. Seriously, David Robinson doesn't score 71 points in 1994 without his team knowingly throwing their game (and passes) to him so he can get the scoring title?

Maravich led the NBA in scoring that year, at 31.1 ppg. His stats weren't just about scoring. His ball control and the tricks he could do with the ball were never seen before and rarely since. His career assist average is 5.4, with seasons of 6.9, 6.0 and 6.7--so he could pass the ball too. The Pistol loved the flair of the game he helped create. He said, "If I have a choice of whether to do the show or throw a straight pass and we're going to get the basket either way, I'm going to do the show."

Even better, after Maravich was criticized for his flashiness, "They don't pay you a million dollars for a two handed chest pass." Pistol Pete was the player he was because of drills he practiced daily from the age of 7, basically inventing behind-the-back, over-the-shoulder and no-look passes.

His assist average is comparable with other greats. Michael Jordan's assist per game average is 5.3, Kobe's 4.4. Bird averaged 6.3, Magic Johnson 11.2, but only 19.2 ppg. But how many of those assists thrown by Magic landed in the hands of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the NBA's All-Time leading scorer? Or James Worthy? In Bird's case, how many passes ended up in the hands of Kevin McHale for a lay-up, Robert Parrish for a dunk or Dennis Johnson for a jumper? See, Maravich, as I said earlier, didn't exactly have a team of Scottie Pippen's, Jabbar's and McHale's to play with.

It's not like it was easy, Pistol Pete was smart--he not only scored a lot of points, but knew how to score. He drew fouls and got to the line. He attempted a mind-boggling 501 free throws in 1977 and had other seasons of 485 in 1973 and 469 in 1974.

So let it be known that my only admitted Man Crush is on Pete Maravich. A gangly looking kid who wore funny gray socks, long hair and had the greatest skills I've ever seen. You can talk about the Next Michael Jordan all you want, there won't be anyone like him, though guys like Kobe and LeBron can come close. The reality is there will never, ever be another Pete Maravich, no one will even come close. Though he will always be remembered for the scoring, the flashiness, the individuality and the losing records, Pistol Pete he should be on the list of those eligible in the debate for Greatest Basketball Player ever. If you don't think so, you're as daft as the defenders who tried to stop him from scoring.

Note: Maravich's life is documented well in the film The Pistol, which is a must watch if you're thinking of building your son up to be the Next Great Basketball Superstar. I watched it as a kid and I slept with my basketball off and on from the ages of 12-16 because of it. The book written by Maravich is even better. Sadly, we no longer are graced with Maravich's presence. Oddly, he had said during his pro career in the 1970's that "I don't want to play in the NBA for ten years then die of a heart attack at age 40." He played in the NBA for ten years, and died of a heart attack at age 40 in 1997. Pistol Pete was always ahead of the game.