Jaeson Maravich remembers stopping by his mom’s house last March while she was watching the women’s Final Four.

She asked if he’d seen “the girl from Iowa” who was terrorizing previously undefeated South Carolina.

Oblivious to women’s college basketball back then, Jaeson answered, “No, she any good?”

“She’s unbelievable,” his mom replied, prompting Jaeson to join her in front of the TV.

During the remainder of that match, Jaeson experienced his inaugural encounter with Caitlin Clark, Iowa’s radiant luminary. Jaeson observed with reverence as Clark effortlessly navigated past South Carolina’s imposing defense, amassing 41 points through a combination of bold long-range shots and mesmerizing drives to the basket.

Throughout this college basketball season, as Clark has ascended the scoring charts, Jaeson has taken the opportunity to catch glimpses of her games. He intends to follow her performance closely this week as she sets her sights on one of the few remaining records within reach, a revered milestone that has long been a source of pride for Jaeson and his family.

In a mere three years at LSU, Pete Maravich accumulated an astonishing 3,667 points. In 1970, Maravich concluded his LSU tenure as the NCAA’s all-time leading scorer, a feat that has remained largely unchallenged for 54 years. Clark now stands just 50 points away from equalling the legendary Pistol Pete, with only two regular-season games remaining, in addition to potential appearances in the Big Ten and NCAA tournaments for Iowa.

When Clark passes his late father, Jaeson hopes basketball fans will appreciate what she has achieved. He describes Clark as a “phenomenal talent” and “must-see TV.” He speaks with sincerity when he says, “I’ll be rooting for her and I’ll be happy for her when she does it.”

Yet Jaeson also takes issue with the notion that Clark will replace his father as the rightful holder of college basketball’s career scoring title. Jaeson insists that these are “distinct records” achieved through vastly different circumstances.

Maravich competed in an era where freshmen were not permitted to play varsity basketball. Across three seasons, he maintained an astonishing average of 44.2 points per game, despite lacking a shot clock or a 3-point line. In contrast, Clark has averaged 28.3 points per game over three-plus seasons at Iowa. To match Maravich’s total, she would need to play at least 128 games, compared to Maravich’s 83.

The comparisons become more complex when considering other factors. Maravich took an average of 38 shots per game for an LSU team that achieved a .500 record or better each season but never reached the NCAA tournament. Conversely, Clark has never attempted as many as 38 shots in a single game and has averaged just under 20 shots per game throughout her career.

“The circumstances are so different that it’s hard to say it’s really the same record,” Jaeson said. “I don’t want to make it seem like I’m bashing her because I’m not. I just find it to be an apples-to-oranges comparison.”

Caitlin Clark of Iowa finds herself with just two regular-season matchups remaining, a mere 50 points away from Pete Maravich’s renowned record.

In many respects, it seems fitting that both Maravich and Clark occupy the pinnacle of the NCAA’s scoring charts for men’s and women’s basketball, respectively. They stand as icons of the sport, leaving indelible marks on basketball history. Clark elevates the women’s game to unprecedented heights, while Maravich drew overflowing crowds to SEC arenas that previously paid scant attention to basketball.

Before Maravich’s arrival at LSU in the autumn of 1966, basketball held little significance in Baton Rouge. Yet, his arrival transformed the landscape, captivating audiences with his flashy style of play. The legend of the shaggy-haired youngster with floppy socks spread rapidly, drawing crowds to LSU’s freshman games that eclipsed those attending the struggling varsity matches.

Under the guidance of his father, Press Maravich, and surrounded by a modest supporting cast, Maravich enjoyed unparalleled freedom on the court. His father orchestrated the offense entirely around him, allowing him to exploit even the slightest defensive lapse. Decades later, opposing defenders reminisce about surrendering 40 points to Maravich and celebrating the rare occasions they held him below his scoring average. They recount tales of falling victim to his mesmerizing passes, dazzling dribbling displays, and seemingly impossible shots. The echoes of cheers from road crowds greeted each Maravich basket, while opposing fans and cheerleaders swarmed him in admiration once the final buzzer sounded.

“He was as great a showman as the game has ever seen,” former Auburn guard John Mengelt told Yahoo Sports. “He was going behind the back or through the legs during games before everybody else did that stuff. He was so entertaining that sometimes as an opposing player you’d literally get caught watching him.”

On January 31, 1970, Maravich shattered Oscar Robertson’s collegiate scoring milestone with a 23-foot jumper. Following that historic shot, two of Maravich’s teammates lifted him onto their shoulders amidst applause that resonated through the LSU arena for over five continuous minutes, accompanied by chants of “Pete! Pete! Pete!” Maravich entered the game against Ole Miss needing 40 points to surpass Robertson’s record and concluded with an impressive 53 points.

Clark’s dazzling performances on the court and her flair for showmanship occasionally evoke memories of Maravich, eliciting similar fervent reactions from fans.

By the conclusion of her sophomore year, Clark found herself unable to carry out routine tasks like grocery shopping or dining out without drawing stares from strangers or requests for photos and autographs. Even attempting to blend in on campus after a notable victory over Michigan proved futile, as she received recognition from her marketing professor and a standing ovation from 300 classmates.

As Clark’s prominence in the sport has risen, so has her celebrity status. Her Instagram following recently surpassed 1 million, and she now receives more endorsement offers than she can accept. Almost every game she participates in, whether at home or away, attracts capacity crowds and records high TV ratings. Fox even introduced a “Caitlin Cam” on TikTok, enabling hundreds of thousands of viewers to closely follow her every move.

Tickets for Iowa’s home game against Michigan earlier this month fetched hundreds of dollars, with Clark just eight points shy of surpassing Kelsey Plum’s NCAA women’s career scoring record. Clark delivered a spectacular performance, achieving a career-high 49 points and claiming the record with one of her trademark deep 3-pointers.

While Clark’s primary objective is to guide fourth-ranked Iowa (23-3) to consecutive Final Four appearances, she is far from finished etching her name in the annals of basketball history.

Soon, Clark will surpass Lynette Woodard, who holds the AIAW major-college women’s scoring record with 3,649 points, established just prior to the onset of the NCAA era. Afterward, she will set her sights on surpassing Maravich’s Division I NCAA scoring record.

For Jaeson Maravich, Clark’s pursuit of his dad’s mark will stir up conflicting emotions. He’s quick to point out that no college player has ever come close to scoring 3,667 points in three seasons, but he’s also happy that it’s “the girl from Iowa” poised to become the first player in more than five decades to surpass that storied number.

“I think my dad would have been a big fan of hers,” Jaeson said. “She’s just so much fun to watch.”