Bob Pettit, the imposing scorer and rebounder who starred for the St Louis Hawks and won the NBA’s first Most Valuable Player award in 1956, has died at the age of 93.
Pettit’s alma mater, LSU, announced on Thursday that he died a day earlier. The university did not disclose a cause of death.
Pettit was an All-American at LSU before joining the NBA, where he was selected as an All-Star in each of his 11 seasons, all with the Hawks. He led the franchise to the 1958 championship, defeating the Boston Celtics to secure the Hawks’ only NBA title.
He also won the NBA MVP award in 1959 and was named All-Star Game MVP four times, a record matched only by Los Angeles Lakers great Kobe Bryant.
Pettit became one of basketball’s dominant figures during an era that featured stars such as Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, Oscar Robertson and Elgin Baylor. However, the NBA had yet to become a major television attraction, while Pettit played in a smaller market that limited his exposure to a wider audience.
Standing 6ft 9in and weighing 205lb, Pettit was a powerful presence at power forward. He rarely missed games and could also play centre. He was among the first big men to regularly attack the basket while facing it rather than relying solely on post play.
Pettit was named Rookie of the Year in 1955, his first NBA season, when the Hawks were still based in Milwaukee before moving to St Louis.
He won his first MVP award the following season after leading the league with 25.7 points per game. He topped the scoring charts again in 1959, averaging 29.2 points.
Pettit retired after the 1964-65 season with career averages of 26.4 points and 16.2 rebounds per game. At the time, his 20,880 points were an NBA record, while his 12,849 rebounds ranked second.
He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1970.
“Lean, graceful, and always well-conditioned, Bob Pettit’s physical build made him one of the first big men to play facing the basket,” the Hall of Fame said in his biography. “But Pettit’s resolve set him apart from his peers; he simply would not be outworked.”
Robert Lee Pettit Jr was born on 12 December 1932 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. His father worked in law enforcement and served as sheriff of East Baton Rouge Parish.
Pettit was a late developer in basketball and did not make the Baton Rouge High School varsity team until his junior year. As a senior, he led the school to a state championship and attracted more than a dozen college offers.
He stayed in his home state and became a star at LSU, leading the Southeastern Conference in scoring in each of his three seasons. He averaged 25.5 points as a sophomore, 24.9 as a junior and 31.4 as a senior.
Pettit is one of only three LSU players, alongside Pete Maravich and Shaquille O’Neal, to be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.
His No 50 jersey has been retired by LSU, while the Hawks retired his No 9.
The Hawks said Pettit’s contribution to the franchise and basketball history would never be forgotten.
Pettit’s career also coincided with one of the Celtics’ greatest periods. His Hawks reached the NBA Finals four times, facing Boston on each occasion.
The 1957 series went to a decisive Game 7 and required double overtime. A year later, Pettit led the Hawks to victory over Boston, interrupting the Celtics’ run of nine championships in 10 seasons.
Boston won the Finals against the Hawks again in 1960, in seven games, and 1961, in five.
Pettit retired to Baton Rouge after leaving basketball and later worked in banking and financial consulting. He remained a regular at LSU and New Orleans Pelicans games in his later years.
