The Atlanta Hawks have lost arguably the most legendary player in franchise history.
“The LSU family mourns the loss of Tiger legend and Naismith Basketball Hall-of-Famer Bob Pettit,” LSU’s men’s basketball wrote on its official X account on Thursday.
Pettit won the NBA’s 1st Most Valuable Player award in 1956 and played his entire career with the Hawks — 1st in Milwaukee and then in St. Louis.
“Bob Pettit, the NBA’s first Most Valuable Player in 1956 and the first player in league history to reach the 20,000-point plateau, died Wednesday,” The Athletic wrote on its official X account.
“The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame mourns the passing of Bob Pettit, a sleek, skilled big man who revolutionized the forward position during his career,” The Naismith Hall of Fame wrote on its official X account. “The 11-time NBA All-Star and 2-time MVP retired as the all-time leading scorer in NBA history and left an enduring legacy. He led the St. Louis Hawks to the 1958 NBA championship over the Boston Celtics. The Basketball Hall of Fame salutes this true giant of the game.”
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Hawks Selected Bob Pettit No. 2 Overall in NBA Draft
The Hawks drafted the 6-foot-9 Pettit with the No. 2 overall pick in the 1954 NBA Draft out of LSU, where he was a 2-time All-American and led the Tigers to the 1st Final Four in school history in 1953.
Pettit’s No. 50 jersey was the 1st number retired by LSU in any sport.
Pettit led the Hawks to an NBA Championship in 1958 and won his 2nd NBA MVP award in 1959. He’s still the only MVP in Hawks history and remains the franchise’s career leader in rebounds (12,849) and rebounds per game (16.2).
The Hawks’ championship in 1958 was the only time the Boston Celtics didn’t win the title between 1957 and 1966.
“Probably as fierce a competitor as (has) ever played,” Celtics legend and fellow Hall of Famer Bill Russell said about Pettit. “He knew what he was doing. As great as he was, he was always better under pressure.”
Pettit is 1 of just 4 players named to all 4 of the NBA’s Anniversary Teams — 25th, 35th, 50th, and 75th alongside Russell, Bob Cousy, and George Mikan.
Pettit also briefly served as player-coach for the Hawks in the 1961-62 season, going 4-2 in 6 games.
Bob Pettit Went Away From Basketball After Career
Following the end of his career in 1964-65, Pettit went away from basketball and into the world of finance.
Pettit worked in the banking industry in the Baton Rouge area — his hometown — for 23 years before going into financial consulting in the late 1980s, and he retired in 2006.
Atlanta Hawks Legend and 2-Time NBA MVP Bob Pettit Dies