Bob Pettit, the LSU basketball legend who became the NBA’s first Most Valuable Player and led the St. Louis Hawks to a championship, died Wednesday at age 93.
Pettit died peacefully at his home in Metairie, Louisiana, according to his family. A cause of death was not disclosed.
LSU announced his death Thursday, remembering Pettit as one of the most accomplished athletes in university history and a foundational figure in professional basketball.
Born in Baton Rouge, Pettit initially struggled to establish himself as a basketball player. He was cut from the varsity team during his sophomore year at Baton Rouge High School before growing several inches and transforming himself into one of Louisiana’s leading prospects.
Pettit eventually guided Baton Rouge High to its first state championship in more than 20 years. He remained close to home for college, choosing LSU despite receiving offers from numerous other programs.
The 6-foot-9 forward led the Tigers to their first NCAA Final Four appearance in 1953 and became one of the most dominant players in Southeastern Conference history.
Pettit led the SEC in scoring during all three of his varsity seasons. He averaged 25.5 points per game in 1952, 24.9 in 1953 and 31.4 during his senior season in 1954.
He also averaged 17.3 rebounds as a senior and scored 60 points against Louisiana College, establishing what was then an SEC single-game record.
The Milwaukee Hawks selected Pettit with the second overall pick in the 1954 NBA Draft. He immediately established himself at the professional level, averaging 20.4 points and 13.8 rebounds while earning Rookie of the Year honors.
Pettit became the first recipient of the NBA’s regular-season MVP award in 1956 after leading the league with 25.7 points and 16.2 rebounds per game. He captured the honor again in 1959.
His defining performance came during Game 6 of the 1958 NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics.
Pettit scored 50 points as the St. Louis Hawks defeated Boston 110-109 to clinch the championship. The victory denied the Celtics a second consecutive title and delivered the Hawks franchise its only NBA championship.
Pettit played in 11 consecutive All-Star Games and earned four All-Star Game MVP awards. He was also selected to an All-NBA team in every season of his professional career.
He retired in 1965 as the first player in NBA history to surpass 20,000 career points. Pettit finished with 20,880 points and 12,849 rebounds across 792 regular-season games.
His career averages of 26.4 points and 16.2 rebounds per game remain among the highest in league history.
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inducted Pettit in 1971. He was later selected for the NBA’s 25th, 35th, 50th, and 75th anniversary teams, according to Trending Politics.
LSU retired Pettit’s No. 50 during his senior season, making him the first athlete in university history to receive that distinction. The Hawks later retired his No. 9.
In 2016, LSU unveiled a statue honoring Pettit outside the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.
Pettit leaves behind a legacy as one of college basketball’s greatest players, the NBA’s original MVP and a star whose scoring and rebounding helped establish the modern power forward position.
