Bob Pettit, one of the NBA’s first superstars and the first player ever to win the league’s Most Valuable Player award, has died at age 93.
Pettit died peacefully at his home in Metairie, Louisiana, on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, according to his family. No cause of death has been publicly disclosed.
The Hall of Fame forward spent his entire 11-season NBA career with the Hawks franchise, won two league MVP awards and led the St. Louis Hawks past Bill Russell’s Boston Celtics for the 1958 NBA championship.
Pettit also became the first player in NBA history to score 20,000 career points and retired in 1965 as the league’s all-time leading scorer. [NBA]
What Happened To Bob Pettit?
Pettit’s family confirmed that he died on September 23 at his home in Metairie, a suburb of New Orleans.
His family said:
“Dad passed away very peacefully at his home in Metairie.”
The family described Pettit as a kind and humble father and said they felt blessed to have had him in their lives. A specific cause of death was not announced. [WAFB]
LSU, where Pettit became a college basketball legend before beginning his NBA career, announced his death on September 24. [LSU]
Who Was Bob Pettit?
Robert Lee Pettit Jr. was a 6-foot-9 forward who became one of professional basketball’s first dominant frontcourt scorers and rebounders.
Born December 12, 1932, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Pettit starred at LSU before the Milwaukee Hawks selected him with the No. 2 overall pick in the 1954 NBA Draft.
The Hawks moved from Milwaukee to St. Louis after Pettit’s rookie season. Pettit remained with the franchise until his retirement following the 1964-65 season. [NBA]
He never played for another NBA organization.
Was Bob Pettit The First NBA MVP?
Yes.
The NBA introduced its regular-season Most Valuable Player award for the 1955-56 season, and Pettit became its first winner.
He averaged 25.7 points and 16.2 rebounds per game that season while leading the league in scoring. [NBA]
Pettit won the award for a second time during the 1958-59 season after averaging a league-leading 29.2 points along with 16.4 rebounds per game.
| Bob Pettit MVP Season | Points Per Game | Rebounds Per Game |
|---|---|---|
| 1955-56 | 25.7 | 16.2 |
| 1958-59 | 29.2 | 16.4 |
Pettit’s place as the first MVP made him one of the defining figures of the NBA’s early history. [NBA]
How Good Was Bob Pettit?
Pettit was remarkably consistent throughout his career.
He was selected to the NBA All-Star Game in all 11 seasons that he played. He was named first-team All-NBA 10 times and second-team All-NBA once, meaning he made an All-NBA team in every season of his career. [NBA]
| Career Achievement | Bob Pettit |
|---|---|
| NBA Seasons | 11 |
| NBA Championships | 1 |
| NBA MVP Awards | 2 |
| NBA All-Star Selections | 11 |
| All-NBA First Team | 10 |
| All-Star Game MVP Awards | 4 |
| Rookie Of The Year | 1955 |
| Hall Of Fame | 1970 |
He averaged at least 20 points in every season and at least 10 rebounds in every season. [NBA]
What Were Bob Pettit’s Career Stats?
Pettit retired with 20,880 points and 12,849 rebounds in 792 regular-season games.
| Statistic | Career Total / Average |
|---|---|
| Games | 792 |
| Points | 20,880 |
| Points Per Game | 26.4 |
| Rebounds | 12,849 |
| Rebounds Per Game | 16.2 |
| Assists Per Game | 3.0 |
When Pettit retired, his 20,880 points were the most in NBA history and his 12,849 rebounds ranked second. [NBA]
Was Bob Pettit The First NBA Player To Score 20,000 Points?
Yes.
Pettit became the first NBA player to reach 20,000 career points on November 13, 1964.
He reached the milestone against the Cincinnati Royals during what would become his final NBA season. [NBA]
Pettit had already become the league’s career scoring leader earlier in 1964 when he passed Dolph Schayes.
He retired with 20,880 points before Wilt Chamberlain later surpassed him.
How Did Bob Pettit Win The 1958 NBA Championship?
Pettit’s defining performance came in Game 6 of the 1958 NBA Finals.
The St. Louis Hawks led the Boston Celtics 3-2 in the series and had a chance to clinch the championship at home.
Pettit responded with 50 points in a 110-109 victory.
He scored 19 of St. Louis’ final 21 points during the fourth quarter and made a tip-in with 15 seconds remaining that helped secure the championship. [NBA]
The performance became one of the defining games in NBA Finals history.
Did Bob Pettit’s 50-Point Finals Record Ever Get Matched?
Pettit’s 50 points stood for decades as one of the most remarkable championship-clinching performances in league history.
In 2021, Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo also scored 50 points in a title-clinching Game 6, matching Pettit’s total. [NBA]
The two performances occurred 63 years apart.
Why Was The 1958 Hawks Championship So Important?
It remains the only NBA championship in Hawks franchise history.
It also interrupted one of the greatest dynasties in professional sports.
Boston won the NBA championship in 1957 and then won the title every season from 1959 through 1966. Pettit’s Hawks were the only team to prevent the Celtics from winning 10 consecutive championships during that stretch. [NBA]
Bill Russell was limited by an ankle injury during the 1958 Finals, but Pettit’s 50-point performance was still required for St. Louis to escape Game 6 by a single point.
How Many Times Did Bob Pettit Reach The NBA Finals?
Pettit’s Hawks reached the NBA Finals four times:
- 1957: Lost to Boston in seven games
- 1958: Defeated Boston in six games
- 1960: Lost to Boston in seven games
- 1961: Lost to Boston in five games
Every Finals series of Pettit’s career came against Bill Russell and the Celtics. [NBA]
What Happened In The 1957 NBA Finals?
The Hawks came extraordinarily close to winning a championship one year before their 1958 breakthrough.
Game 7 against Boston went to double overtime.
Pettit made two free throws with six seconds remaining in regulation to force overtime. In the final moments of the second overtime, his potential game-winning tip-in rolled around the rim before falling out, allowing Boston to win the championship. [NBA]
One year later, Pettit and the Hawks got their revenge.
How Many NBA All-Star MVP Awards Did Bob Pettit Win?
Pettit won the NBA All-Star Game MVP award four times:
- 1956
- 1958
- 1959
- 1962
He became the first player to win the award four times. Kobe Bryant later matched the record. [NBA]
Pettit appeared in the All-Star Game during every one of his 11 NBA seasons.
How Did Bob Pettit Change Basketball?
Pettit helped define what eventually became the modern power forward position.
At 6-foot-9, he had the size and physicality to rebound and score around the basket but was also comfortable facing the basket and shooting from farther away.
That combination was unusual among NBA big men during the 1950s.
The NBA has described Pettit as a prototype for the modern power forward because he could score from multiple areas of the floor while remaining an elite rebounder. [NBA]
NBA commissioner Adam Silver said after Pettit’s death that he “helped transform the power forward position.” [NBA]
What Did Bill Russell Say About Bob Pettit?
Russell regarded Pettit as one of his fiercest competitors.
After Pettit’s playing career, Russell credited him with popularizing the idea of making a “second effort” on basketball plays because Pettit relentlessly attacked rebounds and continued battling even after his first attempt failed. [NBA]
The rivalry was particularly significant because the Hawks were among the very few teams capable of seriously challenging Russell’s Celtics during the late 1950s and early 1960s.
What Did Adam Silver Say About Bob Pettit’s Death?
NBA commissioner Adam Silver called Pettit a player who raised the standard for excellence during the league’s early years.
Silver highlighted three historic firsts: Pettit was the NBA’s first MVP, its first 20,000-point scorer and its first four-time All-Star Game MVP.
He also cited Pettit’s 50-point championship-clinching performance in 1958 and his role in changing how the power forward position was played. [NBA]
Did Bob Pettit Play For The Atlanta Hawks?
Pettit played his entire career for the franchise that is now known as the Atlanta Hawks, but he never actually played in Atlanta.
He began his NBA career with the Milwaukee Hawks in 1954-55.
The organization moved to St. Louis in 1955, where Pettit played the remainder of his career and won the 1958 championship.
Pettit retired in 1965. The franchise did not move to Atlanta until 1968.
The modern Atlanta Hawks nevertheless recognize all of Pettit’s accomplishments as part of their franchise history and have retired his No. 9. [NBA]
Does Bob Pettit Still Hold Hawks Records?
Yes.
Pettit’s 12,849 rebounds remain the most in Hawks franchise history. [NBA]
His longevity at the top of the Hawks’ record book is particularly impressive because he played only 11 seasons and retired more than 60 years ago.
His No. 9 is retired by the franchise.
What Did Bob Pettit Do At LSU?
Before becoming an NBA superstar, Pettit established himself as one of the greatest players in LSU history.
He led the Tigers to their first NCAA Final Four in 1953 and helped LSU win consecutive Southeastern Conference championships in 1953 and 1954.
Pettit led the SEC in scoring during all three of his varsity seasons:
| LSU Season | Points Per Game | Rebounds Per Game |
|---|---|---|
| 1951-52 | 25.5 | 13.1 |
| 1952-53 | 24.9 | 13.9 |
| 1953-54 | 31.4 | 17.3 |
Pettit was a consensus All-American and remains one of the foundational figures in LSU basketball history. [LSU]
Was Bob Pettit’s Number Retired By LSU?
Yes.
LSU retired Pettit’s No. 50 in 1954.
It was the first jersey number retired in any sport by LSU. [LSU]
A statue of Pettit also stands outside the Pete Maravich Assembly Center in Baton Rouge.
Was Bob Pettit In The Basketball Hall Of Fame?
Yes.
Pettit was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1970.
He has also repeatedly been selected among the greatest players in NBA history.
Pettit and Bill Russell, Bob Cousy and George Mikan are the only four players who were selected to all four of the NBA’s major anniversary teams:
- NBA 25th Anniversary Team
- NBA 35th Anniversary Team
- NBA 50th Anniversary Team
- NBA 75th Anniversary Team
Why Did Bob Pettit Retire?
Pettit retired after the 1964-65 season at only 32 years old.
A knee problem limited him to 50 games during his final season, the first time in his career that an injury had caused him to miss a significant number of games.
Even while dealing with the injury, he averaged 22.5 points and 12.4 rebounds per game. [NBA]
Pettit decided to leave basketball while he was still an elite player.
What Did Bob Pettit Do After Basketball?
After retiring from the NBA, Pettit returned to Louisiana and worked in banking and financial consulting.
He remained connected to basketball and was a familiar presence at LSU and New Orleans Pelicans games in later years. [NBA]
Why Is Bob Pettit Important In NBA History?
Pettit’s career contains several milestones from the formative years of professional basketball.
- He was the first NBA MVP.
- He was the first NBA player to score 20,000 career points.
- He became the first four-time NBA All-Star Game MVP.
- He won two regular-season MVP awards.
- He made the All-Star team in every season of his career.
- He made an All-NBA team in all 11 seasons.
- His 50-point Game 6 performance won the Hawks their only NBA championship.
- He helped establish the blueprint for the modern power forward.
Pettit retired as the NBA’s career scoring leader and remains one of the few stars from the league’s earliest era whose résumé places him prominently throughout the NBA record book. [NBA]
Bob Pettit FAQ
When did Bob Pettit die?
Pettit died peacefully at his home in Metairie, Louisiana, on September 23, 2026. He was 93. [WAFB]
What was Bob Pettit’s cause of death?
No cause of death has been publicly announced. His family said he died peacefully at home.
Was Bob Pettit the first NBA MVP?
Yes. Pettit won the inaugural NBA Most Valuable Player award for the 1955-56 season. He won a second MVP in 1958-59. [NBA]
How many points did Bob Pettit score?
Pettit scored 20,880 regular-season points and averaged 26.4 points per game during his career. [NBA]
Was Bob Pettit the first player to score 20,000 points?
Yes. He became the first player in NBA history to reach 20,000 career points in November 1964. [NBA]
How many championships did Bob Pettit win?
Pettit won one NBA championship, leading the St. Louis Hawks past the Boston Celtics in the 1958 Finals.
How many points did Bob Pettit score in the 1958 Finals?
Pettit scored 50 points in the championship-clinching Game 6, including 19 of the Hawks’ final 21 points. [NBA]
How many MVP awards did Bob Pettit win?
Pettit won two regular-season MVP awards, in 1956 and 1959. He also won four NBA All-Star Game MVP awards.
What team did Bob Pettit play for?
Pettit spent his entire NBA career with the Hawks franchise. He played his rookie season for the Milwaukee Hawks and the next 10 seasons for the St. Louis Hawks. The franchise later moved to Atlanta.
What number did Bob Pettit wear?
Pettit wore No. 9 with the Hawks, and the franchise retired the number. LSU retired his college No. 50.
Is Bob Pettit in the Hall of Fame?
Yes. Pettit was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1970 and was later selected to the NBA’s 25th, 35th, 50th and 75th Anniversary Teams. [NBA]
