NBA Hall of Famer and Atlanta Hawks legend Bob Pettit died Thursday at 93, marking the loss of one of the most accomplished players from the league's early years. The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced Pettit's death Thursday.

“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 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.”

Pettit spent his entire 11-year NBA career with the Hawks organization, beginning with the Milwaukee Hawks in 1954 before the franchise moved to St. Louis the following year. He won Rookie of the Year in 1955 and became the NBA's first Most Valuable Player during the 1955-56 season.

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 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… pic.twitter.com/YNtR5axLNZ

— Basketball HOF (@Hoophall) September 24, 2026

The LSU product became an 11-time All-Star and earned 10 All-NBA First Team selections. Pettit also won his second MVP award in 1959 after averaging a league-leading 29.2 points along with 16.4 rebounds per game.

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Bob Pettit’s historic Hawks career included 1958 NBA championship

His defining accomplishment came during the 1958 NBA Finals. Pettit scored 50 points in Game 6 against the Boston Celtics, including 19 of the Hawks' final 21 points, to lead St. Louis to a 110-109 victory and the franchise's first and only NBA championship.

Pettit retired in 1965 as the NBA's all-time leading scorer with 20,880 career points. He finished his career averaging 26.4 points and 16.2 rebounds across 792 regular-season games and became the first player in league history to surpass 20,000 points.

The Basketball Hall of Fame enshrined Pettit in 1971. His legacy remains closely tied to the Hawks franchise, which eventually relocated to Atlanta in 1968, three years after his retirement.