Bob Pettit, who was named an All-Star in each of his 11 NBA seasons and was one of the greatest scorers and rebounders in league history, has died, the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame said Thursday.
He was 93.
Pettit was a two-time NBA MVP, winning the award the first time it was given out in 1955-56 and again in 1958-59. He led the league in scoring both seasons, with 25.7 and 29.2 points per game, respectively.
He was a four-time All-Star Game MVP, a feat matched only by Kobe Bryant, for whom that award was named after his death in January 2020.
Pettit led the Hawks to four NBA Finals appearances and a championship in 1958 over the Boston Celtics, with Pettit scoring 50 points in the Game 6 clincher, a playoff record at that time.
Pettit starred for LSU, averaging 31.4 points and 17.3 rebounds per game in his senior season. The forward was drafted second in 1954 by the Milwaukee Hawks -- a year later they moved to St. Louis -- and responded by being named Rookie of the Year with 20.8 points and 13.8 rebounds per game.