Hawks legend dies at ninety-three

Bob Pettit, the St. Louis Hawks' imposing scorer and rebounder who won the NBA's first Most Valuable Player award in nineteen fifty-six, has died. LSU announced his death on Thursday without providing a cause.

All-Star for all eleven seasons

Pettit was an All-American at LSU before joining the Hawks, where he was an All-Star for each of his eleven seasons. He led them to the nineteen fifty-eight championship over the Boston Celtics, the Hawks' only title.

Two-time MVP and All-Star game star

Pettit was the NBA MVP in nineteen fifty-nine and won the All-Star game MVP award four times, an achievement matched only by Los Angeles Lakers great Kobe Bryant. He played at a time when the NBA featured Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, Oscar Robertson and Elgin Baylor.

Physical presence before the position existed

At six foot nine and two hundred five pounds, Pettit was a physical presence at power forward before such a position became part of basketball's vocabulary. He was one of the first big men who did not play solely with his back to the basket.

Rookie of the Year, scoring leader twice

Pettit was the Rookie of the Year in nineteen fifty-five, the last year the Hawks played in Milwaukee before moving to St. Louis. He led the league in scoring at twenty-five point seven points a game in nineteen fifty-six and again in nineteen fifty-nine at twenty-nine point two points.

Career totals and Hall of Fame induction

Pettit retired after the nineteen sixty-four sixty-five season with career averages of twenty-six point four points and sixteen point two rebounds. At that time he was the NBA's career leader in points with twenty thousand eight hundred eighty and second in rebounds with twelve thousand eight hundred forty-nine.

Hall of Fame recognition and legacy

Pettit was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in nineteen seventy. The Hall of Fame noted that his resolve set him apart from his peers, saying he simply would not be outworked. His number fifty is retired by LSU and his number nine by the Atlanta Hawks.

“he simply would not be outworked”

Overshadowed by Celtics dynasty

Pettit's Hawks advanced to the NBA Finals four times, all against Boston, but won only once. They lost in seven games in nineteen fifty-seven and nineteen sixty, and in five games in nineteen sixty-one, leaving Pettit two victories short of being a three-time NBA champion.