Bob Pettit, first NBA MVP and 1958 champion with St. Louis Hawks, dies at 93

Passing and early career

Bob Pettit, the first player to win the NBA Most Valuable Player award, died peacefully on Wednesday, 23 September 2026, at his home in Metairie, Louisiana, at age 93. His alma mater, Louisiana State University (LSU), confirmed his passing on Thursday without specifying a cause of death. Born near Baton Rouge, Pettit did not begin playing basketball until age 16 and was cut from his early high school teams before practicing shooting under an outdoor lamp at his parents' home. He developed into an All-American at LSU, where he posted a collegiate scoring average of 27.4 points per game. Selected with the second overall pick in the 1954 draft, he joined the Hawks franchise in Milwaukee before the club relocated to St. Louis.

On-court achievements and championship

Pettit earned Rookie of the Year honors in 1955 and captured the league's inaugural MVP trophy for the 1955–1956 season after averaging 25.7 points per game. Standing 2.06 meters tall and weighing 103 kilograms, he was among the first frontcourt players to play facing the basket rather than exclusively with his back to the rim. In 1958, Pettit guided the St. Louis Hawks to the franchise's only championship against the Boston Celtics, who won every other title between 1957 and 1966. In the decisive Game 6 victory (110–109), he scored 50 points, including 19 of the Hawks' final 21 points in the fourth quarter. He captured a second league MVP trophy in 1959 after securing another scoring title with 29.2 points per game.

The Pettit family released a statement confirming his passing at home.

“Dad passed away very peacefully at his home in Metairie on Wednesday, September 23. He was the most wonderful father. An extremely kind, humble and gentle person. We are so grateful to have had him in our lives, and we will miss him very much.”

Statistical records and recognition

Across eleven professional seasons between 1954 and 1965, Pettit was selected to the All-Star game in every year of his career. He won the All-Star Game MVP award four times, a total matched in league history only by Kobe Bryant. In the 1961–1962 season, Pettit recorded a personal peak scoring average of 31.1 points per game, finishing third across the NBA behind Wilt Chamberlain and Walt Bellamy. By the time of his retirement in 1965, Pettit was the first player in league history to surpass 20,000 points, finishing with 20,880 points and 12,849 rebounds in nearly 800 games. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1970 and selected to the NBA 25th, 50th, and 75th anniversary teams.

Transition to banking and later life

Pettit retired from professional basketball at age 32 following physical wear and a knee injury, having collected approximately 150 stitches during his career. He transitioned into the financial consulting and banking sector in Baton Rouge, where he worked until his retirement at age 75. In later interviews, Pettit recalled the financial realities of his playing era, noting that player salaries required athletes to pursue full-time careers following basketball. He attended the league's 75th anniversary ceremony in Cleveland in 2022 alongside fellow honorees.

Wilt Chamberlain50.4

Walt Bellamy31.6

Bob Pettit31.1

Wilt Chamberlain

50.4 ppg

Walt Bellamy

31.6 ppg

Bob Pettit

31.1 ppg

Data from the article text

The Basketball Hall of Fame described his playing style in his biographical profile.

“Lean, graceful, and always well-conditioned, Bob Pettit's physical build made him one of the first big men to play facing the basket. But Pettit's resolve set him apart from his peers; he simply would not be outworked. He was a true giant of the game.”