Bob Pettit, first NBA MVP and 1958 champion with the Hawks, dies at 93

Passing of an inaugural MVP

Bob Pettit, the first recipient of the NBA Most Valuable Player award and an 11-time All-Star, died on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, at age 93. Louisiana State University, where Pettit starred in college, and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced his death. Pettit died peacefully at his home in Metairie, a suburb of New Orleans, with no cause of death released by his family. Over an 11-season professional career spanning from 1954 to 1965 with the Hawks franchise in Milwaukee and St. Louis, Pettit established himself as one of the defining frontcourt players in basketball history. He was later selected to the NBA 25th, 35th, 50th, and 75th anniversary teams.

Championship victory in 1958

Pettit led the Hawks to nine postseason appearances, four trips to the NBA Finals, and the franchise's only championship in 1958. In Game 6 of the 1958 Finals on April 12 at Kiel Auditorium in St. Louis, Pettit scored 50 points in a 110-109 victory against the Boston Celtics. He scored 19 of the Hawks' final 21 points to clinch the series, matching Bob Cousy's 1953 regulation playoff scoring mark. Pettit averaged 29.3 points and 17.0 rebounds across that series, taking advantage as Celtics center Bill Russell played limited minutes due to an ankle injury. The title remains the only championship won by the Hawks franchise across its tenures in Tri-Cities, Milwaukee, St. Louis, and Atlanta.

In the last quarter I wasn't sure what was happening. I was getting the ball, shooting it and it was going in. I wanted the ball because I didn't think there was anything they could do to stop me.

Development at power forward

Pettit took up basketball relatively late as a junior at Baton Rouge High School before leading the school to a state championship. At Louisiana State University, he averaged 27.4 points per game and earned two All-America selections. The Milwaukee Hawks selected him second overall in the 1954 draft on an $11,000 contract. Standing 6 feet 9 inches and weighing roughly 200 pounds (91 kilograms), Pettit faced doubts about his size against professional centers. Coach Red Holzman moved him to power forward to face the basket, while trainer Alvin Roy introduced him to weightlifting, helping him bulk to 240 pounds. He won Rookie of the Year honors in 1955 after averaging 20.4 points and 13.8 rebounds.

Bob made 'second effort' a part of the sports vocabulary. He kept coming at you more than any man in the game. He was always battling for position, fighting you off the boards.

Career scoring records and retirement

Pettit won the league's inaugural MVP award in the 1955-56 season and earned a second MVP in 1958-59, winning the scoring title in both years. He earned selections to 10 consecutive All-NBA First Teams and won four All-Star Game MVP awards. Pettit became the first player in NBA history to score 20,000 career points, concluding his career with 20,880 points and 12,849 rebounds across 792 regular-season games. In 1960-61, he averaged a career-best 20.3 rebounds per game, finishing behind only Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell. In 1961-62, he posted a career-high 31.1 points per game, trailing Chamberlain and Walt Bellamy. Pettit retired in 1965 at age 32 due to knee issues and entered the banking industry in Baton Rouge.