Bob Pettit, one of the NBA’s pioneering superstars and the first player to win the league’s Most Valuable Player award, has died at the age of 93.
Pettit died peacefully at his home in Metairie, Louisiana, on Wednesday, September 23, according to a statement from his family. His death was announced the following day by his alma mater, LSU. No cause of death has been publicly disclosed.
A dominant scorer and rebounder who helped redefine the power forward position, Pettit spent his entire 11-season NBA career with the Hawks franchise, beginning in Milwaukee in 1954 before the team relocated to St. Louis the following year.
He won the NBA’s inaugural MVP award in 1956 and claimed the honor again in 1959. Pettit was selected to the All-Star Game in every season of his career, won two scoring titles and became the first player in league history to reach 20,000 career points.
His defining moment came in the 1958 NBA Finals against Bill Russell’s Boston Celtics. With the Hawks leading the series 3–2, Pettit delivered a 50-point performance in Game 6 to secure the championship for St. Louis. The victory remains the only NBA title in Hawks franchise history.
Pettit retired in 1965 with 20,880 points and 12,849 rebounds, averaging 26.4 points and 16.2 rebounds across 792 regular-season games. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1970 and was later named to the NBA’s 25th, 50th, and 75th Anniversary Team. His No. 9 jersey remains retired by the Hawks.
Before his professional career, Pettit had been a standout at LSU, where he earned All-American honors and established himself as one of the country’s leading college players. His connection to Louisiana continued after his retirement, when he returned to his home state and pursued a career in banking and financial consulting.
Pettit played in an era when the NBA was still establishing its national audience, but his accomplishments helped define the standards by which future generations of stars would be measured. He leaves behind a legacy as a champion, a two-time MVP and one of the foundational figures in professional basketball.
