Two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Bob Petit has died at the age of 93, the Naismith Hall of Fame announced (via Twitter).
Pettitte is considered one of the greatest power forwards in league history. He retired in 1965 as the NBA’s all-time leading scorer with 20,880 points in 11 seasons, an average of 26.4 points per game, which now ranks 10th all-time. Pettitte’s 16.2 rebounds per night is tied for third all-time Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell.
A native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana who played college football at LSU, Pettitte was drafted by Milwaukee Hawks with the second overall pick in the 1954 draft, and he was named Rookie of the Year and named to the 1954/55 NBA First Team after averaging 20.4 points, 13.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 72 games.
The Hawks moved to St. Louis in 1955 (and later to Atlanta in 1968), and Pettitte became the first MVP in league history in 1955/56. In 72 contests, he averaged 25.7 ppg, 16.2 rpg and 2.6 rpg. Pettitte also won the first of four All Star MVP awards that season.
Pettitte led the Hawks to a championship over the Celtics in 1958 after losing to Boston in a seven-game Finals series the year before. In Game 6, winning the series by one point, Pettitte scored 50 points, a playoff record at the time. Pettitte’s 50 points were also the game-winning record in the Finals so far Yannis Antecumpa succeeded in 2021.
Pettitte helped St. Louis reach the Finals again in 1960 and 1961, both losses to the Celtics, and won his second scoring title and regular season MVP award in 1959. He was known as an outstanding offensive rebounder who scored a high percentage of his points at the free throw line; his 7.8 free throw attempts and 10.3 free throw attempts per game rank second all-time.
In 11 seasons in the league, Pettitte made 11 All-Star appearances, earned 10 All-NBA First Team spots and one All-NBA Second Team spot in his final season. He finished no worse than sixth in MVP voting from 1955-64; in fact, he was in the top four for eight of those nine years.
Pettitte is one of four players to appear on the NBA’s 25th, 35th, 50th and 75th anniversary teams, the others being Russell, Bob Cousy and George Mikan. The Hawks retired his No. 9 jersey.
We at Hoops Rumors send our condolences to Petit’s family and friends.