Bob Pettit

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Bob Pettit (with the ball) as a player for the St. Louis Hawks

Robert E. Lee "Bob" Pettit (born December 12, 1932, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, U.S.) is a former professional basketball player. He played 11 seasons in the NBA, all with the Milwaukee/St. Louis Hawks (1954-1965). He was the first recipient of the NBA's Most Valuable Player Award. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1971.

[edit] Humble beginnings

Pettit's basketball career had humble beginnings. At Baton Rouge High School, he was cut from the varsity basketball team as both a freshman and sophomore. His father, a parish sheriff, pushed him to practice in the backyard of the house until he improved his skills. It worked: Pettit became a starter as a junior, and led Baton Rouge High to its first State Championship in more than 20 years in his senior year.

[edit] Louisiana State University

After high school, Pettit accepted a scholarship to play at Louisiana State University. He was a three-time All-Southeastern Conference selection and a two-time All American during his three years there. (Freshmen were not allowed to play varsity basketball in those days.) During those three years, Pettit averaged 27.8 points per game. He was also a member of the Zeta Zeta Chapter of Delta Kappa Epsilon at LSU. He is also a member of the LSU Hall of Fame.

[edit] Pro basketball

In 1954 the Milwaukee Hawks selected Pettit in the first round of the NBA Draft. Many were skeptical about Pettit making the transition from college to the rough-and-tumble NBA. Rookies often struggle adjusting to the pro game, but not Pettit — in 1955 he won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award after averaging 20.4 points and 13.8 rebounds per game. After this season, the Hawks moved to St. Louis. The following year, Pettit won his first scoring title with a 25.7 average, and led the league in rebounding (1164 for a 16.2 average). He was also named MVP of the NBA All-Star Game after scoring 20 points with 24 rebounds; he won subsequent MVP All-Star Game honors in 1958 and 1962. He also won his first of two NBA MVP awards (the other was in 1959). In 1958, Pettit, Ed Macauley and Cliff Hagan led the Hawks to an NBA Championship, defeating the Bill Russell-led Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals. (The Hawks had acquired Macauley and Hagan from Boston for the draft rights to Russell.) Both teams would also meet in the 1957, 1960 and 1961 Finals, with Boston winning each time.

Pettit averaged at least 20 points per game and at least 12 rebounds per game in each of his 11 NBA seasons. No other retired player in NBA history has averaged more than 20 points per game in every season they've played (note: Michael Jordan averaged exactly 20 points per game in his final season). In the 1960-61 season, Pettit pulled down more than 20 rebounds per game, making him one of only five players to ever accomplish the feat. In the following season, he scored a career best 31.1 points per game. Pettit ended his career in 1965, becoming the first NBA player to eclipse the 20,000 points mark (20,880 for a 26.4 average). His 12,849 rebounds were second most in league history at the time he retired, and his 16.2 rebounds per game career average remains third only to Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell. Pettit was an NBA All-Star in each of his 11 seasons, was named to the All-NBA First Team ten times, and was name to the All-NBA Second Team once. Pettit still holds the top two NBA All-Star Game rebounding performances with 26 in 1958 and 27 in 1962, and has the second highest All-Star Game points per game average with 20.4 (behind only Oscar Robertson).

[edit] Revolutionizing the “power forward”

Pettit is often credited as revolutionizing the power forward position in the NBA. Because of his scoring and rebounding ability, he is considered the predecessor to Elgin Baylor, Jerry Lucas, Elvin Hayes, Bob McAdoo, Kevin McHale, Charles Barkley, Karl Malone, Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett.

[edit] External links

• Basketball-Reference.com: Bob Pettit (as player)
• Basketball-Reference.com: Bob Pettit (as coach)