Basketball legend Bob Pettit dies

Power forward position further developed

"Dad passed away peacefully at his home in Metairie on Wednesday, September 23rd," the Pettit family said in a statement. »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.”

In 1958, Pettit won the NBA title with the Hawks. He became NBA MVP again in 1959. He also won the same individual title in four league All-Star Games. After him, only the late Kobe Bryant managed to do this. In total, he made the NBA All-Star team eleven times. In 1971 he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

In 1961/1962 he managed a high of 31.1 points per game, ranking third behind the legendary Wilt Chamberlain (50.4 points) and Walt Bellamy (31.6 points). He also became the first player to score 50 points in an NBA Finals game.

Pettit became one of the biggest stars in sports, albeit in an era before the NBA was regularly televised. He ended his career at the age of 32 - partly because of a damaged knee and partly because of a professional opportunity in financial consulting. He worked there and in banking until he retired at the age of 75.