Wednesday, 06 May 2026

Bob Pettit

Contest: The US Athletics Hall of Fame - Athletes 2026
Embed from Getty Images
Sport(s): Basketball
Statistics & Accolades: 1 NBA Championship (1958)
2 NBA MVPs (1956 & 1959)
10 All-NBA First Team Selections (1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963 & 1964)
12 NBA All-Star Games (1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964 & 1965)
2 NBA Scoring Titles (1956 & 1959)
1 NBA Rebounding Titles (1956)
1-Time Consensus First Team All-American
20,880 NBA Points
12,849 NBA Rebounds
2,369 NBA Assists
Member of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame
Number Retired by the Atlanta Hawks
Number Retired by the LSU Tigers
Named to the NBA 25th Anniversary Team
Named to the NBA 35th Anniversary Team
Named to the NBA 50th Anniversary Team
Named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team
Spending his entire career with the Milwaukee/St. Louis Hawks, Bob Pettit made history as the first NBA player to score over 20,000 points. He was a remarkably consistent player, earning All-Star honors in all 11 seasons and making the All-NBA First Team 10 times. Pettit was the league's first MVP in 1956, won a second MVP in 1959, and maintained averages of over 20 points and 12 rebounds each season.

Pettit, known for his resilience, guided the St. Louis Hawks to four NBA Finals appearances. He famously scored 50 points in the decisive game of the 1958 NBA Championship against the Boston Celtics. As a four-time All-Star Game MVP, he finished his career as the NBA’s top scorer and the second-highest rebounder. His career averages of 26.4 points and 16.2 rebounds per game cemented his reputation as one of the first dominant "big men' in the game who could face the basket.

We are proud to nominate Bob Pettit for the United States Athletic Hall of Fame.

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