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LONDON - Bob Pettit, the first player to score 20,000 points in the NBA and the inaugural winner of the league’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) award, has died at the age of 93, PA Media/dpa reported.
Following a successful college career with Louisiana State University, Pettit was a first-round draft pick for the Milwaukee Hawks in 1954.
The Hawks moved to St Louis a year later, when Pettit won the first of his MVP awards, with a second coming in 1959.
Pettit won the NBA Championship with the Hawks in 1958 and was an 11-time All Star during his career.
His record of being named MVP in All-Star games four times has been matched only by Kobe Bryant.
Pettit retired after the 1964-65 season, having scored 20,880 points at an average of 26.4 per game.
He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1971.
The NBA said in a statement: "The NBA family mourns the passing of Naismith Hall of Famer Bob Pettit, a two-time NBA MVP and a member of all four NBA Anniversary Teams.
"He raised the bar for excellence as the league’s first MVP, first 20,000-point scorer, and first four-time All-Star Game MVP.
"His iconic 50-point performance in Game 6 of the 1958 NBA Finals clinched the championship for the St. Louis Hawks.
"Beyond those accomplishments, Bob helped transform the power forward position. Our thoughts are with Bob’s family and friends and the entire Hawks organisation.” - BERNAMA
