- The first NBA MVP Bob Pettit has died at the age of 93, his alma mater Louisiana State University announced, though a cause of death was not disclosed.
- Pettit spent his entire 11-year professional career with the Hawks franchise, earning an All-Star selection in every season and guiding St Louis to their sole NBA Championship against the Boston Celtics in 1958.
- A two-time league MVP and four-time All-Star Game MVP, Pettit retired in 1965 as the NBA's all-time leading scorer with 20,880 points alongside 12,849 rebounds.
- Standing at 6ft 9in, he revolutionised the power forward position by becoming one of the first big men to play facing the basket, leading to his induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1970.
- Before his professional career, the Baton Rouge native led LSU in scoring across three varsity seasons, earning jersey retirements from both LSU and the Atlanta Hawks, as well as a statue outside LSU's home arena.
IN FULL
