Bob Pettit, NBA's first MVP, dies aged 93

Bob Pettit, the first player to receive the NBA Most Valuable Player award, has died aged 93, the Basketball Hall of Fame confirmed on 24 September 2026. The Hall of Fame described him as "a true giant of the game".

Pettit starred for Louisiana State University and was signed by the Milwaukee Hawks in the draft in 1954. The team relocated to St Louis and Pettit remained with the Hawks for the rest of his career. He was named an NBA All-Star in all 11 of his seasons. Pettit was also the first player to reach 20,000 points.

He won the NBA's MVP award twice, in 1955-56 and again in 1958-59, and topped the scoring charts in both of those seasons.

Pettit helped the Hawks to the NBA title in 1958 with victory over the Boston Celtics and reached two more finals with the franchise in 1960 and 1961.

He retired in 1965 with career averages of 26.4 points and 16.2 rebounds per game and was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1971.

LSU had his number 50 jersey retired in 1954, the first time the university had ever given that honor to one of its athletes.

No cause of death was given. LSU paid tribute on their website, saying: "Pettit defined what the modern power forward should be in the NBA and set standards that have been hard to duplicate in professional basketball."