Pettit, Bob (1932-…), was an outstanding college and professional American basketball player. Pettit was a forward, standing 6 feet 9 inches (206 centimeters) tall. He was a leading scorer throughout his career and a strong rebounder. Pettit led the National Basketball Association (NBA) in scoring twice and rebounding once. He was the NBA’s Most Valuable Player for the 1955-1956 and 1958-1959 seasons.
Robert Lee Pettit, Jr., was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on Dec. 12, 1932. He won All-America honors while playing at Louisiana State University from 1951 to 1954. Pettit averaged 27.4 points a game in college. He was drafted by the Milwaukee Hawks of the NBA in 1954. The team moved to St. Louis the next season. Pettit was named the league’s Rookie of the Year for the 1954-1955 season. He played his entire career with the Hawks, retiring in 1965 after 11 seasons. For his professional career, Pettit averaged 26.4 points and 16.2 rebounds a game. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1971.
