Basketball Hall of Famer and 2-Time NBA MVP Bob Pettit Passes Away at 93

Basketball Hall of Famer and the NBA's first-ever Most Valuable Player Bob Pettit passed away on September 23, 2026, at the age of 93

The basketball world is in mourning following the passing of Naismith Memorial Hall of Famer Bob Pettit at the age of 93. Pettit was one of the sport's greatest pioneers and the cornerstone of the early St. Louis Hawks dynasty.

Pettit captured the NBA’s inaugural Most Valuable Player award in 1956 and won it again in 1959, earning an All-Star selection in all 11 of his professional seasons. He famously delivered a legendary 50-point masterpiece in Game 6 of the 1958 NBA Finals to lead the Hawks past Bill Russell's Boston Celtics for the franchise's lone championship. Finishing his career with 20,880 points and 12,849 rebounds, Pettit remains an indelible figure honored on the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team.