Bob Pettit, the renowned scorer and rebounder for the St. Louis Hawks and the first recipient of the NBA's Most Valuable Player award in 1956, has died at the age of 93. His alma mater, LSU, announced his passing on Thursday after he died a day earlier, but did not disclose the cause of death.

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The NBA expressed condolences, stating, "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." Pettit notably secured the championship for the St. Louis Hawks with his iconic 50-point performance during Game 6 of the 1958 NBA Finals.

Pettit was an All-American at LSU before beginning his professional career with the Hawks, where he earned All-Star honors in all 11 of his seasons. He played a pivotal role in leading the Hawks to their only championship in 1958, defeating the Boston Celtics.

In addition to being the 1956 MVP, Pettit also claimed the title again in 1959 and was the MVP of the All-Star Game on four occasions, a feat matched only by Kobe Bryant. He competed alongside NBA legends such as Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell, yet played in an era before the league gained wide television exposure.

Standing 6-foot-9 and weighing 205 pounds, Pettit was a formidable presence at the power forward position and was known for playing both forward and center. He was the Rookie of the Year in 1955, the last year the Hawks were based in Milwaukee, and led the league in scoring in 1956 and 1959.

Retiring in 1965 with career averages of 26.4 points and 16.2 rebounds, Pettit was the NBA’s all-time leading scorer and second in rebounds at retirement. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1971, recognized for his unique skill set and relentless work ethic.

Born on December 12, 1932, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Pettit initially struggled in high school basketball, not making the varsity team until his junior year. He later excelled at LSU, leading the Southeastern Conference in scoring throughout his college career and finishing with averages of 25.5, 24.9, and 31.4 points per game across his three seasons.

Pettit is one of only three LSU players to be enshrined in the Hall of Fame, alongside Pete Maravich and Shaquille O'Neal. His number 50 has been retired by LSU, while the Atlanta Hawks have retired his number 9.

Throughout his career, Pettit faced the challenge of competing against a dominant Celtics team, falling just short of becoming a three-time NBA champion despite leading the Hawks to the Finals four times. After retiring from basketball, he returned to Baton Rouge, working in banking and financial consulting while remaining active in the local sports community.