Two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Bob Pettit has died at age 93, the Naismith Hall of Fame announced (via Twitter).

Pettit is widely regarded as one of the greatest power forwards in league history. He retired in 1965 as the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, finishing with 20,880 points in 11 seasons for an average of 26.4 points per game, which now ranks 10th all-time. Pettit’s 16.2 rebounds per night ranks third all-time, only trailing Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell.

A native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, who played his college ball at LSU, Pettit was selected by the Milwaukee Hawks with the second overall pick in the 1954 draft and he was named Rookie of the Year and earned a spot on the All-NBA First Team in 1954/55 after averaging 20.4 points, 13.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 72 games.

The Hawks moved to St. Louis in 1955 (and later to Atlanta in 1968) and Pettit proceeded to become the first MVP in league history in 1955/56. He averaged a league-high 25.7 PPG, 16.2 RPG and 2.6 APG in 72 contests. Pettit also won the first of his four All-Star MVP awards that season.

Pettit led the Hawks to a championship over the Celtics in 1958 after falling to Boston in a seven-game Finals series the year before. In a one-point, series-clinching victory in Game 6, Pettit recorded 50 points, a then-playoff record. Pettit’s 50 points also stood as the record for a Finals close-out victory until Giannis Antetokounmpo matched the feat in 2021.

Pettit helped St. Louis reach the Finals in again 1960 and ’61, falling both times to the Celtics, and won his second scoring title and regular season MVP award in 1959. He was known as a great offensive rebounder who scored a significant percentage of his point at the free throw line; his 7.8 free throws made and 10.3 free throw attempts per game both rank second all-time.

During his 11 seasons in the league, Pettit made 11 All-Star appearances, earned 10 first-team All-NBA berths, and one second-team All-NBA spot in his final season. He finished no worse than sixth place in MVP voting from 1955-64; in fact, he was in the top four during eight of those nine years.

Pettit is one of only four players to appear on the NBA’s 25th, 35th, 50th and 75th anniversary teams, with the others being Russell, Bob Cousy and George Mikan. His No. 9 jersey is retired by the Hawks.

We at Hoops Rumors send our condolences to Pettit’s family and friends.