Atlanta — Bob Pettit, First NBA MVP, Dies at 93

Bob Pettit, the Hall of Fame forward who won the NBA's first Most Valuable Player award, has died at 93, the Associated Press reported. Pettit spent his career with the Hawks, earning 11 All-Star selections and leading the franchise to its only NBA championship, in 1958, according to the AP.

How Did Pettit Become the NBA's First MVP?

The NBA's Most Valuable Player award recognizes the player judged most valuable to his team over the course of a season, and Pettit was the first to receive it, the AP reported, when the league handed out the honor for the 1955-56 season. That made him the answer to the first entry in what has become a decades-long list of NBA MVP winners, a distinction the AP's obituary cites as central to his standing in league history.

What Was His All-Star Selection Record?

Pettit was selected to 11 All-Star games over the course of his career, the AP reported. All-Star selections in the NBA reflect a player's sustained performance across a season, and a total of 11 places Pettit's career among those tracked by the league's own historical MVP and All-Star rosters, though the AP obituary does not provide additional statistical detail beyond the selection count.

What Championship Did He Win With the Hawks?

Pettit led the Hawks to the franchise's only NBA championship, won in 1958, according to the AP. The wire service's report frames that title as a defining accomplishment of his playing days, distinct from his individual MVP recognition two years earlier.

Pettit's Career by the Numbers

• Died at age 93, per the AP
• Won the NBA's first-ever MVP award, in 1956
• Earned 11 career All-Star selections
• Led the Hawks to their only NBA title, in 1958

What Else Did the AP Report?

The AP's obituary identifies Pettit as a Hall of Fame forward and describes him as "imposing" on the court, a characterization used in the wire service's own headline for the story. Beyond his MVP award, All-Star total and the 1958 title, the AP account did not include additional statistical detail such as career scoring or rebounding figures, and this report does not add numbers beyond what the AP confirmed.

Readers looking to test their own recall of NBA history, including the league's early MVP winners, can try a general sports trivia round through Smorgi Challenge.

For readers following current NBA storylines, HTT News has also covered the Knicks' release of single-game tickets after ending their title drought.