Bob Pettit: key obituary facts
Is Bob Pettit dead? Yes. Bob Pettit died on September 23, 2026, at age 93.
Cause of death: Bob Pettit's cause of death has not been publicly confirmed.
What was Bob Pettit known for?
He was an American basketball player and coach.
More about Bob Pettit
Born: 12 December 1932.
Place of birth: Baton Rouge.
Gender: male.
Occupation: basketball player, basketball coach.
Nationality: United States.
Education: Baton Rouge Magnet High School, Louisiana State University.
Awards: NBA Most Valuable Player Award, NBA All-Star Game Kobe Bryant Most Valuable Player Award, NBA Rookie of the Year Award, All-NBA Team.
Career began: 1954.
Career ended: 1965.
Also known as: Robert Lee Pettit Jr., Robert E. Lee Pettit Jr., Robert Pettit Jr., Robert Pettit.
Bob Pettit, the American basketball player who starred for the Milwaukee and St.
Louis Hawks, died September 23, 2026, aged 93. Born Robert Lee Pettit Jr.
in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, he played 11 seasons in the NBA from 1954 to 1965, all with the Hawks franchise. Pettit became the league’s first Most Valuable Player Award recipient in 1956 and won the honor again in 1959, while also taking home the NBA All-Star Game MVP award four times. A Baton Rouge native and Louisiana State University graduate, he remained the Hawks’ only regular-season MVP through the end of the 2025-26 season and stood as the franchise’s career rebounds leader with 12,849.