RIP. An era has ended! The NBA's legendary first MVP has died

World basketball has suffered an irreparable loss as it bids farewell to one of the sport's greatest pioneers and titans.

Details: The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and Louisiana State University have officially announced the death of legendary basketball player Bob Pettit. The first winner of the NBA's Most Valuable Player award passed away peacefully at his home in Metairie, Louisiana, on Wednesday. The celebrated athlete was 93.

Pettit spent 11 brilliant seasons in the NBA from 1954 to 1965, playing exclusively for the Hawks franchise — first in Milwaukee and later in St. Louis. In each of his 11 professional seasons, the forward was selected to the All-Star Game and earned All-NBA First Team honors 10 consecutive times. In 1956, he etched his name into history as the first winner of the newly established MVP award, then claimed the honor for a second time in 1959. The pinnacle of his career came with the 1958 championship, when Bob scored 50 points in the decisive sixth game of the NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics, delivering the coveted championship rings to the St. Louis Hawks.

In 1970, the athlete was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, and he was later named to the league's anniversary lists honoring its greatest players for its 50th and 75th anniversaries.

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