2026 Re-Airing from Season 2021, Episode 132 · Player Spotlight, Bob Pettit

Intro (00:00 - 00:29)

Preview of my Bob Pettit player spotlight episode (00:30 - 00:41)

Birth & vital statistics, upbringing in Louisiana (00:42 - 01:21)

His basketball career at Baton Rouge HS (01:22 - 02:43)

His stellar career at LSU (02:44 - 04:18)

Drafted 2nd overall in 1954 NBA Draft by the Milwaukee Hawks (04:19 - 05:51)

Owner of the Hawks, Ben Kerner moved the team to St Louis (05:52 - 06:48)

Hawks undergoes a major overhaul in the offseason; trading the draft rights for Bill Russell to BOS for Ed Macauley & rookie Cliff Hagan; also added Slater Martin & Alex Hannum (06:49 - 08:01)

Hannum became the full time head coach In 1957-58; has Bob play strictly as a power forward after 2 seasons as the team's center; a move that led the team to a NBA championship (08:02 - 10:11)

Bob's teams followed their title season with 3 more seasons atop the conference but couldn't capture another title; won a 2nd league MVP in 1958-59 (10:12 - 10:51)

Became one of 5 players to average 20 or more rebounds in a season; one of 3 players to average 20 or more in points & rebounds (10:52 - 11:27)

In the league's magical season of 1961-62, he finished with 31.1 PPG (3rd in the league) & 18.7 RPG (4th); team finished with only a 29-51 record; Kerner turned to Bob to coach the final 6 games (11:28 - 12:27)

Kerner hired former New York Knick Harry "the Horse" Gallatin as the coach for Bob's last 3 seasons; made the playoffs 2 of the 3 but again couldn't reach the Finals (12:28 - 13:26)

Retired after the 1964-65 season at age 32; went into the banking industry & later became a financial consultant until his retirement from there in 2006 (13:27 - 14:10)

Finished his basketball career as the NBA's leading scorer all time & 2nd in rebounds all time; inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 1970 (14:11 - 15:12)

Bob's career accolades in basketball (15:13 - 16:17)

Bob's place among the great power forwards of the game (16:18 - 17:34)

Call to action (17:35 - 18:11)

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