Bob Lanier spent 14 seasons in the NBA until his retirement in 1984.© Twitter
Basketball Hall of Famer Bob Lanier died Tuesday after a brief illness, the NBA said. He was 73 years old. Lanier, who spent 14 seasons in the NBA until retiring in 1984, averaged 20.1 points per game in 959 appearances. He spent the first decade of his career with the Detroit Pistons before joining the Milwaukee Bucks for the 1979–1980 campaign, where he would play for five seasons. “Bob Lanier was a Hall of Fame player and among the most talented centers in NBA history, but his impact on the league far exceeded what he accomplished on the court,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver Statement on Bob Lanier’s Death pic.twitter.com/8GD9BhKt7C
— NBA (@NBA) May 11, 2022
Lanier served as an NBA global ambassador after his retirement and chaired a league-backed initiative that encouraged children to stay in school.
He was inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame in 1992, when his No. 16 jersey was retired by both the Pistons and Bucks.
“It was a labor of love for Bob, who was one of the kindest and most genuine people I’ve ever been around,” Silver added.
“We extend our deepest condolences to Bob’s family and friends.”
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