Overview
- Pettit's family and Louisiana State University confirmed he died peacefully at his home in Metairie on Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026.
- He was the NBA's first season MVP in 1956 and won the award again in 1959 after an 11-season career with the Hawks franchise.
- Pettit led the St. Louis Hawks to the franchise's only championship in 1958 by scoring 50 points and grabbing 19 rebounds in the decisive Game 6.
- He retired at age 32 because of a damaged knee and a business opportunity, then built a long career in banking and finance that lasted until his mid-70s.
- Honored in the Naismith Hall of Fame, Pettit was the first player to pass 20,000 career points and is remembered for changing how big men attacked the basket in an era before wide TV coverage.