March 5, 2007

Wilt won it only once.

Russell once.

Bird and Magic - one each.

Michael Jordan, arguably the greatest player in history, took home three.

So too did Oscar Robertson, basketball's jack-of-all-trades "point god."

But only Bob Pettit won the NBA All Star Game Most Valuable Player award four times.

From his rookie season in 1955, when the All-Star Game program stated that Pettit was already "a great player," through his final season in 1965, Pettit appeared in eleven straight All-Star games and was selected as the MVP in four of those games. For someone who was unceremoniously cut as a freshman and sophomore from his high school basketball team, Pettit's arrival on the NBA scene was extraordinary.

Selected by Milwaukee in the first round of the 1954 NBA Draft, Pettit was an instant hit. He averaged 20.4 points per game and earned Rookie of the Year honors. , he was selected to his first NBA All Star team to play with and against such basketball luminaries as Paul Arizin, Bob Cousy, Jim Pollard, Bill Sharman, Bobby Wanzer, and George Yardley. Pettit struggled in his first All Star appearance connecting on 3-of-14 from the field and two free throws for a total of eight points. As was his defining style throughout his career though, Pettit did manage to collect nine rebounds against the East front line of Dolph Schayes, Harry Gallatin, and Neil Johnston. Pettit's West squad lost the game, 100-91.

In Rochester the following year before a turn-away crowd of over 8,500 on January 24, 1956, there was a reversal of fortune as Pettit tallied 20 points and snagged 24 rebounds leading the West to a 108-98 triumph. Pettit was the game's star of stars that night recording seven assists as well and helping the West to a 79-53 advantage on the boards. For his efforts, Pettit was the unanimous choice for MVP in only his second season.

In 1958 Pettit would be the first All Star Game MVP chosen from the losing team, scoring 28 points with 26 rebounds. For comparison, Bill Russell, who still ranks second on the NBA's career rebounding list, managed only 11 caroms that night. Pettit and Hawks teammate Slater Martin delighted the hometown crowd at the St. Louis Arena despite the 130-118 drubbing by the East.

In 1959, Pettit would share MVP honors with Elgin Baylor of the Minneapolis Lakers, although he outscored and outrebounded the talented rookie. In a 124-108 West victory, Pettit connected on eight field goals and nine free throws for 25 points and pulled down 16 rebounds. Pettit was perfect from the charity stripe that night.

And finally, in 1962, playing before more than 15,000 fans back in St. Louis again, Pettit would be named MVP for an unprecedented fourth time as the West defeated the East, 150-130. Pettit scored 25 points, but more impressively set records for most rebounds in one quarter (10), most rebounds in one half (16), and most rebounds in a game (27). All this from the player described in the 1954-55 Milwaukee Hawks media guide as only a "better than average rebounder."

Today, Pettit still ranks in the top five in seven All Star Game categories.

As a future Hall of Famer, Pettit, the Baton Rouge Bombardier, would go on to win the NBA scoring title in 1955-56 and might have repeated in the next two seasons had he not been handicapped by a broken hand and arm fracture (he finished second in 1956-57 and third in 1957-58). He won the scoring title again in 1958-59. As one wag noted: "...he's a singles hitter of basketball. He gets on base, so to speak, his own way." Instead of slashing a la Ty Cobb or slamming it over the fence like Babe Ruth, "Bob Pettit does it with bunts. He neither pops from way outside nor muscles in to the bargain counter. He moves toward the basket only until he runs into a stone wall. Instead of cracking it...he just jumps and swishes through a 12-to15-footer. He hasn't made a basket in years farther than he could spit. His foul shot form looks as if he's hoisting an anvil. The point is, they count just as much. It's known in the game as Pettit larceny."

Pettit was the league's MVP in 1956 (25.7 ppg) and again in 1959 (29.2 ppg), yet his best season statistically came in 1962, when he averaged 31.1 points and 18.7 rebounds per game. Pettit was named All-NBA First Team in his first 10 seasons and guided the Hawks to the 1958 NBA Championship. Leading the Boston Celtics 3 games to 2, the Hawks returned home to Kiel Auditorium eager to take advantage of a rare opportunity against Bill Russell and the Celtics. Pettit performed spectacularly. He scored 31 points in the first three quarters, and capped off his performance with 19 of his team's last 21 points. He scored his last two points on a tip-in with 15 seconds left putting the Hawks up, 110-107. The Celtics would score one more basket, but it was too little as the Hawks had their title, 110-109. Pettit's 50-point performance tied the single-game playoff scoring record set by Bob Cousy against Syracuse in 1953.

The superbly conditioned Pettit retired in 1965, and at the time, was the league's highest scorer (20,880) and second-highest rebounder (12,849). Pettit was named to the NBA's 25th, 35th, and 50th Anniversary All-Time teams. Pettit was enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1970.