When the conversation for greatest power forward of All-Time is discussed names like Tim Duncan, Dirk Nowitzki, Karl Malone, Kevin Garnett, Kevin McHale, and Charles Barkley are usually all brought into the argument. These players are great, and all deserve to be in the conversation. But Bob Pettit is usually unmentioned while he really could be the greatest power forward in NBA history.
Bob Pettit was drafted in 1954 by the Milwaukee Hawks (now Atlanta Hawks) just eight years after the NBA was founded in 1946. Pettit became the first true consistent talent in the young NBA. Pettit instantly found success as he won the Rookie of The Year award averaging 20.4 PPG 13.8 RPG and 3.2 APG and this still stands as one of the greatest rookie seasons of All-Time. Pettit continued to play ten more seasons in the NBA which is not as long of a career as any of the great power forwards previously mentioned, but his stats are undeniably impressive and impossible to ignore. In Pettit’s eleven seasons, he found himself as an NBA All-Star every year and All-Star game MVP four times (Tied with Kobe Bryant for most All-Star game MVPs of All-Time). Bob Pettit also won 2 MVP awards and was the NBA Scoring Champion both seasons. In Pettit’s MVP seasons he had a combined average of 27.5 PPG 16.3 RPG and 2.9 APG while shooting 43.4 FG% and 74.8 FT%. Compared to Tim Duncan’s combined MVP years statistics, Pettit averaged more points and rebounds. Pettit is a great power forward, and is statistically better than any power forward ever, but Pettit does not just have statistics to show his greatness. As mentioned, Pettit has dominated the NBA All-Star game, has two NBA MVPs, and was a NBA Scoring Champion twice. But Pettit was also an NBA Champion in 1958 (Recorded a massive 50 points and 22 rebounds in the series ending game 6 against Boston Celtics), 11x All-NBA selection, is a basketball Hall of Fame member, is seventh All-Time in PPG, and is third All-Time in RPG behind Wilt Chamberlin and Bill Russell.
Bob Pettit is arguably the most underrated player in NBA history. His overwhelming stats, success, and complete dominance easily make him a top 3 power forward in NBA History.
