Bob Lanier

The NBA world was rocked by some tragic news on Tuesday night when news filtered out that Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame center Bob Lanier had passed away.

Barkley then went on to describe him as the epitome of a gentle giant who will be missed and Shaq further echoed those sentiments. The injury problems would persist for Lanier throughout his career, but he battled through them and has gone down as one of the all-time greats of the game. The big man had an illustrious 14-year career with the Detroit Pistons and the Milwaukee Bucks, during which he averaged 20.1 points and 10.1 rebounds per game.

Bob Lanier, who spent 14 seasons in the NBA until his retirement in 1984, averaged 20.1 points per game across 959 appearances.

He was enshrined in the Naismith Hall of Fame in 1992, while his number 16 jersey has been retired by both the Pistons and the Bucks. "Bob Lanier was a Hall of Fame player and among the most talented centers in the history of the NBA, but his impact on the league went far beyond what he accomplished on the court," NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement. LOS ANGELES: Basketball Hall of Famer Bob Lanier died on Tuesday after a short illness, the NBA said.

By Aya Elamroussi, CNN. Bob Lanier, an eight-time All-Star and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer, died Tuesday, the NBA said. He was 73.

“As an ambassador for both the Pistons organization and the NBA, he represented our league, our franchise and our fans with great passion and integrity.” He retired in 1984 and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1992. He was also named the 1974 NBA All-Star Most Valuable Player.

Bob Lanier played 14 seasons with the Detroit Pistons and Milwaukee Bucks and averaged 20 pounds and 10 rebounds for his career.

Lanier went into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1992. Lanier served as the NBA's global ambassador. The Athletic reported in 2019 that Lanier was being treated for bladder cancer.

By Aya Elamroussi, CNN. Bob Lanier, an eight-time All-Star and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer, died Tuesday, the NBA said. He was 73.

“As an ambassador for both the Pistons organization and the NBA, he represented our league, our franchise and our fans with great passion and integrity.” He retired in 1984 and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1992. He was also named the 1974 NBA All-Star Most Valuable Player.

A product of Bennett High School and St. Bonaventure University, Bob Lanier was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1992.

Bob Lanier, a Basketball Hall of Famer who was the No. 1 overall pick in 1970 by the Detroit Pistons is dead at 73.

If the trade to the Bucks was a separation for Lanier and the Pistons, his roundhouse punch of Laimbeer on Nov. 1, 1983, was essentially a divorce. Following his playing career, he helped start the NBA’s Stay in School campaign and participated in other outreach for the league. "When I got on that plane, I cried like a baby," he told the Free Press in 1993. He was a close friend who I will miss dearly, as will so many of his colleagues across the NBA who were inspired by his generosity. His enormous influence on the NBA was also seen during his time as President of the National Basketball Players Association, where he played a key role in the negotiation of a game-changing collective bargaining agreement. They sent him to the Bucks, where he played his final 4½ seasons while averaging 13.5 points a game. "The Detroit Pistons organization is deeply saddened by the passing of Bob Lanier, a true legend who meant so much to the city of Detroit and to generations of Pistons fans. A Buffalo, New York, native, Lanier became a star at St. Bonaventure in the late 1960s, leading the small school from New York state to the Final Four in the 1970 NCAA tournament. I was always amazed watching him in the locker room, the agony he’d go through. "For more than 30 years, Bob served as our global ambassador and as a special assistant to David Stern and then me, traveling the world to teach the game’s values and make a positive impact on young people everywhere. The Pistons wouldn’t win 50 games in a season again until 1990-91. He ended his NBA career in 1984 with averages of 20.1 points, 10.1 rebounds and 3.1 assists.

Lanier died Tuesday. He was 73. The NBA confirmed Lanier's death in a statement by commissioner Adam Silver, which was posted to social media early Wednesday ...

“My four years here were the best of my lifetime,” Lanier told a capacity crowd at the Reilly Center. “I enjoyed the enthusiasm and the friendships that were formed. Bona inducted Lanier into its athletics hall of fame in 1975, and he was inducted into the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame in 1991. For our guys to be able to go out and play a great UCLA team and beat them, to me, hopefully that helps the disappointment back in 1970." Lanier played for 14 seasons in the NBA, with the Detroit Pistons and the Milwaukee Bucks, and was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 1992. I think that was the reason for our success.” He was inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006. It didn’t scare the Pistons, who, according to an NBA.com story, signed Lanier as he was still in the hospital, recovering from knee surgery that spring. "And everybody talks about if Lanier was healthy, they would have taken on UCLA. This victory is for those guys. It was an obstacle that turned into an opportunity.” “It probably was one of the best things that could have happened to me,” Lanier said at the time. "It was a labor of love for Bob, who was one of the kindest and most genuine people I have ever been around." The NBA statement said that Lanier died following a brief illness.

Western New York basketball legend Bob Lanier died Tuesday at age 73 after a short illness. The Buffalo native starred at St. Bonaventure University, ...

“It was a labor of love for Bob, who was one of the kindest and most genuine people I have ever been around.” Lanier was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1992. Lanier spent nearly a decade in Detroit, before being traded to the Milwaukee Bucks during the 1979-80 season.

Bob Lanier, the greatest basketball player in St. Bonaventure history, died early today (May 11, 2022) surrounded by family in Arizona. He was 73.

St. Bonaventure was named the #5 regional university value in the North in U.S. News and World Report’s 2022 college rankings edition. Lanier was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1992. I was in a hospital bed and I watched them bust their butts against Artis (Gilmore) and Pembrook (Burrows) and I know that I could have helped them overcome that. Loyola, Md.); single-season rebounding (416); and average rebounds in one season (16) in 1969-1970. “It was a labor of love for Bob, who was one of the kindest and most genuine people I have ever been around. He was a close friend who I will miss dearly, as will so many of his colleagues across the NBA who were inspired by his generosity. “We were kind of warriors … in this trench together, and we had one focus: to win an NCAA title. I didn’t know at the time I had torn my MCL. He was a consensus All-American each season. I didn’t even know at the time I tore my knee up. For more than 30 years, Bob served as our global ambassador and as a special assistant to David Stern and then me, traveling the world to teach the game’s values and make a positive impact on young people everywhere. He was such a kind and genuine man,” said Tom Missel, SBU's chief communications officer.

The Hall of Famer died Tuesday after a brief illness. Bob Lanier was 73.

“As fierce and as dominant as Bob was on the court, he was equally kind and impactful in the community,” the Pistons said. “As an ambassador for both the Pistons organization and the NBA, he represented our league, our franchise and our fans with great passion and integrity. “It was a labor of love for Bob, who was one of the kindest and most genuine people I have ever been around.” He played 14 seasons with the Detroit Pistons and Milwaukee Bucks and averaged 20.1 points and 10.1 rebounds for his career. Lanier was one of the top players in the NBA during the 1970s. The Athletic reported in 2019 that Lanier was being treated for bladder cancer.

Bob Lanier was an 8-time All-Star and a standout big man in his era who was known after his playing days for his community service work.

Following his playing career, he helped start the NBA’s Stay in School campaign and participated in other outreach for the league. In 1995, Lanier was an assistant coach for the Golden State Warriors, then took over as coach on an interim basis after Don Nelson resigned. As exceptional as Lanier was, the Pistons won only one playoff series with him. “Guys didn’t change teams as much, so when you were facing the Bulls or the Bucks or New York, you had all these rivalries,” Lanier told NBA.com in 2018. “It was a labor of love for Bob, who was one of the kindest and most genuine people I have ever been around.” Lanier went into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1992. Lanier overcame a litany of orthopedic injuries, dealing with shoulder, back, elbow, hand and toe problems during his career. Although Abdul-Jabbar had a more famous hook shot, the sky hook, Lanier’s was very much a weapon. The Athletic reported in 2019 that Lanier was being treated for bladder cancer. Born Sept. 10, 1948, in Buffalo, New York, Lanier starred in college at St. Bonaventure, where he averaged 27.6 points and 15.7 rebounds in three seasons. He is third on the Pistons’ career list in both points and rebounds. The Hall of Famer had worked for the league as a global ambassador.

Bob Lanier, a prominent NBA player in the 1970s, died Tuesday. He was 73. The NBA said Lanier died after a short illness. The Hall of Famer had worked for ...

“It was a labor of love for Bob, who was one of the kindest and most genuine people I have ever been around.” Detroit drafted Lanier with the No. 1 overall pick in 1970 after he led St. Bonaventure to the Final Four. The NBA said Lanier died after a short illness.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver released the following statement. "Bob Lanier was a Hall of Fame player and one of the most talented centers in the history of the ...

He was a close friend who I will miss dearly, as will so many of his colleagues across the NBA who were inspired by his generosity. He also served on the voting panel for the NBA's 75th Anniversary Team, which was announced last October. "It was a labor of love for Bob, who was one of the kindest and most genuine people I have ever been around.

Basketball Hall of Famer and Detroit Pistons great Bob Lanier passed away on Tuesday at 73 years old.

Silver continued, "It was a labor of love for Bob, who was one of the kindest and most genuine people I have ever been around. "I learned so much from Bob by simply watching how he connected with people," NBA commissioner, Adam Silver, said in a statement mourning Lanier's death on Tuesday night. He was surrounded by his family when he passed, the league added. Bob Lanier NBA Hall of Famer ... Dead At 73 Sad news in the NBA world ... Hall of Famer Bob Lanier passed away on Tuesday at 73 years old. NBA Hall of Famer Bob Lanier Dead At 73

Bob Lanier played 14 seasons between his time with the Pistons and Bucks and averaged 20.1 points and 10.1 rebounds for his career.

“As fierce and as dominant as Bob was on the court, he was equally kind and impactful in the community,” the Pistons said. In 1989, a Converse representative said he wore 18½, and the size-22 was a Korean size. “As an ambassador for both the Pistons organization and the NBA, he represented our league, our franchise and our fans with great passion and integrity. "It was a labor of love for Bob, who was one of the kindest and most genuine people I have ever been around." His son said, 'This is Bob,' and he was like, 'I know.' And he just had a little smile, a twinkle in his eye. Just intelligent beyond comparison in terms of his understanding of the game, his understanding of people." He was inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame in 1992. It was like a bad toothache, and when I started running and getting into the game, I didn't think about it. The agreement also created a ceiling and floor for team spending and averted a strike. He wasn't the quintessential enforcer back in those days because he was too good for that. Milwaukee averaged 53 wins during the seasons Lanier was in town. He gave us, tangibly on the court, just an element of toughness that we didn't bargain for."

Bob Lanier, an eight-time NBA All-Star and member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, has died. He was 73.

In 1995, Lanier was an assistant coach for the Golden State Warriors, and he took over as coach on an interim basis after Don Nelson resigned. Following his playing career, he helped start the NBA's Stay in School campaign and participated in other outreach for the league. "As fierce and as dominant as Bob was on the court, he was equally kind and impactful in the community," the Pistons said. As exceptional as Lanier was, the Pistons won only one playoff series with him. Although Abdul-Jabbar had a more famous hook shot, the sky hook, Lanier's was very much a weapon. Born Sept. 10, 1948, in Buffalo, New York, Lanier starred at St. Bonaventure, where he averaged 27.6 points and 15.7 rebounds per game in three seasons. But that didn't prevent him from earning his place among the top NBA centers of his era. The Hall of Famer and eight-time All-Star had worked for the league as a global ambassador. Lanier overcame a litany of orthopedic injuries, dealing with shoulder, back, elbow, hand and toe problems during his career. He is third on the Pistons' career list in both points and rebounds. "It was a labor of love for Bob, who was one of the kindest and most genuine people I have ever been around." Detroit drafted Lanier with the No. 1 overall pick in 1970 after he led St. Bonaventure to the Final Four.

The eight-time All-Star, who muscled up beside the likes of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as one of the NBA's top players of the 1970s, died Tuesday.

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The NBA said in a statement that Lanier, who was the No. 1 overall pick by the Detroit Pistons in the 1970 NBA Draft, died after a short illness.

He remained a legendary figure at the university years after he graduated. Lanier finished his 75-game career as the school record holder for most points (2,067); points per game (27.6); rebounds (1,180); single-game points (51 vs. “Three things stood out in my mind,” St. Bona coach Larry Weise, who was born and raised in East Rochester, said when he first laid eyes on Lanier. “First, of course, was the size and the way he moved so well. But 34 seconds into that shift Lanier could play no longer, the pain too great, and he knew it was over. Without reservation, guard Billy Kalbaugh, the co-captain of that St. Bona team along with Lanier, said, “We’d have won. “It was a labor of love for Bob, who was one of the kindest and most genuine people I have ever been around.” Facing Jacksonville State, led by another future NBA great, 7-foot-2 center Artis Gilmore, at Cole Field House on the campus of the University of Maryland, the Bonnies jumped out to an early lead but Gilmore began to take charge from there. Loyola, Md.); single-season rebounds (416); and average rebounds in one season (16 in 1969-1970). “This is a tough break for Bob and the team,” Weise said a day later when Lanier underwent surgery to repair the damage. Always big for his age, Lanier wasn’t really interested in basketball as a young boy as he preferred baseball and ping pong. He’d have me working with it all the time.” The day began so well.

He was a college star at St. Bonaventure before being the first draft pick, by the Detroit Pistons, in the 1970 NBA draft.

He was the most valuable player at the 1974 NBA All Star game. It was a labor of love for Bob, who was one of the kindest and most genuine people I have ever been around.” He is still the Pistons’ franchise leader in scoring, at 22.7 points per game. Mr. Lanier suffered a serious knee injury in his final college game, but Detroit selected him as the first player chosen in the 1970 NBA draft. In college, Mr. Lanier was largely responsible for making St. Bonaventure, a small Catholic school in Upstate New York, a nationally recognized basketball powerhouse. Few players worked harder to achieve basketball stardom than Mr. Lanier, who did not make his high team as a sophomore.

Bob Lanier, a Hall of Fame center who played 14 seasons with the Pistons, passed away Tuesday at the age of 73.

He served as a mentor to innumerous players around the league and was a tremendous steward for the game through his work in growing the sport, both at home and abroad. NBA Players Association: "The NBPA is saddened by the passing of our brother and former NBPA President, Bob Lanier. During his time as President of the NBPA, Bob was a dedicated leader, using his platform to advocate for the rights of all players through the negotiation of a historic collective bargaining agreement in 1983 which empowered future generations of players to thrive and better advocate for themselves as a collective group. Bob was one of the game’s all-time greatest big men with his strength, his touch, his toughness, and his feel for the game. Former Pistons player and radio analyst Rick Mahorn: “Big Bob was a fierce competitor and one of the greatest big men to play the game of basketball, but he was an even better human being. I was lucky to have played with him as a member of the Pistons and to have shared a long-lasting friendship. Just as he impacted the game on the court, Bob was one of the game’s greatest ambassadors.

Playing for the Detroit Pistons and the Milwaukee Bucks, he held his own against titans of the era like Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Willis ...

In retirement, he owned a marketing firm and worked extensively with the N.B.A. as a global ambassador and special assistant to David Stern, the league’s longtime commissioner, and Adam Silver, his successor. After Shaquille O’Neal, one of the league’s most dominating centers, came along in the early 1990s, people figured he must have been O’Neal’s father, he told NBA.com in 2018. “I didn’t even know at the time I tore my knee up,” Lanier told The Buffalo News in 2007. Frustrated by the Pistons’ lack of success, Lanier had asked to be sent to a playoff contender. The Bucks retired his number in late 1984. I didn’t know at the time I had torn my M.C.L.” “Guys didn’t change teams as much, so when you were facing the Bulls or the Bucks or New York, you had all these rivalries,” he told NBA.com in 2018. He chose St. Bonaventure University in upstate Allegany, N.Y. Lanier dealt with knee injuries and other physical setbacks. He could do anything he wanted to do.” Lanier wore what were believed to be size 22 sneakers. Oh, it was a rough ’n’ tumble game.”