Bob Lanier played center for the Detroit Pistons and the Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association.
48 Facts About Bob Lanier
2.
In 14 NBA seasons, Bob Lanier played in eight NBA All-Star Games and was named Most Valuable Player of the 1974 game.
3.
Bob Lanier's accomplishments came despite a long history with knee injuries.
4.
Bob Lanier had his No 16 jersey retired by both the Pistons and the Bucks and his No 31 jersey retired by St Bonaventure University, for whom he played college basketball.
5.
Bob Lanier went on to work as an NBA Cares Global Ambassador.
6.
Bob Lanier averaged 21.5 points and was named to the All-City team as a junior.
7.
Bob Lanier was recruited by more than 100 universities; however, he chose to attend St Bonaventure University, approximately an hour and a half away from his home.
8.
That year, Bob Lanier was named the Coach and Athlete Magazine player of the year and the Eastern College Athletic Conference's Player of the Year.
9.
Per NCAA rules at the time, Bob Lanier played on the freshman team during his first year at St Bonaventure.
10.
Bob Lanier led St Bonaventure to an undefeated regular season and a number three final poll ranking.
11.
Bob Lanier averaged 26.2 points and 15.6 rebounds per game for the season.
12.
Bob Lanier had 32 points and 15 rebounds in the victory over Boston College and 23 points with 9 rebounds in the North Carolina loss.
13.
Bob Lanier was named a second-team All-American, behind Lew Alcindor at center.
14.
Against Seton Hall, Bob Lanier scored 51 points, setting the single-game scoring record for St Bonaventure.
15.
Bob Lanier averaged 27.3 points and 15.6 rebounds in 24 games.
16.
Bob Lanier was again named a second-team All-American behind Lew Alcindor at center.
17.
However, following his father's advice, Bob Lanier chose to remain in school.
18.
However, Bob Lanier injured his knee near the end of the regional championship game in a collision with Villanova's Chris Ford.
19.
Bob Lanier was named a first-team All-American at center alongside future Hall of Famers Dan Issel, Pete Maravich and Calvin Murphy, along with College Basketball Hall of Famer Rick Mount.
20.
Bob Lanier graduated from St Bonaventure with a degree in business administration.
21.
In 1970, you know, Bob Lanier got hurt, and didn't have a chance to play UCLA and.
22.
Bob Lanier was the first overall pick by the National Basketball Association's Detroit Pistons in the 1970 NBA draft.
23.
Bob Lanier was a territorial pick by the New York Nets of the American Basketball Association in the 1970 ABA Draft.
24.
Bob Lanier signed with the Pistons, who eagerly presented him with his NBA contract while he was still in the hospital recuperating from knee surgery.
25.
Bob Lanier reported to Pistons training camp limping, in significant pain, and overweight from his long period of inactivity following the surgery.
26.
Bob Lanier became a star for Detroit, playing alongside teammate Dave Bing.
27.
Bob Lanier averaged more than 11 rebounds per game in seven straight seasons.
28.
On January 15,1974, Bob Lanier led all scorers in that season's NBA All Star Game with 24 points, and was named the All-Star Game MVP.
29.
Bob Lanier is the Pistons' all-time leader in scoring average ; he ranks second in total rebounds, third in total points, and was voted to seven All-Star games.
30.
On February 4,1980, Bob Lanier was traded by the Pistons to the Milwaukee Bucks for Kent Benson and a 1980 first-round draft pick.
31.
Still highly effective, but with aging knees, Bob Lanier played a key role with the Bucks while averaging nearly 10 minutes less per game in his Milwaukee tenure that he had in Detroit.
32.
Bob Lanier cited reoccurring knee injuries as the reason for his retirement.
33.
In 278 games with the Bucks, Bob Lanier averaged 26 minutes, 13.5 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.0 steals per game.
34.
Bob Lanier played in the 1982 All-Star Game with Milwaukee.
35.
Over his fourteen-season NBA career, Bob Lanier played in 959 games, averaging 20.1 points, 10.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.5 blocks, and 1.1 steals per game.
36.
Bob Lanier scored 19,248 total points and had 9,698 total rebounds.
37.
In 67 career playoff games, Bob Lanier averaged 18.6 points, 9.7 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.5 blocks.
38.
Bob Lanier played in eight NBA All-Star Games; he never appeared in an NBA Finals game.
39.
Bob Lanier was a spokesperson and chairman of the NBA's "Stay In School" program from 1989 to 1994.
40.
From 2005 to 2022, Bob Lanier was the NBA Cares Global Ambassador.
41.
Bob Lanier routinely worked with youth-serving programs that supported education, youth, and family development, and health-related causes.
42.
Bob Lanier appeared as a member of the Detroit team in the cult classic basketball film The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh in 1979 alongside Pistons teammates Chris Ford, Eric Money, John Shumate, Kevin Porter, and Leon Douglas.
43.
Bob Lanier was hired as basketball coach for the film White Men Can't Jump.
44.
Bob Lanier was impressed with lead actors Woody Harrelson and Wesley Snipes, suggesting both reached a Division II college basketball skill level.
45.
Bob Lanier noted that between the two of them, Harrelson was the better player.
46.
Bob Lanier underwent several surgeries after his retirement, the last being in 2017.
47.
Bob Lanier's son said, 'This is Bob,' and he was like, 'I know.
48.
Bob Lanier died on May 10,2022, after a brief illness.