Bob Lanier, an eight-time All-Star and Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame inductee, died Tuesday, according to the NBA. He is a 73-year-old man.
Lanier, who spent 14 years in the NBA, died after a brief illness accompanied by his family, according to the NBA.
In a statement, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said, “Bob Lanier is a Hall of Famer and one of the most skilled centers in NBA history, but his effect on the game goes far beyond what he accomplished on the court.”
“His enormous influence on the NBA was also evident during his tenure as president of the National Basketball Players Association, where he played a key role in negotiating a landmark collective bargaining agreement.”
Lanier has also been the league’s global ambassador for over 30 years, “traveling the world spreading the values of the game and positively impacting young people around the world,” Silver said.
Despite his 6-foot-11 height, the NBA legend has a “smooth” center movement, according to his NBA biography. He retired in 1984 and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1992.
According to the biography, the Detroit Pistons selected Lanier with the first overall pick in the 1970 draft from St. He was named to the NBA Rookie Team in 1970-71, averaging 15.6 points per game that season. In 1974, he was named the NBA All-Star Most Valuable Player.
“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 generations of Pistons fans,” Pistons owner Tom Gores said in a Wednesday statement. said in a statement.
“Just as Bob was fierce and domineering on the field, he was just as kind and influential in the community,” Goles said. “As an ambassador for the Pistons and the NBA, he represented our league, our team and our fans with great enthusiasm and integrity.”
Lanier eventually joined the Milwaukee Bucks and led them to five straight division titles in the regular season.
“I learned a lot from Bob just by watching the way he interacted with people. He was a great friend I miss dearly, and many of his NBA peers were inspired by his generosity,” Silver said.