Bob Pettit, winner of the NBA’s inaugural Most Valuable Player (MVP) award in 1956, has passed away at the age of 93. His alma mater, LSU, announced on Thursday that he had passed a day earlier, but did not reveal a cause of death.NBA legend Bob Pettit passed away at the age of 93GettyThe Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, who enshrined Pettit in 1970, released an emotional statement on the news.“The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame mourns the passing of Bob Pettit, a sleek, skilled big man who revolutionized the forward position during his career,” Basketball’s HOF tweeted. “The 11-time NBA All-Star and 2-time MVP retired as the all-time leading scorer in NBA history and left an enduring legacy.“He led the St. Louis Hawks to the 1958 NBA championship over the Boston Celtics. “The Basketball Hall of Fame salutes this true giant of the game.”Standing at 6-foot-9, Pettit was a physical presence at forward before the position became a league standard.He was an All-American at LSU before joining the NBA, and remains one of three LSU players – Pete Maravich and Shaquille O’Neal the others – to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.Pettit was named an All-Star in all of his 11-seasons with the Hawks, their 1958 championship win over the Boston Celtics remains the only title in franchise history.He won a second-MVP award in 1959, and was named All-Star game MVP four times, a benchmark only matched by Los Angeles Lakers icon Kobe Bryant. He retired after the 1964-65 season with career averages of 26.4 points and 16.2 rebounds. Pettit was named four-time NBA All-Star MVP, a feat only matched by Kobe BryantGettyPettit retired as the NBA’s leader in points scored and second in reboundsGettyAt that time, he was the NBA’s career leader in points (20,880) and second in rebounds (12,849).Pettit retired to his native Baton Rouge and worked in banking and financial consulting. He was a regular attendee at LSU games in recent years.“The NBA family mourns the passing of Naismith Hall of Famer Bob Pettit, a two-time NBA MVP and a member of all four NBA Anniversary Teams,” The NBA said in a statement. “He raised the bar for excellence as the league’s first MVP, first 20,000-point scorer and first four-time All-Star Game MVP. “His iconic 50-point performance in Game 6 of the 1958 NBA Finals clinched the championship for the St. Louis Hawks. “Beyond those accomplishments, Bob helped transform the power forward position.Pettit returned to Baton Rouge after retirement and had a successful career in consultingGetty“Our thoughts are with Bob’s family and friends and the entire Hawks organization.”