Bob Petit was a truly great player that a lot of people today have forgotten. Talk about "underrated!!!!!!"

Bob Pettit was the first nba player to reach 20,000 points...an all-time great for sure

I don't think anyone in a million years would have predicted that bob pettit would outlive Kobe Bryant

Man all of these guys from the 50s-60s have this "get it down the court first" mentality and there's loads of them that could throw an outlet pass as good as the most exceptional fast break passers in the 80s. It's a shame we don't have more film because stylistically they were doing things that players were later told not to do. Not to lob huge baseball passes very often. And you look at these guys and that's basically their first thought any time they grabbed a defensive rebound at all.

The real most underrated player ever, it's a joke that he doesn't even get mentioned when people talk about who the best power forwards in league history are.

So underrated that even Kobe said Bob was a top player

People call this a weak era, so underrated

Bob Petit was a star in the league when I first started watching pro hoops. He was reliably excellent.

Ain't nothing new under the sun, but there are plenty of things YOU weren't around to see. That's what time watching old film will teach you.

that 50 in Game 6 of the Finals 19 in the 4th gave me chills I love the History of the Game

At least 30 years ahead of his time. What a player, underrated.

Wow. Reminds me of Karl Malone in the 90s after he developed a deadly mid range jumper. He and Karl Malone are the best floor running PF's ever IMO.

One of the most underrated players, he and Bill Russell, Bob Pettit was a fantastic player, he had great shooting fundamentals, and he was one of the greatest rebounders. The best Hawk of all time, sorry Nique Wilkins, but Pettit was far better than you. Pettit was actually the only player along Wilt Chamberlain to beat the Celtics of the late 50's and 60's. Pettit beat the Celtics in 1958 and Wilt in 1967. And they had the same coach, Alex Hannum!!! This means that Hannum was the only coach that could beat Auerbach in a Championship since Bill Russell joined the Celtics in 1956.

This man not only could play today, he'd be an all-star.

Hagan is my favorite oldschool Hawk, love that hook shot, but Pettit is def the greatest Hawk.. an offensive powerhouse

A lot guys from that era could have played and been affective in today's N.B.A and in my opinion Pettit was one of them.

One of the highest tributes to Bob Pettit was a phrase used to describe his play. It's not very common anymore, but for decades it was seen as a hallmark of winners: "Second Effort."

First time I've seen bob pettit or really heard of him. Why? Seems revolutionary.

He’s so fluid and fundamentally sound. A cross of Karl Malone and Tim Duncan imo

Based off of this video, his attitude, and accolades I have him #21 all-time in the history of basketball. The beginning of the great old school NBA players!

While I completely understand the players' attitude towards all star games in the modern NBA man it's cool how they came in like gladiators hungry to compete back then.

Wow this is what Base 11 looks like

So, this man had: HOF Quick First Step HOF Quick Draw HOF Range Extender HOF Rebound Chaser Base 11 And the LEANER ( 3:34 )

This is why I say Guys from Back in the 60s could play today. Because they are sure about what want to do. They get to their spot and put the ball in the basket.

I watched Petit play and wanted so much to play that way. Years later, I would be reminded of Petit's gracefulness and style in the artistry of Jerry West.

Incredible how quick everything was happening on the court

When I watch Pettit I see how similar Karl Malone was to him. Both set effective screens because both were big physical examples, they both had excellent face-up games and were known to be some of the most reliable shooters of their time. Both had great court vision and could pass well. Other shared abilities- soft hands, deceptive quickness, toughness and they appeared to have coaches with similar styles.

This man had real power and a well toned physique only rivaled by Bill Russell in the 1950s. A true strength player. One of the few guys from the 50s that'd adapt well into the modern NBA. He'd probably be what Pau Gasol was.

I never saw pettit play but hes on red auerbachs top 11 players ever list and rusell and havlicek have him in their top 5 greatest players ever.

Maurice Stokes and Bob Petit were the NBA's first true power forwards. Petit was such a skilled and physical player that whenever HOF center Zelmo Beaty was on the bench, he was able to matchup against Wilt Chamberlain during the 1964 Western Divisional Playoffs.

Pettit was like the ancestor of Larry Bird. Bird was a better passer but Pettit was very close to him in other areas.

I still can’t get how good he was man was insane 30 points and 20 rebounds on AVERAGE for a full season 30 and 20 wow image if he had 3pt he’d have 40 and 30 🫡

The most underrated Forward in NBA history

I won't be any of the people that don't give love to players before the 70s, but despite growing up with the 90s game, it would be absurd to leave out Bob Pettit in the conversation in the best power forward ever. Worthy of mention of top 5, when he is the absolutely the best power forward in the early years of NBA.

he looked like an offensive JUGGERNAUT. He probably could play in the NBA today

Bob Pettit has the second highest ppg+apg+rpg total of all time behind Wilt Chamberlain.

It’s sad one major reason some these guys don’t get love is that the city they played for no longer has an nba team Seattle, St Louis, Cincinnati...Pettit and Oscar for example the only reason we hear about The Big O is because the media is fascinated with triple doubles...those supersonic legends don’t consider OKC home even tho their stats were transferred there

In the 90s Sport Magazine did an article of early athletes that could play now. Bob Petit was number 1 in basketball. Edit: Petit was a personal finance manager after his retirement. He retired from the company he founded in 2006 a millionaire. Lots of basketball players start that way, few finish that way.

Saw him play...he was wonderful.......

Even Pettit covered, mad respect!

The most impressive thin about Pettit is that he gave it to Bill Russel.

This was some of the most beautiful basketball I have ever seen. The outlet passes, the hookshots, the grit, the rebounding it was amazing. man I wish I could of seen it all back then. I love basketball but that was some special stuff. Dude was way ahead of his time.

I wanted to document myself about some underrated basketball legend and while on paper, Bob Pettit would check all boxes, I realized I've never ever seen any footage of him. Then I just typed with confidence "Wilt Chamberlain Archive Bob Pettit" in the search box, being certain that this channel has something about him to share, and ended up not even being surprised that such a tasteful guy once again delivered.

Dude had the most number of All-Star MVPs (4) before Kobe finally matched the number.

so quick, such good fast cutting, such a stud, such a nasty-lookin' shot

Statistically Bob Pettit is the best scoring PF and the best rebounding PF of all time

Another masterpiece! I have to say, you deserve a Pulitzer Prize or something like it for your amazing work. It is so gratifying to those of us who remember the greats of past eras to see them get their due - and no one does it better than you do. I started watching the NBA in 1963 or 4 and am flabbergasted by the misconceptions and biases of younger people who think good basketball was invented during the time of Magic and Bird. Wilt is still my all-time favorite player, but there have been so many great ones, like Mr. Pettit. Thanks for keeping their names and deeds alive.

Most underrated player of all time.

Wilt Chamberlain Archives videos are among the highlights of all of KZfaq. Thank you, friend.

Had a serious jumpshot with other skillsets that was ahead of the pro game in the 1950's and Definitely should be classified as one of the Greatest Power Forwards in NBA history as a forerunner of what's known as Stretch "Fives" in today's game . Wow first to 20,000 points in NBA history 😳.. Not bad Bob Pettit..

71 years old sports nut here. Why have I not heard of this man until now?? Wow.

Bob Pettit the "Polished Pro". One of the best ever.

Excellent video

Bob Pettit and Jack Twyman, what a pair of forwards!

Thank you for doing it, one of the most underrated players of all time. The greatest offensive rebounder along with Moses Malone and the only player along with Wilt Chamberlain, to have led his team to a ring against Russell's Celtics (although Russell got injured, but still the Hawks that year were the best team and they earned the title).

He got great foot movement around the post...

I was living and breathing basketball during the 1950s and Petit, Cousy, and Elgin Balor would my idols! Can you imagine how their lifetime scoring totals would have been if the 3 Point line was in play? As it is, you may have noticed that Petit was one of the best, if not THE best 3-point shooters or his era. Meaning, he made more foul shots after first making the shot he was fouled while doing it. :) Growing up in northern New Jersey we were glued to our B & W TV sets whenever the Celtics and Hawks played! I don't care what anyone says, the B-ball of today does not come close to the excitement and class of the 50s and 60s when teams consistently won when they played as a team. Red Auerbach was a senior and captain of his college team at GWU in 1940 where I played 20 years later intramurally. Old timers talked about how he developed his team leadership philosophy back then. The Celtics won the many championships they did because game after game after game, there would be NOT five, but SIX players in double figures every game!! No longer does that exist! It is boring to watch, not because a half court game tires me out after 5 minutes, and my jump shot falls short every time, but pro ball is no longer a team sport. One year while at GWU the team went on to the NCAA in 1965 when we lost to Bill Bradley's Princeton team which went on to win the Championship that year.

Most underrated power forward

People talk about how athletes back then couldn't hang with athletes today. It's completely backwards logic. Athletes today have access to cutting edge technology and are reaping the fruits of decades of development in sports science and in the craft that players back in the 50s invented. Petit had 140 stitches in his pro career .ON HIS FACE. Athletes, and people in general were 100 times tougher than people today and if they had access to all the same tech and sports science that players today have they would dominate completely in the current era.

his jumper form was ahead for his time

Man was a point forward but played like a shooting guard that’d what you call special

Look at that hook shot by Cliff Hagen at 13:18. I was just a toddler then but dad always said Hagen had the best hook shot he ever saw and I believe it.

To me, Barkley and Duncan are the only two other power forwards who can match Pettit's mastery of the position. No one else is even close.

Man I would love to see some of these og’s in today’s league. We so soft today. Back then real men played basketball. Now u look at someone it’s a foul.

Thank you! I consider him the GOAT PF and he never gets the credit he deserves.

Excellent!

I was only six his last year playing, but my dad and I spent many Sunday afternoons watching the Hawks play on TV in St. Louis, and people who think basketball wasn't just as good then as it would ever get are just kidding themselves. Bob Pettit could play as well as anybody from any era. I don't think there's been a forward since who could touch him except Bird and maybe Maravich when he was healthy.

Thanks so much for this.. Greatly constructed vid. Lots of younger viewers that only know of his name thru 2K will be able to appreciate this!

What a legend👏🏾💯

Best power forward of all time. Just look at his stats

You want to know how good Pettit was? Look up his box score in the clinching game 6 of the 58 finals against Russell’s Celtics

Only he and Boston's Bob Cousy are the only members of the NBA's Greatest Players 75th Anniversary who played against George Mikan are still with us.

As a Kid and a Celtics fan, I feared Bob Pettit. What a tough, strong competitor he was! I remember now, that odd free throw style he had, balancing the ball on his right hand. Thanks for the video and the memories. He was a great and somewhat forgotten warrior.

Thanks for posting.

Great video. Thanks for sharing.

@ 2:26 So this is where Jordan got his high school story from, how original. Mr. Petit played with a broken hand two consecutive seasons, Damn!

Really great video, as per usual. I've told all my buddies about your videos man, keep it up.

Yet they say Wilt played against plumbers!

Man this should be remastered

The first player to score 20,000 points and lead all scorers for 2 seasons with Wilt, Kareem and Big O in the league shows us just how good a player he really was very impressive Bob.........

I love Bob petit he’s one of my favorite players

Legend.

Somewhere near the end, a guard takes and makes a running hook shot, going away from the basket, and probably 10 ft from the hoop. That's an incredibly difficult shot. Like something from a game of HORSE. I think people may need to reassess what they think about this era.

The real basketball fans and players here

Crazy how lifting didn't effect his shooting touch.

First Stretch 4

His skill was so high for the era, you'd think it was standard. But it's not. He's the complete package and the most complete player of the era. He had an outside shot, long range, mid range, a post game, offensive rebound machine, a first step, high IQ, 6'9" tough 240lbs. It's just the foundation he laid demanded high skill that everyone after's fundamental level would be high/higher to meet the expectation. The Forwards that came after had to be just as or better skilled than Bob. From Elvin Hayes to Gus Johnson to McAdoo to McGinnis to Bird & McHale to Mailman & Chuck to TD, KG and Dirk. There's just so many high skill PF's that he will get overshadowed.

He’s a beast !!

A tremendous job as usual, WCA. A superstar in every sense was Pettit.

one hand shot practise.... damn

bob petit he was an player in nba never give up wil VERRY NOT BE FORGOTEN

Only Karl Malone and Dan Issel come close to this guy in terms of raw physical talent, offensive ability, and tireless work ethic at the PF position...but neither worked the boards their entire career the way HE did! Bob Pettit, yeah I'd put him ahead of Dominique Wilkins as the top Hawks player of all time-mainly because he managed to take an NBA title away from the dominant Red Auerbach/Bill Russell-led Celtics back in the day. That feat alone is impressive, only one ever to do it.

I saw Pettit play in his prime. He was the top forward in the NBA in the 1950s. He had a great jump shot, was a great rebounder and was tough. He had great moves to the basket. He was the first great PF and would be just as dominant today. In my view, is the 2nd greatest PF ever, after Tim Duncan. Similar to Karl Malone, but a greater rebounder and a better shooter.

Hub Reed, who played with him, said Bob Pettit was a true gentleman.

Listening to Eddie Johnson's show on SXM, they had Ryan Bawek on for his book, and now I'm here. Petit could absolutely play in today's NBA and do the same. Huge L to Baton Rouge high school coach.

He was light years ahead of all the power forwards of that era! He is, in my opinion, much smoother and more talented than Elgin Baylor who was a small forward and considered one of the all time greats! One of the all time great scorers and rebounders in NBA history!

What an ANAZING player!! I had heard about him, but had never seen him play. Now that I have, I put him at #2 all-time PF after Tim Duncan.

Only got to know this guy until yesterday when his record was equalled. Good to learn.

The original stretch 4

Stitched up face in the 2nd. Comes back in the 3rd. Lebron got carried off by two teammates for a cramp. Let that sink in.