NBA: Ranking every MVP winner in league history

SANTA MONICA, CA - JUNE 25: James Harden, winner of the 2017-2018 MVP award, poses with his mom Monja Willis in the backstage photo room during the 2018 NBA Awards at Barker Hangar on June 25, 2018 in Santa Monica, California. (Photo by Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images) /

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NBA: Ranking every MVP winner in league history: 26. Bob Pettit

Stats:

26.4 points
16.2 rebounds

Accomplishments:

11 time All-Star
11 time All-NBA
2 time scoring champ
2 time MVP

Playing in the 1950s and 60s made Bob Pettit a forgotten man in NBA history. For Boston Celtic fans, they loved it. Seemingly every night they would turn on the television and watch their squad dominate the competition. And, more importantly, Celtic fans could count on a victory parade in mid-June.

But while Bill Russell was cleaning up the glass and selfishly snatching up every NBA title, Bob Pettit was quietly wreaking havoc of his own. For years on end, Pettit scored down low with the best of them, twice leading the league in scoring and dominating on the glass, leading the association once in that department.

With career averages of 26.2 points and 16.2 rebounds, as well as being named to 11 All-Star squads and nabbing two MVP awards, Pettit isn’t always mentioned in the pantheon of great players. That, unfortunately for him, was due to Russell and his Celtics racking up the titles. But, during the 1957-58 season, Pettit led the St. Louis Hawks to an NBA title over Russell’s Celtics. In addition to that, Pettit was truly a bonafide star. He never fell beneath seventh during the scoring race in any season. He was also the first player to score over 20,000 points.

Pettit may not get the love and recognition he deserves all the time but he’s an all-time great player.