Bob Pettit of the St. Louis Hawks was named to the All-NBA First Team every year from 1955 to 1964.
Making an All-NBA Team is an incredible individual accomplishment, especially when considering only five players are awarded with that honor each year. This list puts a spotlight on the two Hawks all-timers who earned First Team selections throughout Atlanta’s 76 seasons.
Bob Pettit (1955)
Pettit began his incredible career by winning Rookie of the Year with the Milwaukee Hawks back in 1955, averaging 20.4 points, 13.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists. His selections to the All-NBA First Team and All-Star team were the first of ten consecutive seasons in which Pettit would earn those accolades.
Bob Pettit (1956)
Pettit was just scratching the surface in his rookie year, as the Baton Rouge native won his first MVP award by averaging 25.7 points, 16.2 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 1956. He led the league in scoring, field goals made (9.0) and attempted (20.9), and free throws attempted (10.5).
Bob Pettit (1957
The following year, ‘Big Blue’ led the league again in field goals made (8.6) and attempted (20.8) while posting averages of 24.7 points and 14.6 rebounds. He finished second in MVP voting this time, losing narrowly to Bob Cousy of the Celtics.
Bob Pettit (1958)
In 1957-58, Pettit earned All-NBA First Team and All-Star selections for the fourth straight year. He finished fourth in MVP voting thanks to putting up 24.6 points, a then-career high 17.4 rebounds and 2.2 assists. However, Pettit won the ultimate prize that season, helping the St. Louis Hawks win their only championship to date.
Bob Pettit (1959)
At age 26, Pettit was named league MVP for the second and final time in his 11-year career. In 72 games, he posted 29.2 points, 16.4 rebounds and 3.1 assists, leading the NBA in points, games played, field goals made (10.0), and free throws made (9.3) and attempted (12.2).
Bob Pettit (1960)
The Hall of Famer had another monster campaign in 1959-60, averaging 26.1 points, 17.0 rebounds and 3.6 assists in 40.2 mpg across 72 appearances. He finished third in MVP voting behind Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell, but his First Team and All-Star streaks reached six straight seasons.
Bob Pettit (1961)
Over the next two seasons, Pettit elevated his game to another level. He tallied 27.9 points, 3.4 assists and a career-best 20.3 rebounds per contest, all while shooting a then-career high 44.7% from the field. Pettit finished second in MVP voting for the second time in his career, falling short to Bill Russell.
Bob Pettit (1962)
Pettit was on a mission during the 1961-62 season, posting career-best marks in points (31.1), assists (3.7) and minutes (42.1) while grabbing 18.7 boards a night. He also shot a then-career high 45% from the field and sank 77.1% of his 11.6 free-throw attempts.
Bob Pettit (1963)
Now in his age-30 season, Pettit continued to play at a high level by averaging 28.4 points, 15.1 rebounds and 3.1 assists across 79 games. He led the league in free throws made (8.7) for the second time in his illustrious career, and finished fourth in the MVP race after a sixth-place performance the year prior.
Bob Pettit (1964)
Pettit’s tenth consecutive season as an All-NBA First Team selection came in 1963-64, when ‘The Bombardier from Baton Rouge’ averaged 27.4 points, 15.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists. He shot a career-best 46.3% overall and a then-career high 78.9% from the line while appearing in the most regular season contests (80) throughout his 11 professional campaigns.
Dominique Wilkins (1986)
Wilkins is the only other Hawk to earn an All-NBA First Team spot, and it came in dominating fashion for ‘The Human Highlight Film’. Dominique finished second in the MVP race to Larry Bird in 1986, but he led the NBA in scoring at 30.3 points per game on 46.8% shooting. Wilkins added 7.9 rebounds, 2.6 assists and a career-best 1.8 steals across 78 regular-season appearances.
