Bob Lanier (basketball)
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Robert Jerry Lanier Jr. (September 10, 1948 – May 10, 2022) was an American professional basketball player who was a center for the Detroit Pistons and the Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Lanier was inducted into the
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 1000 Hall of Fame Avenue in Springfield, Massachusetts. It serves as basketball's most complete library, in addition to promoting and pres ...
in 1992. In 14 NBA seasons, Lanier played in eight NBA All-Star Games and was named Most Valuable Player of the 1974 game. His accomplishments came despite a long history with knee injuries. He had his No. 16 jersey retired by both the Pistons and the Bucks and his No. 31 jersey retired by
St. Bonaventure University St. Bonaventure University is a private Franciscan university in St. Bonaventure, New York. It has 2,381 undergraduate and graduate students. The Franciscan Brothers established the university in 1858. In athletics, the St. Bonaventure Bonn ...
, for whom he played college basketball. After retiring from playing he was an assistant coach for the
Golden State Warriors The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in San Francisco. The Warriors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA), as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. Founded in 194 ...
, and briefly served as their interim head coach. He went on to work as an NBA Cares Global Ambassador.


Early life

Robert Jerry Lanier Jr. was born on September 10, 1948, in Buffalo, New York. He was the son of Robert Sr. and Nannette Lanier. Growing up, Lanier initially was rejected in his efforts to play basketball. When he tried out to play for his grammar school team, Lanier was told by a coach that his feet (size 11 at age 11) were too large for him to become a successful athlete. Although he was tall by age 16, Lanier did not make the varsity basketball squad in his sophomore year at Bennett High School because he was deemed to be too clumsy. During his junior year, he was encouraged to try out again by new coach Fred Schwepker, who taught Lanier as a student in his biology class. Lanier tried out again and made the team. He averaged 21.5 points and was named to the All-City team as a junior. In his senior year, he averaged 25.0 points and he earned All-Western New York State honors. In each year, he led Bennett to a Buffalo city title. Lanier graduated in 1966. Lanier was recruited by more than 100 universities; however, he chose to attend
St. Bonaventure University St. Bonaventure University is a private Franciscan university in St. Bonaventure, New York. It has 2,381 undergraduate and graduate students. The Franciscan Brothers established the university in 1858. In athletics, the St. Bonaventure Bonn ...
, approximately an hour and a half away from his home. There, he played for coach Larry Weise. "There was recruiting competition, but the advantage I had, and what I sold, was that his parents could come watch him play", said Coach Weise. "He picked St. Bonaventure. His parents were at every game."


College career

Lanier was a three-time Converse All-America selection (1968–1970). As a senior in 1970, he led the St. Bonaventure to the NCAA Final Four. Near the end of the regional championship game, he injured his knee in a collision with Villanova's Chris Ford and did not play in St. Bonaventure's national semifinal loss to Jacksonville University. That year, Lanier was named the ''Coach and Athlete Magazine'' player of the year and the Eastern College Athletic Conference's Player of the Year.


Freshman year (1966–1967)

Per NCAA rules at the time, Lanier played on the freshman team during his first year at St. Bonaventure.


Sophomore year (1967–1968)

200px, Lanier at Bonaventure As a sophomore in the 1967–68 season, Lanier made an immediate impact and gained national recognition. Lanier led St. Bonaventure (13–9 in the previous season) to an undefeated regular season (26–0) and a number three final poll ranking. He averaged 26.2 points and 15.6 rebounds per game for the season. Against Loyola Maryland, Lanier had 27 rebounds, leading St. Bonaventure to a 94–78 victory. In the 23-team 1968 NCAA tournament, Lanier led St. Bonaventure to a 102–93 victory over
Boston College Boston College (BC) is a private Jesuit research university in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. Founded in 1863, the university has more than 9,300 full-time undergraduates and nearly 5,000 graduate students. Although Boston College is classifie ...
and coach Bob Cousy. The Bonnies were then defeated 91–72 by North Carolina and coach Dean Smith in the East Regional semifinal, ending their undefeated season. Lanier had 32 points and 15 rebounds in the victory over Boston College and 23 points with 9 rebounds in the North Carolina loss. Lanier then fouled out, scoring 18 points with 13 rebounds in the third-place East Region game; St. Bonaventure lost, 92–75, to
Columbia Columbia may refer to: * Columbia (personification), the historical female national personification of the United States, and a poetic name for America Places North America Natural features * Columbia Plateau, a geologic and geographic region in ...
. Lanier was named a second-team All-American, behind
Lew Alcindor Lew or LEW may refer to: People * Lew (given name) * Lew (surname) Places * Lew, Oxfordshire, England * River Lew, in Devon, England Transport * LEW Hennigsdorf, a rail vehicle factory in Hennigsdorf, Germany * Lew (locomotive), a British narro ...
(who later changed his name to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) at center.


Junior year (1968–1969)

In the 1968–69 season, St. Bonaventure finished with a 17–7 record after starting the season 3–5. Against Seton Hall, Lanier scored 51 points, setting the single-game scoring record for St. Bonaventure. Lanier averaged 27.3 points and 15.6 rebounds in 24 games. Lanier was again named a second-team All-American behind
Lew Alcindor Lew or LEW may refer to: People * Lew (given name) * Lew (surname) Places * Lew, Oxfordshire, England * River Lew, in Devon, England Transport * LEW Hennigsdorf, a rail vehicle factory in Hennigsdorf, Germany * Lew (locomotive), a British narro ...
at center. During his junior year, Lanier was approached by representatives of the
American Basketball Association The American Basketball Association (ABA) was a major men's professional basketball league from 1967 to 1976. The ABA ceased to exist with the ABA–NBA merger, American Basketball Association–National Basketball Association merger in 1976, ...
's New York Nets, who reportedly offered him $1.2 million to leave school early and join the ABA. However, following his father's advice, Lanier chose to remain in school.


Senior year: NCAA Tournament and knee injury (1969–1970)

Lanier averaged 29.2 points and 16.0 rebounds as St. Bonaventure finished the 1969–70 regular season 25–1 (with the only loss at Villanova 64–62) and a number three national ranking. In the 25-team 1970 NCAA tournament, Lanier led St. Bonaventure to an 80–72 victory over
Davidson College Davidson College is a private liberal arts college in Davidson, North Carolina. It was established in 1837 by the Concord Presbytery and named after Revolutionary War general William Lee Davidson, who was killed at the nearby Battle of Cowan ...
with 28 points and 15 rebounds. He had 24 points and 19 rebounds in an 80–68 victory over NC State, and had 26 points and 14 rebounds in the 97–74 victory over Villanova as St. Bonaventure advanced to the Final Four. However, Lanier injured his knee near the end of the regional championship game in a collision with Villanova's Chris Ford. The injury was severe enough that he could not play in the Final Four and eventually required the first of eight knee surgeries he would undergo throughout his life. In the Final Four, the Bonnies lost to Jacksonville University, whose center was future Hall of Famer Artis Gilmore. St. Bonaventure was whistled for 32 personal fouls and was outscored 37–15 at the free-throw line in the 91–83 loss. In the third-place game, the Bonnies lost to New Mexico State, finishing the season 25–3. "Every year at this time you start thinking about it and my players start thinking about it," reflected Coach Larry Weise at age 81. "We have a reunion every three, four years and it's the same with them. It was a magical moment in our lives, no question. In our hearts, we knew we were good enough to win the championship." "I think I appreciate it even more than my (college) teammates," Lanier reflected on the Final Four in 1985, "because I had a basis for comparison. It wasn't the money, or who got the 'numbers' like in the NBA. We weren't any big stars, it was a couple of guys from Buffalo and a guy from Troy all blending together." Lanier was named a first-team All-American at center alongside future
Hall of Famers A hall, wall, or walk of fame is a list of individuals, achievements, or other entities, usually chosen by a group of electors, to mark their excellence or fame in their field. In some cases, these halls of fame consist of actual halls or muse ...
Dan Issel Daniel Paul Issel (born October 25, 1948) is an American former professional basketball player and coach. An outstanding collegian at the University of Kentucky, Issel was twice named an All-American en route to a school-record 25.7 points per ...
(center, Kentucky), Pete Maravich (point guard, LSU) and Calvin Murphy (point guard, Niagara), along with College Basketball Hall of Famer Rick Mount (shooting guard,
Purdue Purdue University is a public land-grant research university in West Lafayette, Indiana, and the flagship campus of the Purdue University system. The university was founded in 1869 after Lafayette businessman John Purdue donated land and money ...
). Lanier graduated from St. Bonaventure with a degree in business administration. Lanier holds St. Bonaventure records for scoring and rebounding, averaging 27.6 points and 15.7 rebounds, with 57% shooting in 75 career games. In March 2018, St. Bonaventure won its first game in the NCAA tournament since 1970, defeating UCLA. Coach
Mark Schmidt Mark Schmidt (born February 12, 1963) is an American college basketball coach and the current men's basketball head coach at St. Bonaventure University. He took the job at the start of the 2007–08 season after holding the same position at Robe ...
said, "It can't get better. Our guys just fought, we persevered. ... In 1970, you know, Bob Lanier got hurt, and didn't have a chance to play UCLA and ... this is for him." "When I got the job here 11 years ago, we hear the stories about 1970," Schmidt said. "And everybody talks about if Lanier was healthy, they would have taken on UCLA. This victory is for those guys."


Professional career


Detroit Pistons (1970–1980)

Lanier was the first overall pick by the National Basketball Association's Detroit Pistons in the
1970 NBA draft The 1970 NBA draft was the 24th annual draft of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The draft was held on March 23, 1970, before the 1970–71 season. In this draft, 17 NBA teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball player ...
. He was also a territorial pick by the New York Nets of the
American Basketball Association The American Basketball Association (ABA) was a major men's professional basketball league from 1967 to 1976. The ABA ceased to exist with the ABA–NBA merger, American Basketball Association–National Basketball Association merger in 1976, ...
in the 1970
ABA Draft The American Basketball Association draft was held from 1967 to 1975. First overall picks Note: 1974 ABA College Draft, not 1974 ABA Draft of NBA Players Further reading *{{cite book, last=Bradley, first=Robert D., title=The Basketball Draft Fac ...
. Lanier signed with the Pistons, who eagerly presented him with his NBA contract while he was still in the hospital recuperating from knee surgery. Lanier reported to Pistons training camp limping, in significant pain, and overweight from his long period of inactivity following the surgery. Lanier played while still recovering from surgery. He was named to the 1971 NBA All-Rookie Team, averaging 15.6 points and 8.1 rebounds for the 45–37 Pistons in 24 minutes per game under Coach
Butch van Breda Kolff Willem Hendrik "Butch" van Breda Kolff (October 28, 1922August 22, 2007) was an American basketball player and coach. Biography Early life and career Butch was born in Glen Ridge, New Jersey, son of Dutch soccer player Jan van Breda Kolff. He g ...
. "I wasn't healthy when I got to the league," Lanier reflected. "I shouldn't have played my first year. But there was so much pressure from them to play, I would have been much better off—and our team would have been much better served—if I had just sat out that year and worked on my knee. My knee was so sore every single day that it was ludicrous to be doing what I was doing." Lanier rehabilitated his knee with the help of Coach van Breda Kolff, who had Lanier stay at his beachfront house for 2½ weeks to run in the sand and strengthen his knee and legs. Lanier became a star for Detroit, playing alongside teammate
Dave Bing David Bing (born November 24, 1943) is an American former professional basketball player, businessman, and politician who served as the 74th mayor of Detroit, Michigan from 2009 to 2013. He is a member of the Democratic Party. After starring a ...
. He averaged more than 21 points per game for each of the next eight seasons, with a high mark of 25.7 PPG in the 1971–72 season. Lanier averaged more than 11 rebounds per game in seven straight seasons. Lanier's latter years in Detroit were marred by recurring injuries, as he never played more than 64 games in any of his last four seasons as a Piston. On January 15, 1974, Lanier led all scorers in that season's NBA All Star Game with 24 points, and was named the All-Star Game MVP. Detroit was a franchise in constant transition. Lanier played under eight coaches in ten seasons:
Butch van Breda Kolff Willem Hendrik "Butch" van Breda Kolff (October 28, 1922August 22, 2007) was an American basketball player and coach. Biography Early life and career Butch was born in Glen Ridge, New Jersey, son of Dutch soccer player Jan van Breda Kolff. He g ...
(1970–1971), Terry Dischinger (1971),
Earl Lloyd Earl Francis Lloyd (April 3, 1928 – February 26, 2015) was an American professional basketball player and coach. He was the first African American player to play a game in the National Basketball Association (NBA). An All–American player at W ...
(1971–1972), Ray Scott (1972–1975),
Herb Brown Herbert Brown (born March 14, 1936) is an American basketball coach and the brother of Hall of Fame coach Larry Brown. He is the former head coach of the Detroit Pistons (1976–78). Career Brown succeeded Ray Scott when he was promoted from a ...
(1975–1977),
Bob Kauffman Robert Kauffman (July 13, 1946 – July 25, 2015) was an American professional basketball player and coach. Kaufmann was a three time NBA All-Star. Early life Robert Alan Kauffman was born July 13, 1946 in Brooklyn, N.Y., to LeRoy and Anne Ka ...
(1977–1978), Dick Vitale (1978–1979), and Richie Adubato (1979–1980). Each coach was hired or fired mid-season. Of his time in Detroit, Lanier said, "I think '73–74 was our best team 2–30 We had Dave ing
Stu Lantz Stuart Burrell Lantz (born July 13, 1946) is an American former professional basketball player who is a television commentator for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA) on Spectrum SportsNet. He played college basket ...
,
John Mengelt John P. Mengelt (born October 16, 1949) is an American former professional basketball player. Early life A two-year starter at Wendell Willkie High School (now Elwood High School) in Elwood, Indiana, Mengelt was named all-conference two years, n ...
, Chris Ford, Don Adams, Curtis Rowe,
George Trapp George Trapp, Jr. (July 11, 1948 – January 21, 2002) was an American professional basketball player. Amateur career A 6'8" forward/center from Monrovia, California by way of Detroit, Trapp played his senior year of high school basketbal ...
. But then for some reason, they traded six guys off that team before the following year. I just didn't feel we ever had the leadership... That was a rough time because, at the end of every year, you'd be so despondent." In his ten seasons with the Detroit Pistons, Lanier averaged a double-double 22.7 points, 11.8 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 2.0 blocks and 1.2 steals in 681 games. Lanier is the Pistons' all-time leader in scoring average (22.7 ppg); he ranks second in total rebounds (8,063), third in total points (15,488), and was voted to seven All-Star games.


Milwaukee Bucks (1980–1984)

On February 4, 1980, Lanier was traded by the Pistons to the Milwaukee Bucks for Kent Benson and a 1980 first-round draft pick (which the Pistons used to select Larry Drew). On April 20 of that year, Lanier scored 19 points and grabbed 15 rebounds in a Game 7 loss against the Seattle SuperSonics in the Western Conference Semifinals (the final season for the Bucks in that conference). On May 5, 1982, Lanier's 27 points led the Bucks to a Game 5 playoff victory against the
Philadelphia 76ers The Philadelphia 76ers, colloquially known as the Sixers, are an American professional basketball team based in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. The 76ers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eas ...
. The Bucks eventually lost the series. Lanier's 27 points represented his highest single post-season game point total for the Bucks. In Lanier's five seasons with the Bucks, they won the Midwest Division championship each year under Coach
Don Nelson Donald Arvid Nelson (born May 15, 1940) is an American former professional basketball player and head coach. Nelson is second all-time in regular season wins of any coach in NBA history, with 1,335 (he held the record for most wins for almost 12 ...
, with Lanier playing alongside teammates Marques Johnson, Sidney Moncrief,
Quinn Buckner William Quinn Buckner (born August 20, 1954) is an American former professional basketball player and coach. He played collegiate basketball for the Indiana University Hoosiers, and won a national championship in 1976. He was a captain of both ...
, Junior Bridgeman, and
Dave Cowens David William Cowens ( ; born October 25, 1948) is an American former professional basketball player and NBA head coach. At , he played the center position and occasionally played power forward. Cowens spent most of his playing career with the Bo ...
. Still highly effective, but with aging knees, Lanier played a key role with the Bucks while averaging nearly 10 minutes less per game in his Milwaukee tenure that he had in Detroit (36.2 to 26.8). Of going to Milwaukee, Lanier said, "I wanted the trade. I got to Milwaukee... and the people gave me a standing ovation and really made me feel welcome. It was the start of a positive change. I just wish I had played with that kind of talent around me when I was young. But if I had had Marques ohnsonand Sidney oncriefand all of them around me? Damn." Lanier officially retired from the Milwaukee Bucks on September 24, 1984. He cited reoccurring knee injuries as the reason for his retirement. In 278 games with the Bucks, Lanier averaged 26 minutes, 13.5 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.0 steals per game. He played in the 1982 All-Star Game with Milwaukee. During Lanier's five-season tenure, the Bucks advanced as far as the Eastern Conference Finals twice.


NBA career summary

Over his fourteen-season NBA career, Lanier played in 959 games, averaging 20.1 points, 10.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.5 blocks, and 1.1 steals per game. He scored 19,248 total points and had 9,698 total rebounds. In 67 career playoff games, Lanier averaged 18.6 points, 9.7 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.5 blocks. Lanier played in eight NBA All-Star Games; he never appeared in an NBA Finals game. "Bob probably wasn't as good a total player as he could have been because of the knee injury," said Hall of Famer Willis Reed. Reed acknowledged that Lanier "probably was one of the best all-around big men ever to play the game of basketball." Lanier was known across the league as being tenacious, and was referred to as an "enforcer" due to his physical style of play. His intensity sometimes spilled over from playing into fighting, as he knocked out Atlanta's
Bob Christian Robert Douglas Christian (born November 14, 1968) is a former American football fullback who played ten seasons in the National Football League for the Chicago Bears, the Carolina Panthers, and the Atlanta Falcons from 1992 to 2002. He was se ...
in 1971 and broke the nose of Detroit's
Bill Laimbeer William J. Laimbeer Jr. (born May 19, 1957) is an American professional basketball coach and former player who spent the majority of his career with the Detroit Pistons. Known for his rough and violent style of play, he played a big part in the P ...
in 1983. In the
1977 NBA Playoffs The 1977 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1976–77 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Portland Trail Blazers defeating the Eastern Conference champion Phila ...
, in the third game of a best of three series against
Golden State Warriors The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in San Francisco. The Warriors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA), as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. Founded in 194 ...
, the game was marred by a 3rd quarter fight with Charles Dudley of Golden State tangling with
Eric Money Eric Money (born February 6, 1955) is a retired American professional basketball player. Amateur career A 6'0" guard out of Kettering High School in Detroit, Michigan, Money played alongside fellow future NBA players Lindsay Hairston and Coniel ...
of the Pistons. The fight spilled into the stands as a Warriors fan punching Piston
M.L. Carr Michael Leon Carr (born January 9, 1951) is an American former professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and American Basketball Association (ABA), and former head coach and General Manager of the Boston Celtics. ...
and Lanier then decking the fan. Reflective of the different era in the game, personal fouls were called on Dudley and Money, and the game resumed with the Warriors winning 109-101.


Coaching career

From 1994–95, Lanier served as an assistant coach for the
Golden State Warriors The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in San Francisco. The Warriors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA), as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. Founded in 194 ...
under his former coach,
Don Nelson Donald Arvid Nelson (born May 15, 1940) is an American former professional basketball player and head coach. Nelson is second all-time in regular season wins of any coach in NBA history, with 1,335 (he held the record for most wins for almost 12 ...
. After Nelson resigned, Lanier was named interim head coach on February 13, 1995. He compiled a 12–25 win–loss record in 37 games and the Warriors finished 26–56 overall.


Other ventures

Lanier owned and operated Bob Lanier Enterprises, Inc., a promotional marketing company which was a member of the Proforma network. Lanier was a spokesperson and chairman of the NBA's "Stay In School" program (later renamed Read to Achieve) from 1989 to 1994. From 2005 to 2022, Lanier was the NBA Cares Global Ambassador. Lanier routinely worked with youth-serving programs that supported education, youth, and family development, and health-related causes.


In popular culture

Lanier appeared as a member of the Detroit team in the cult classic basketball film '' The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh'' in 1979 alongside Pistons teammates Chris Ford,
Eric Money Eric Money (born February 6, 1955) is a retired American professional basketball player. Amateur career A 6'0" guard out of Kettering High School in Detroit, Michigan, Money played alongside fellow future NBA players Lindsay Hairston and Coniel ...
, John Shumate, Kevin Porter, and Leon Douglas. In the movie '' Airplane!'' (1980), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar references Lanier when he says, "Tell your old man to drag illWalton and Lanier up and down the court for 48 minutes."


Personal life and death

Lanier was married and divorced twice and had five children: Walter “Jack” Lanier, Kimberly Lanier, Tiffany Lanier Robert Lanier III, and
Khalia Lanier Khalia Imani Lanier (born September 19, 1998) is an American professional volleyball player who plays as an outside hitter for Italian Series A1 team Volley Bergamo 1991 and the United States women's national team. She played collegiately for t ...
. At the time of his death, he had 7 grandchildren. The knee injuries that plagued Lanier's later career worsened as he aged. He underwent several surgeries after his retirement, the last being in 2017. At the
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 1000 Hall of Fame Avenue in Springfield, Massachusetts. It serves as basketball's most complete library, in addition to promoting and pres ...
in
Springfield, Massachusetts Springfield is a city in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United States, and the seat of Hampden County. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers: the western Westfield River, the ...
, visitors are able to compare the size of their foot to that of Lanier. The largest shoe ever created by shoe company
Allen Edmonds Allen Edmonds is an American upscale men's shoe company based in Port Washington, Wisconsin. The company was established in Belgium, Wisconsin, in 1922 by Elbert W. Allen as Allen-Spiegal Shoe Company. The company is one of the few companies to m ...
was a size 22 for Lanier. In September 2018, Lanier shared one of his most notable NBA memories: "...when I was still playing in Milwaukee and I was getting gas at a station on, I think it was Center St. A guy came up to me and said, 'My dad is sick. And you're his favorite player. Could you come up to the house and say hello to him? The house is right next door.' So I went over, I went upstairs. The guy was laying there in his bed. His son said, 'This is Bob,' and he was like, 'I know.' And he just had a little smile, a twinkle in his eye. And he grabbed my hand and squeezed it. And we said a little prayer. About two weeks later, his dad had died. And he left a card at the Bucks office, just saying 'Thank you for making one of my dad's final days into a good day.'" Lanier died on May 10, 2022, after a brief illness. He was 73.


Honors

* Inducted into the St. Bonaventure Athletics Hall of Fame in 1975. * St. Bonaventure retired Lanier's No. 31 jersey. * In 1978, Lanier was selected by the Professional Basketball Writers Association (PBWA) as the recipient of the
J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award The J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award was an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) award given from 1975 to 2020 to a player, coach, or staff member who showed "outstanding service and dedication to the community." The award was named in ...
for outstanding community service. * In 1981, the YMCA organization presented Lanier with the "
Jackie Robinson Jack Roosevelt Robinson (January 31, 1919 – October 24, 1972) was an American professional baseball player who became the first African American to play in Major League Baseball (MLB) in the modern era. Robinson broke the baseball color line ...
Award." The award is given for service to youth, good citizenship and leadership. * Lanier was inducted into the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame in 1991. * Lanier's No. 16 jersey has been retired by both the Detroit Pistons and Milwaukee Bucks. The Bucks retired his jersey in 1984. The Pistons retired his jersey in 1993. * Lanier was enshrined into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 1992. * In 2000, Lanier was the recipient of the Congressional "Horizon & Leadership Award." The award is presented annually by the Joint Leadership Commission of the United States Congress and the Board of Directors of The Congressional Award Foundation to individuals who have made an exceptional impact on the lives of America's young people. * In 2006, Lanier was inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame. * In 2007, Lanier received the National Civil Rights Museum Sports Legacy Award. It was awarded for his significant contribution to civil and human rights internationally in the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. * The basketball court at Lanier's ''alma mater'', St. Bonaventure, was named in his honor in 2007. "Bob Lanier Court" is in the Reilly Center Arena. Said the 2007 press release, "Bob Lanier elevated an already established St. Bona basketball program to the next level and is an ideal ambassador of the sport. When we were thinking about names for the court he was the obvious choice and a perfect fit." * Lanier was named co-recipient of the 2009 "The
Mannie Jackson Mannie Jackson (born May 4, 1939) is the chairman and owner of the Harlem Globetrotters, for whom he played from 1962 to 1964. He was the first African American with controlling ownership in an entertainment organization and international sports t ...
– Basketball's Human Spirit Award." The award was given by the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in recognition of his passion for the game of basketball and his continued commitment to community service.


NBA career statistics


Regular season

, - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", Detroit , 82 , , , , 24.6 , , .455 , , , , .726 , , 8.1 , , 1.8 , , , , , , 15.6 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", Detroit , 80 , , , , 38.7 , , .493 , , , , .768 , , 14.2 , , 3.1 , , , , , , 25.7 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", Detroit , 81 , , , , 38.9 , , .490 , , , , .773 , , 14.9 , , 3.2 , , , , , , 23.8 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", Detroit , 81 , , , , 37.6 , , .504 , , , , .797 , , 13.3 , , 4.2 , , 1.4 , , 3.0 , , 22.5 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", Detroit , 76 , , , , 39.3 , , .510 , , , , .802 , , 12.0 , , 4.6 , , 1.0 , , 2.3 , , 24.0 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", Detroit , 64 , , , , 36.9 , , .532 , , , , .768 , , 11.7 , , 3.4 , , 1.2 , , 1.3 , , 21.3 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", Detroit , 64 , , , , 38.2 , , .534 , , , , .818 , , 11.6 , , 3.3 , , 1.1 , , 2.0 , , 25.3 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", Detroit , 63 , , , , 36.7 , , .537 , , , , .772 , , 11.3 , , 3.4 , , 1.3 , , 1.5 , , 24.5 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", Detroit , 53 , , , , 34.6 , , .515 , , , , .749 , , 9.3 , , 2.6 , , .9 , , 1.4 , , 23.6 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", Detroit , 37 , , , , 37.6 , , .546 , , .000 , , .781 , , 10.1 , , 3.3 , , 1.0 , , 1.6 , , 21.7 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", Milwaukee , 26 , , , , 28.4 , , .519 , , 1.000 , , .785 , , 6.9 , , 2.4 , , 1.4 , , 1.1 , , 15.7 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", Milwaukee , 67 , , , , 26.2 , , .525 , , 1.000 , , .751 , , 6.2 , , 2.7 , , 1.1 , , 1.2 , , 14.3 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", Milwaukee , 74 , , 72 , , 26.8 , , .558 , , .000 , , .752 , , 5.2 , , 3.0 , , 1.0 , , .8 , , 13.5 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", Milwaukee , 39 , , 35 , , 25.1 , , .491 , , .000 , , .684 , , 5.1 , , 2.7 , , .9 , , .6 , , 10.7 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", Milwaukee , 72 , , 72 , , 27.9 , , .572 , , .000 , , .708 , , 6.3 , , 2.6 , , .8 , , .7 , , 13.6 , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career , 959 , , , , 33.5 , , .514 , , .154 , , .767 , , 10.1 , , 3.1 , , 1.1 , , 1.5 , , 20.1 , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", All-Star , 8 , , 0 , , 15.1 , , .582 , , , , .833 , , 5.6 , , 1.5 , , .5 , , .6 , , 9.2


Playoffs

, - , style="text-align:left;",
1974 Major events in 1974 include the aftermath of the 1973 oil crisis and the resignation of United States President Richard Nixon following the Watergate scandal. In the Middle East, the aftermath of the 1973 Yom Kippur War determined politics; f ...
, style="text-align:left;", Detroit , 7 , , , , 43.3 , , .507 , , , , .789 , , 15.3 , , 3.0 , , .6 , , 2.0 , , 26.3 , - , style="text-align:left;",
1975 It was also declared the ''International Women's Year'' by the United Nations and the European Architectural Heritage Year by the Council of Europe. Events January * January 1 - Watergate scandal (United States): John N. Mitchell, H. R. ...
, style="text-align:left;", Detroit , 3 , , , , 42.7 , , .510 , , , , .750 , , 10.7 , , 6.3 , , 1.3 , , 4.0 , , 20.3 , - , style="text-align:left;",
1976 Events January * January 3 – The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights enters into force. * January 5 – The Pol Pot regime proclaims a new constitution for Democratic Kampuchea. * January 11 – The 1976 Phila ...
, style="text-align:left;", Detroit , 9 , , , , 39.9 , , .552 , , , , .900 , , 12.7 , , 3.3 , , .9 , , 2.3 , , 26.1 , - , style="text-align:left;",
1977 Events January * January 8 – Three bombs explode in Moscow within 37 minutes, killing seven. The bombings are attributed to an Armenian separatist group. * January 10 – Mount Nyiragongo erupts in eastern Zaire (now the Democratic R ...
, style="text-align:left;", Detroit , 3 , , , , 39.3 , , .630 , , , , .842 , , 16.7 , , 2.0 , , 1.0 , , 2.3 , , 28.0 , - , style="text-align:left;",
1980 Events January * January 4 – U.S. President Jimmy Carter proclaims a grain embargo against the USSR with the support of the European Commission. * January 6 – Global Positioning System time epoch begins at 00:00 UTC. * January 9 – ...
, style="text-align:left;", Milwaukee , 7 , , , , 36.6 , , .515 , , , , .738 , , 9.3 , , 4.4 , , 1.0 , , 1.1 , , 19.3 , - , style="text-align:left;",
1981 Events January * January 1 ** Greece enters the European Economic Community, predecessor of the European Union. ** Palau becomes a self-governing territory. * January 10 – Salvadoran Civil War: The FMLN launches its first major offensiv ...
, style="text-align:left;", Milwaukee , 7 , , , , 33.7 , , .588 , , , , .719 , , 7.4 , , 4.0 , , 1.7 , , 1.1 , , 17.6 , - , style="text-align:left;",
1982 Events January * January 1 – In Malaysia and Singapore, clocks are adjusted to the same time zone, UTC+8 (GMT+8.00). * January 13 – Air Florida Flight 90 crashes shortly after takeoff into the 14th Street bridges, 14th Street Bridge in ...
, style="text-align:left;", Milwaukee , 6 , , , , 35.3 , , .513 , , .000 , , .560 , , 7.5 , , 3.7 , , 1.3 , , .8 , , 16.0 , - , style="text-align:left;",
1983 The year 1983 saw both the official beginning of the Internet and the first mobile cellular telephone call. Events January * January 1 – The migration of the ARPANET to Internet protocol suite, TCP/IP is officially completed (this is consid ...
, style="text-align:left;", Milwaukee , 9 , , , , 27.8 , , .573 , , , , .600 , , 7.0 , , 2.6 , , .6 , , 1.6 , , 13.7 , - , style="text-align:left;",
1984 Events January * January 1 – The Bornean Sultanate of Brunei gains full independence from the United Kingdom, having become a British protectorate in 1888. * January 7 – Brunei becomes the sixth member of the Association of Southeast A ...
, style="text-align:left;", Milwaukee , 16 , , , , 31.2 , , .480 , , , , .886 , , 7.3 , , 3.4 , , .7 , , .6 , , 12.7 , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career , 67 , , , , 35.2 , , .532 , , .000 , , .768 , , 9.6 , , 3.5 , , .9 , , 1.5 , , 18.6 , - class="sortbottom" , colspan="13" style="text-align: center;", Source:


See also

* List of National Basketball Association career rebounding leaders *
List of NCAA Division I men's basketball players with 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds This is a list of NCAA Division I men's basketball players who have accumulated both 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds in their careers. Tom Gola Thomas Joseph Gola (January 13, 1933 – January 26, 2014) was an American basketball player and poli ...


References


External links

*
Bob Lanier bio
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lanier, Bob 1948 births 2022 deaths African-American basketball players All-American college men's basketball players American men's basketball players Basketball coaches from New York (state) Basketball players from Buffalo, New York Centers (basketball) Detroit Pistons draft picks Detroit Pistons players Golden State Warriors head coaches Milwaukee Bucks players Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductees National Basketball Association All-Stars National Basketball Association broadcasters National Basketball Association players with retired numbers National Basketball Players Association presidents National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame inductees Sportspeople from Buffalo, New York St. Bonaventure Bonnies men's basketball players 21st-century African-American people 20th-century African-American sportspeople