Bob Lanier

Robert Jerry Lanier Jr. (September 10, 1948 – May 10, 2022) was an American professional basketball player. He played 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 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, for whom he played college basketball. After retiring from playing he was an assistant coach for the Golden State Warriors, 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. His mother raised him in the Seventh-day Adventist Church. 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.