Pettit played college ball at Louisiana State University where he a three-time All-Southeastern Conference selection and a two-time All American. In 1954 the Milwaukee Hawks selected Pettit in the first round of the NBA Draft.

Pettit won the 1955 NBA Rookie of the Year Award after averaging 20.4 points and 13.8 rebounds per game. The following year, Pettit won his first scoring title with a 25.7 average, and led the league in rebounding (1164 for a 16.2 average). Pettit was also the MVP of the NBA All-Star Game after scoring 20 points with 24 rebounds. Pettit was also the All-Star Game MVP in 1958 and 1962.

In 1958, Pettit also won his first of two NBA MVP awards (the other was in 1959). The Hawks won the NBA title in 1958 against the Boston Celtics, one of only two times that the Celtics lost an NBA title with legendary Bill Russell.

Pettit averaged at least 20 points per game and at least 12 rebounds per game in each of his 11 NBA seasons. No other retired player in NBA history has averaged more than 20 points per game in every season they've played.

In the 1960-61 season, Pettit pulled down more than 20 rebounds per game, making him one of only five players to ever accomplish the feat. In the following season, he scored a career best 31.1 points per game. Pettit ended his career in 1965, becoming the first NBA player to eclipse the 20,000 points mark (20,880 for a 26.4 average). His 12,849 rebounds were second most in league history at the time he retired, and his 16.2 rebounds per game career average remains third only to Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell. Pettit was an 11-time NBA All-Star and was named to the All-NBA First Team ten times.

Basketball, Hall of Fame