Bob Lanier
Basketball · Hometown: Buffalo, NY
- High school
- Bennett High School
- College
- St. Bonaventure University
- Pro team(s)
- Detroit Pistons, Milwaukee Bucks
- Hall of Fame
- ⭐ Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
Robert Jerry Lanier Jr. was born on September 10, 1948, in Buffalo, New York. He attended Bennett High School in Buffalo and then played at nearby St. Bonaventure University in Olean, where he led the Bonnies to the 1970 Final Four before suffering a devastating knee injury in the NCAA Tournament. Despite playing at less than full health, Lanier was selected first overall in the 1970 NBA Draft by the Detroit Pistons — a testament to the magnitude of his talent. At 6-foot-11 and 265 pounds with perhaps the largest feet in NBA history (size 22 shoes, which are on display at the Hall of Fame), Lanier was an overpowering yet mobile center with a soft shooting touch and superb post footwork. He averaged 19.1 points and 10.1 rebounds per game over 14 seasons with Detroit and Milwaukee, was an eight-time All-Star, and was among the most respected players of his era. Though he never played for a championship team, Lanier was a leader off the court as well: he served as NBA Players Association president and was a tireless advocate for players' rights and community causes. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1992. Born and raised in Buffalo, New York.