Bob Lanier was drafted in 1970 by the Detroit Pistons. He played for them until 1980 when he moved to the Milwaukee Bucks. His name is still remembered today as one of the greatest players to ever play in the NBA, and his legacy lives on through a basketball camp that bears his name.
Bob Lanier loved playing basketball from an early age but ran into problems because he was too big for most squads to want him on their team. Bob had to work hard every day just so that he could stay with a team long enough to get noticed, even if it meant being benched or not starting at all sometimes during games.
Bob Lanier – Early life
Robert Jerry Lanier, Jr. was born on September 10, 1948, in Buffalo, New York. He is the son of Robert and Nannette Lanier, who lived in one of the city’s most impoverished areas. When he attended Bennett High School at age 14 wearing men’s clothing made him feel strange because he was 6 feet 8 inches tall by then.
Lanier also felt alienated simply because he was poor. All his peers had nice clothes, something he didn’t have.
Large isn’t always good
Bob, even though he was a tall kid, got cut from his grammar school basketball team due to his large feet (11), which were en route to becoming the biggest in the NBA at size 22. His coach deemed it impossible for him to become a baller, something which he would prove to be completely wrong.
In high school, Lanier wasn’t favored either. Basketball team coach, Nick Mogavero, found him to be too uncoordinated to play and, again, cut him from the squad. Lanier, demotivated by his treatment, decided to start working out to improve his movement.
A chance for a turnaround
Next year, he finally found some support in the form of his biology teacher, a soon-to-be basketball coach, who took Lanier in. Bob started as a center, and averaged 21 points that season, making him the star player, and diminishing the feelings of awkwardness and alienation.
Bob Lanier – College career at St. Bonaventure
Since Lanier’s talent didn’t go unnoticed, he got offers from over 100 universities. He picked St. Bonaventure and would go on to become a key player, similarly to his high school years. In his sophomore year, Lanier managed to help his team to a 22-0 record in the regular season and a 23-2 overall.
Bob Lanier – All-American
His averages of 26.2 ppg and 15.6 rpg allowed him a spot on the All-American Second Team. He kept improving, achieving an average of over 27 points and repeating his 15.6 rebounds.
Bob Lanier was always getting motivated by his parents to gain an education. For this reason, when he was offered $1.2 million to join the ABA’s New York Nets, he refused and stayed in school instead.
Bob Lanier – Further improvements and injury
Improving in his senior year again (29 points per game), he was once again picked to the All-American squad. Leading his team to a 25-1 overall record, he earned the Bonnies a spot in the NCAA tournament. The match was bittersweet for Bob. Even though they managed to win the first game, he suffered a life-changing knee injury, which would haunt him for the rest of his career.
The semi-finals saw their defeat without their star player. In 1970, Lanier graduated with a BA in business administration and became the number one scorer for the Bonnies at the time.
Bob Lanier – Detroit Pistons
Despite his ailment, the Detroit Pistons selected Lanier with the first pick in the 1970 NBA Draft. The club had not achieved a winning season in 13 years since moving to Detroit from Fort Wayne, and team officials were so eager to acquire Lanier while he was still recovering in a hospital bed after knee surgery that they offered him a contract even before he was discharged.
Bob Lanier – NBA career
During the first season, Lanier recorded fantastic statistics for a rookie, averaging 15.6 points and 8.1 rebounds per game in all 82 contests. He was a part of the NBA All-Rookie Team at the conclusion of the year when his team’s record improved to 45-37.
When he reported for training camp for his rookie season, he was still limping and had to deal with the fact that he had undergone surgery. He was also overweight because of his lengthy recovery period.
In his second season, with his knee finally healing and his mobility improving, Lanier’s production rose to 25.7 points and 14.2 rebounds a night, placing him eighth in the NBA for scoring and ninth in rebounding. In 1972 he was invited to his first All-Star Game in the NBA. He was named an All-Star eight times during his 14-year career.
Bob Lanier – The Dobber
The bulky Lanier, who was called the Big Dobber, took up a lot of space under the basket, and he dominated the middle on defense. On offense, he had an almost unstoppable left-handed hook shot with a range of up to 15 feet. He was also a strong free-throw shooter, sinking better than 75 percent of his attempts in 11 seasons.
Injuries would plague Lanier all the time
Lanier was also recognized for being a tough and physical player who played through discomfort, which he did all too frequently. Lanier had knee surgery five times throughout his career, as well as a fractured right hand, a bad toe, a sore back, a fractured finger, and chronic shoulder issues.
The Pistons began to stick together in 1972-73 when Lanier was taking over the middle of each game.
His defensive and rebounding skills improved. Lanier finished with 14.9 rebounds per game, including a career-high of 33. He credited new coach Ray Scott for the Pistons’ consistent improvement.
Between 1974 and 1978, Lanier developed into a scoring threat, putting up more than 20 points and 10 rebounds every year. The Pistons made the postseason three times but were beaten in the opening rounds every time.
Bob Lanier – Further injuries
In 1975-76, Lanier began to suffer from a series of injuries. He’d never missed more than two games in any of his first four seasons, and he’d only missed six in 1974-75. But he sat out 18 games each year from 1976 through 1978, 19 games in 1977-78, and almost 30 games in 1978-79 as a result of a slew of issues.
Lanier was a big guy, which contributed immensely to his susceptibility to injuries. Similarities can be drawn to other legendary players. The future Lakers star, Shaquille O’Neal, a just as tenacious player, would also be plagued by injuries due to his size and style of playing.
He earned the Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award for his outstanding contributions to the community in 1977. His primary interest was raising money for children with body ailments like muscular dystrophy. Even though Lanier spent little time on the court that year (compared to his other seasons), he managed to achieve great figures at 24.5 points and 11.3 rebounds per game.
Even with great performance in the 1978-79 season, averaging 23.6 points per game, the next year brought unfortunate measures that hurt Lanier deeply. Detroit had the worst performance in years, going for a 16-66 record in the regular season.
Bob asked to be traded that year, but it wasn’t done without pain in his heart. After all, he spent 10 years with that team, for better or for worse. Despite it being him requesting a move, Lanier recalls crying like a baby when getting on a plane to Milwaukee.
Bob Lanier – Move to Milwaukee
In Milwaukee, Lanier guided the Bucks to five consecutive division titles during the regular season, but his bad fortune in the postseason continued. In 1980-81, the Bucks were eliminated by the Philadelphia 76ers in the Eastern Conference Semifinals; a single point determined Game 7.
In the following season, the Bucks made it to the conference finals before being defeated by the 76ers for a second time. In 1983-84, Lanier’s last year with the team, Milwaukee advanced to the conference finals for a second time but was beaten by Boston.
Bob Lanier – Net Worth
Bob Lanier is a legendary NBA star who has an estimated net worth of around $5 million. He is one of the most successful basketball players to have ever played in the NBA, and his net worth reflects that. Lanier has achieved great success both on and off the court, and his wealth is evidence of that.
Bob Lanier – Death
Bob Lanier, a prominent figure in the NBA during the 1970s, passed away on May 10th, 2022, at the age of 73. The NBA announced that his death followed a brief illness. Lanier had been serving the league as a global ambassador. Notably, in 2019, The Athletic reported that Lanier was undergoing treatment for bladder cancer.
What year did Bob Lanier retire?
On September 24, 1984, Lanier retired from the Milwaukee Bucks due to reoccurring knee injuries. In his 278 games with the team, he averaged 26 minutes, 13.5 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.0 steals per game. He was also selected to play in the 1982 All-Star Game with Milwaukee
