“Bob Lanier used to be a Corridor of Repute participant and a number of the maximum proficient facilities within the historical past of the NBA, however his have an effect on at the league went a ways past what he completed at the courtroom,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver stated within the remark.
“His monumental affect at the NBA used to be additionally observed all the way through his time as President of the Nationwide Basketball Gamers Affiliation, the place he performed a key position within the negotiation of a game-changing collective bargaining settlement.”
Lanier additionally served because the league’s international ambassador for greater than 30 years, “touring the sector to show the sport’s values and make a favorable have an effect on on younger other folks far and wide,” Silver stated.
“We ship our private condolences to Bob’s friends and family,” Silver added.
The Detroit Pistons drafted Lanier out of St. Bonaventure within the 1970 draft with the primary general pick out, in step with the biography. He used to be named to the NBA All-Rookie Crew for 1970-71 and averaged 15.6 issues that season. He used to be named the 1974 NBA All-Megastar Maximum Treasured Participant.
“The Detroit Pistons group is deeply saddened by way of the passing Bob Lanier, a real legend who supposed such a lot to town of Detroit and to generations of Pistons lovers,” Pistons proprietor Tom Gores stated in a remark Wednesday.
“As fierce and as dominant as Bob used to be at the courtroom, he used to be similarly type and impactful locally,” Gores stated. “As an envoy for each the Pistons group and the NBA, he represented our league, our franchise and our lovers with nice interest and integrity.”
Lanier in the end joined the Milwaukee Dollars and led them to 5 consecutive department titles within the common season.
“I discovered such a lot from Bob by way of merely staring at how he attached with other folks. He used to be an in depth good friend who I will be able to omit dearly, as will such a lot of of his colleagues around the NBA who had been impressed by way of his generosity,” Silver stated.
