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Bob Lanier, one of the top players in theNBAin the 1970s, has died. He was 73.
Commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement that basketball “was a labor of love for Bob,” whom he described as “one of the kindest and most genuine people I have ever been around.”
The sports exec also lauded Lanier’s work as a global ambassador for the NBA, a role he held for over three decades.
“For more than 30 years, Bob served as our global ambassador and as a special assistant to David Stern and then me, traveling the world to teach the game’s values and make a positive impact on young people everywhere,” Silver said. “His enormous influence on the NBA was also seen during his time as President of the National Basketball Players Association, where he played a key role in the negotiation of a game-changing collective bargaining agreement.”
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In a separate statement, the Pistons remembered Lanier as “fierce” and dominant" on the court, while remaining “equally kind and impactful in the community,” according toESPN.
“As an ambassador for both the Pistons organization and the NBA, he represented our league, our franchise and our fans with great passion and integrity,” the team said. “We extend our heartfelt condolences to Bob’s family and friends.”
Playing for the Detroit team from 1970 to 1980, then the Milwaukee Bucks from 1980 to 1984, Lanier appeared in eight All-Star games between 1972 and 1982, including being honored as All-Star MVP in 1974. In 1978, he earned the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award, an annual NBA award given to a member of the league that has shown “outstanding service and dedication to the community.”
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Lanier joined the Golden State Warriors for the 1995 season as an assistant coach and filled in as head coach following Don Nelson’s resignation. The St. Bonaventure basketball arena was also named after him in 2007.
Lanier’s big heart was often on display throughout his time with the NBA, both as a player and alum. During a 2018 interview withNBA.com, Lanier highlighted the importance of community relations within professional sports, which he focused on through his work as a global ambassador.
“There’s so much need out here,” he said at the time. “When you’re traveling around to different cities and different countries, you see there are so many people in dire straits that the NBA can only do so much. We make a vast, vast difference, but there’s always so much more to do.”
source: people.com
