Bob Lanier

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Lanier was born on September 10, 1948, in Buffalo, New York. Growing up, he was initially rejected from his grammar school basketball team because a coach said his feet (size 11 at age 11) were too large. At Bennett High School, he did not make the varsity squad as a sophomore because coach Nick Mogavero deemed him too clumsy. During his junior year, new coach Fred Schwepker, who taught Lanier in biology class, encouraged him to try out again. Lanier made the team, averaged 21.5 points, and was named to the All-City team. In his senior year, he averaged 25.0 points and earned All-Western New York State honors, leading Bennett to a Buffalo city title each year. He graduated in 1966. Lanier was recruited by more than 100 universities but chose to attend St. Bonaventure University, about an hour and a half from his home, so his parents could watch him play. In 2009, The Buffalo News named Lanier to the All-time All-Western New York team.

In Their Own Story

In the 1967–68 season, Lanier led St. Bonaventure to an undefeated regular season (26–0) and a number three final poll ranking, averaging 26.2 points and 15.6 rebounds per game. In the 1968 NCAA tournament, he had 32 points and 15 rebounds in a 102–93 victory over Boston College. Against Seton Hall in his junior year, Lanier scored 51 points, setting the single-game scoring record for St. Bonaventure. As a senior in 1970, he led St. Bonaventure to the NCAA Final Four, averaging 29.2 points and 16.0 rebounds. However, near the end of the regional championship game, he injured his knee in a collision with Villanova's Chris Ford and did not play in the national semifinal loss to Jacksonville University. That year, he was named the Coach and Athlete Magazine player of the year and the Eastern College Athletic Conference's Player of the Year. Lanier holds St. Bonaventure records for scoring and rebounding, averaging 27.6 points and 15.7 rebounds, with 57% shooting in 75 career games.

Reader's Guide

Bob Lanier was the first overall pick by the Detroit Pistons in the 1970 NBA draft. He played while still recovering from knee surgery and was named to the 1971 NBA All-Rookie Team, averaging 15.6 points and 8.1 rebounds for the 45–37 Pistons. He became a star for Detroit, averaging more than 21 points per game for each of the next eight seasons, with a high of 25.7 PPG in 1971–72. On November 28, 1972, Lanier scored 48 points, a Pistons franchise record for points scored in a game by a center, during a 129–96 win over the Portland Trail Blazers. On January 15, 1974, he led all scorers in that season's NBA All-Star Game with 24 points and was named the All-Star Game MVP. Lanier played under eight coaches in ten seasons with Detroit. He had his No. 16 jersey retired by both the Pistons and the Bucks, and his No. 31 jersey retired by St. Bonaventure University.

Did You Know?

• Lanier was the first overall pick by the Detroit Pistons in the 1970 NBA draft, not by the Milwaukee Bucks.
• He was named Most Valuable Player of the 1974 NBA All-Star Game after scoring 24 points.
• Lanier scored 48 points on November 28, 1972, a Pistons franchise record for points in a game by a center.
• He had eight knee surgeries throughout his life, the first coming after a collision in the 1970 NCAA tournament.
• Lanier's No. 16 jersey was retired by both the Pistons and the Bucks, and his No. 31 jersey was retired by St. Bonaventure University.