RIP: Bob Lanier

[TKG]

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/...-bucks-dies-73


Saw his size 22 shoes in the Basketball Hall of Fame when I was a kid. Biggest damn things I had ever seen. Took St. Bonaventure to the Final Four in 1970!

[JayZee]

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/...-bucks-dies-73


Saw his size 22 shoes in the Basketball Hall of Fame when I was a kid. Biggest damn things I had ever seen. Took St. Bonaventure to the Final Four in 1970!

Met him once at the old MECCA when he was on the Bucks in the 80s. Super nice guy. HUGE hands. Was quite an experience to shake his hand.

And to link with another ongoing thread/discussion

"According to Bob Lanier, the first time he played Wilt Chamberlain Wilt "picked (him) up like a coffee cup". According to Newspapers, rookie Lanier weighed 288lbs."

[weezie]

Met him once at a Detroit charity event. The Dobber was the most gentle, warm, loving man. A great warrior and a Piston hero.
Rest in peace dear soul!

[miramar]

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/...-bucks-dies-73


Saw his size 22 shoes in the Basketball Hall of Fame when I was a kid. Biggest damn things I had ever seen. Took St. Bonaventure to the Final Four in 1970!

IIRC, St. Bonaventure lost to Jacksonville in the national semifinal after one of Lanier’s teammates tripped and accidentally fell on his knee, which knocked him out of the tournament. UCLA and Sidney Wicks won the championship game.

I also remember that Lanier won a rather hokey NBA one on one tournament during the all star game weekend, and he actually walked away with a satchel full of NBA cash. Needless to say, nobody tried to steal it.

[CrazyNotCrazie]

RIP. I just caught the end of his career so I appreciate everyone’s comments.

Despite an excellent playing career, he is remembered by many for a) his shoe size and b) being referenced by Kareem in Airplane.

[sagegrouse]

IIRC, St. Bonaventure lost to Jacksonville in the national semifinal after one of Lanier’s teammates tripped and accidentally fell on his knee, which knocked him out of the tournament. UCLA and Sidney Wicks won the championship game.

I also remember that Lanier won a rather hokey NBA one on one tournament during the all star game weekend, and he actually walked away with a satchel full of NBA cash. Needless to say, nobody tried to steal it.

It was memorable to me in that Golden State nominated our own Jeff Mullins. He made it to the semis, where he lost to Lanier. That was in '73, '74, or '75.

[WillJ]

As a basketball-loving kid growing up in Michigan in the 1970s, Bob Lanier was always a special person to me. The Pistons were an also ran for his entire career with them, and so I took great satisfaction in his win of that one-on-one tournament. He would be a great offensive big man in today's game, though I wonder how well he could guard. As others have noted, however, he had a gentle spirit.

[DevilHorse]

I attended the NBA/ABA All Star Game II at the Nassau Coliseum in 1972 as a kid. A lot of All Stars. Wilt Chamberlain really was TALL; I remember walking behind the bench (individual seats actually) before the game, and was in awe. Dr. J., Rick Barry (two guys who were on the Nets, but not the same time) were there; Dave Debusschere and John Havlicek (would have loved to have seen him run a timed mile). But the MVP of that game was Bob Lanier. The guy was smooth and he was the obvious choice as the MVP of that game. Yes, biggest feet/sneakers I ever saw in person; probably weighed the most as he was massive. RIP big fella.

Larry
DevilHorse

[MChambers]

"Tell your old man to drag Walton and Lanier up and down the floor for 48 minutes."