 Lanier in 2004 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 10, 1948 Buffalo, New York, U.S. |
| Died | May 10, 2022 (aged 73) Phoenix, Arizona, U.S. |
| Listed height | 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) |
| Listed weight | 250 lb (113 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Bennett (Buffalo, New York) |
| College | St. Bonaventure (1967–1970) |
| NBA draft | 1970: 1st round, 1st overall pick |
| Selected by the Detroit Pistons | |
| Playing career | 1970–1984 |
| Position | Center |
| Number | 16 |
| Career history | |
| As player: | |
| 1970–1980 | Detroit Pistons |
| 1980–1984 | Milwaukee Bucks |
| As coach: | |
| 1994–1995 | Golden State Warriors (assistant) |
| 1995 | Golden State Warriors (interim) |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
| Career statistics | |
| Points | 19,248 (20.1 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 9,698 (10.1 rpg) |
| Blocks | 1,100 (1.5 bpg) |
| Stats at NBA.com | |
| Stats at Basketball Reference | |
| Basketball Hall of Fame | |
| Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame | |
Robert Jerry Lanier Jr. (September 10, 1948 – May 10, 2022) was an American professional basketball player. He played center for the Detroit Pistons and the Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Lanier was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1992.
In 14 NBA seasons, Lanier played in eight NBA All-Star Games and was named Most Valuable Player of the 1974 game. His accomplishments came despite a long history with knee injuries. He had his No. 16 jersey retired by both the Pistons and the Bucks and his No. 31 jersey retired by St. Bonaventure University, for whom he played college basketball. After retiring from playing he was an assistant coach for the Golden State Warriors, and briefly served as their interim head coach. He went on to work as an NBA Cares Global Ambassador.