Offensive Game
Elite scorer combining post dominance with an advanced face-up game that was decades ahead of its time. Averaged 22+ PPG during his prime Detroit seasons with exceptional efficiency.

Career Journey
Detroit Pistons
1970-1980
Robert Jerry Lanier Jr. 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.
Offensive Game
Elite scorer combining post dominance with an advanced face-up game that was decades ahead of its time. Averaged 22+ PPG during his prime Detroit seasons with exceptional efficiency.
Defensive Game
Dominant interior defender whose size, strength, and shot-blocking ability made him one of the premier rim protectors of his era.
Intangibles
Highly intelligent player whose understanding of the center position was ahead of his time. His post footwork and face-up skill reflected a processing of the game that few centers of any era have matched.
All articles
Bob Lanier brought Hall of Fame interior presence to Milwaukee's 1980s contending teams — eight All-Star appearances and the largest feet in NBA history.
Detroit Pistons
Detroit Pistons
Subscribe for in-depth player analysis and stat breakdowns delivered to your inbox.
Milwaukee Bucks
1980-1984
Personal Life & Family
Partner
Rose Lanier
Children (1)
Parents & Siblings
Off the Court
Stay in School initiative with the NBA
Youth education programs nationwide
Did You Know?
Lanier's feet — size 22 shoes — were the largest in NBA history, a fact that became a well-known trivia item throughout his career.
He suffered a severe knee injury in the 1970 NCAA Tournament — the very injury that caused the Pistons to select him first overall — limiting him early in his career and raising questions about what he might have achieved fully healthy.
After retirement, Lanier served as an NBA Ambassador for decades, representing the league internationally and working extensively in youth development programs.
His averaged 22+ PPG and 10+ RPG seasons for Detroit placed him among the elite big men of the 1970s despite the Pistons never making a deep playoff run during his tenure.
Career Honors
8x NBA All-Star
NBA Draft 1st Overall Pick (1970)
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame (1992)
NBA 50th Anniversary All-Time Team (1996)
NBA Global Ambassador
Official Jerseys

107.00
Check Price on NBA Store
124.99
Check Price on NBA Store
543.99
Check Price on NBA Store
105.00
Check Price on NBA Store
105.00
Check Price on NBA Store
93.00
Check Price on NBA Store
105.00
Check Price on NBA Store
29.99
Check Price on NBA Store
105.00
Check Price on NBA Store
107.00
Check Price on NBA StoreDetroit Pistons · Official

79.99
Affiliate link · Disclosure
79.99
Affiliate link · Disclosure

143.99
Affiliate link · Disclosure
99.99
Affiliate link · Disclosure
Shop · Worldwide
This page contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you purchase through these links, at no extra cost to you.
© 2026 143 Basketball Haven