Courtesy of GoBonnies.com
ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. – The St. Bonaventure men’s basketball program will honor the life and career of Bob Lanier during the 2022-23 season in multiple ways, both celebrating his efforts on the court and his philanthropy away from it.
The season-long celebration of Lanier’s legacy will begin at Bona’s season-opener Monday, Nov. 7 when the Bonnies start the campaign with special recognition of the program’s most famous alum. A special pre-game ceremony will highlight Lanier’s accomplishments and lasting impact, and his famous No. 31 retired jersey banner will move to the center of the Reilly Center rafters where it will remain for the entire year.
Lanier’s 31 will also adorn Bona’s jerseys for the entirety of the 2022-23 season, beginning with the Nov. 7 game. Bonnies players will sport 31 patches on their jerseys, made to look like the Bonnies home uniform during his seasons with the program, in tribute.
In addition, St. Bonaventure is proud to announce the institution of the Bob Lanier Literacy Fund to continue his passion for work in the community.
As part of the fund, a $10,000 donation will be made toward youth-serving programs in the Olean area. A $5,000 donation will be pledged to a youth reading program in the community while an additional $5,000 is set to go toward the purchase of books for elementary school students in Cattaraugus County.
Lanier was a longtime spokesperson and chairman of the NBA’s “Stay in School” program, later renamed “Read to Achieve,” a year-round initiative supported by all 30 NBA teams, 13 WNBA teams, and 6 NBDL teams that promotes the value of reading and online literacy and encourages families and adults to read regularly with young children.
The Bob Lanier Center for Educational, Physical and Cultural Development is a children’s and youth service in Buffalo, founded in 1994.
Lanier passed away in May at the age of 73. The Reilly Center Arena court where the Bonnies have played since 1966 was named after Lanier in 2007.
The No. 1 overall NBA Draft pick by the Detroit Pistons in 1970, Lanier led the Bonnies to an undefeated regular season in 1968 (23-0) and the NCAA Final Four in 1970.
But the All-American center suffered a serious knee injury in the 1970 East Regional title win over Villanova and the short-handed Bonnies couldn’t overcome his absence in a 91-83 loss to Jacksonville in the national semifinal.
Recruited out of Buffalo’s Bennett High School by Coach Larry Weise, Lanier grew as a freshman into his legendary size-22 sneakers, leading St. Bonaventure back into the national spotlight during his sophomore season in 1967-68.
In his first varsity season, the 6-foot-11 Lanier and his teammates – the legendary Iron Man Five of Lanier, Bill Butler, Billy Kalbaugh, John Hayes and Jim Satalin – put together an undefeated regular season and a No. 3 national ranking before losing to North Carolina in the second round of the NCAA tourney. Lanier averaged 26.2 points and 15.6 rebounds per game.
A silky-smooth left-hander with a lethal hook shot and mid-range jumper, Lanier averaged 27.2 points and 15.5 rebounds a game his junior year and 29.1 points and 16 rebounds his senior season. He was a consensus All-American each season.
Lanier finished his 75-game career as the St. Bonaventure record holder in seven categories: career scoring (2,067 points); career points per game (27.6); career rebounding (1,180); single-game scoring (51 points vs. Seton Hall); single-game rebounding (27 vs. Loyola, Md.); single-season rebounding (416); and average rebounds in one season (16) in 1969-1970.
In 52 years, only his career points record has been surpassed – by three men who played 29, 37 and 48 more games than Lanier did, when freshmen were allowed to play varsity (after 1972) and schedules grew larger.
An eight-time NBA All-Star and member of the 1970-71 All-Rookie team, Lanier scored more than 19,000 points over his 14-year career with Detroit and Milwaukee, averaging 20.1 points, 10.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.5 blocks, and 1.1 steals while shooting 51.4 percent from the field.
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