Artis Gilmore
Encyclopedia
Artis Gilmore is a retired American
Hall of Fame basketball
player who played in the American Basketball Association
(ABA) and National Basketball Association
(NBA). Artis was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on August 12, 2011.
A star center
during his two collegiate years at Jacksonville University
, in Jacksonville
, Florida
, Gilmore led the Dolphins to the NCAA Division I championship game in 1970, where his team was beaten 80-69 by the University of California at Los Angeles Bruins. Gilmore remains the top player in rebounds per game in the history of NCAA Division I basketball.
In the minds of many , Gilmore was surpassed as an ABA star only by Julius Erving
. Gilmore followed five All-Star seasons with the Kentucky Colonels
of the ABA by becoming the first overall pick of the 1976 NBA dispersal draft, which was held after the ABA was disbanded, as four teams transferred to the NBA. In Gilmore's complete pro basketball career, he was an eleven-time All-Star, the ABA Rookie of the Year, and an ABA MVP, and he remains the NBA career leader for field goal percentage.
Nicknamed "The A-Train", the 7' 2" (2.18 m) Gilmore once played in 670 consecutive games.
, and reared there and in Dothan, Alabama
, — a larger community 35 miles to the north. He graduated from Dothan's Carver High School in 1967. He played college basketball
at the Gardner-Webb Junior College
for two years and at Jacksonville University
for two years, leading the Jacksonville Dolphins
team to the NCAA title game in 1970, where they lost 80-69 to the UCLA Bruins. During the two years that Gilmore played NCAA basketball at Jacksonville, he became one of only five college basketball players ever to average at least 20 points and 20 rebounds over his career. Gilmore led the NCAA in rebounding both years at Jacksonville, and his career average of 22.7 rebounds per game is still the highest in NCAA Division I history.
When departing from college, Gilmore was drafted by the Kentucky Colonels
in the 1971 American Basketball Association
draft, and also by the Chicago Bulls
in the 1971 NBA Draft
.
of the American Basketball Association for the 1971-72 season, signing a record high-paying contract. He was so immediately dominant that he earned the rare distinction of being selected both the Rookie of the Year award and the league Most Valuable Player award for his first season.
Over his five-year ABA career, Gilmore led the ABA four times in rebounding average, twice in both field goal percentage and blocks per game, and once in personal fouls. He was named to the All-ABA First team five straight seasons, and the All-Defense team four times. He played in the ABA All-Star Game all five years he was in the league, earning the 1974 game
's MVP. The capstone of his time in the ABA was leading the 1974-75 Kentucky Colonels
to the 1975 ABA championship
and being named the ABA Playoffs Most Valuable Player
.
During his days as an ABA dominator, Gilmore established league records for career field goal percentage (0.557), career blocked shots (750), blocked shots in a season (287 in the 1973-74 season), and rebounds in a game (40).
, Indiana Pacers
, New York Nets, and San Antonio Spurs
) joining the NBA in the ABA-NBA merger
, and the remaining teams, including Kentucky Colonels, folding. Since his team, the Kentucky Colonels, had folded, Gilmore went into the special 1976 ABA dispersal draft
, and he was chosen with the first overall pick by the Chicago Bulls
. While not the same awesome force that he had been in the ABA, after four All-Star selections in five solid basketball seasons in Chicago, Gilmore was traded to the San Antonio Spurs
in 1983. Twice again an All-Star in San Antonio through 1987
, he rejoined the Bulls for part of the 1988 season
before finishing his NBA career with the Boston Celtics
in 1988.
Gilmore played the 1988-89 season with Arimo Bologna
of the Italian league
, where he averaged 12.3 points and 11.0 rebounds and made the European All-Star Team.
. He led the NBA in field goal percentage in four consecutive seasons, including a career best 67.0% during the 1980-81 season — the third highest percentage in NBA history. He remains the NBA's career leader in field goal percentage (minimum 2000 shots made) with a 59.9 percentage.
In 2007, Gilmore took a position as Special Assistant to the President at his alma mater, serving in various public relations capacities.
Gilmore also provides radio color commentary for his alma mater on the school's flagship station, WJXL
. Gilmore was also a frequent guest on the basketball call-in show Ballin' with Al Edwards, also on WJXL.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Hall of Fame basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player who played in the American Basketball Association
American Basketball Association
The American Basketball Association was a professional basketball league founded in 1967. The ABA ceased to exist with the ABA–NBA merger in 1976.-League history:...
(ABA) and National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
(NBA). Artis was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on August 12, 2011.
A star center
Center (basketball)
The center, colloquially known as the five or the post, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well...
during his two collegiate years at Jacksonville University
Jacksonville University
Jacksonville University is a private university in Jacksonville, Florida, on the banks of the St. Johns River. The school was founded in 1934 as a two year college and was known as Jacksonville Junior College until 1958, when it shifted its focus to four-year university degrees and adopted its...
, in Jacksonville
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, Gilmore led the Dolphins to the NCAA Division I championship game in 1970, where his team was beaten 80-69 by the University of California at Los Angeles Bruins. Gilmore remains the top player in rebounds per game in the history of NCAA Division I basketball.
In the minds of many , Gilmore was surpassed as an ABA star only by Julius Erving
Julius Erving
Julius Winfield Erving II , commonly known by the nickname Dr. J, is a retired American basketball player who helped launch a modern style of play that emphasizes leaping and play above the rim....
. Gilmore followed five All-Star seasons with the Kentucky Colonels
Kentucky Colonels
The Kentucky Colonels were a member of the American Basketball Association for all of the league's nine years. The name is derived from the historic Kentucky colonels. The Colonels won the most games and had the highest winning percentage of any franchise in the league's history, but the team did...
of the ABA by becoming the first overall pick of the 1976 NBA dispersal draft, which was held after the ABA was disbanded, as four teams transferred to the NBA. In Gilmore's complete pro basketball career, he was an eleven-time All-Star, the ABA Rookie of the Year, and an ABA MVP, and he remains the NBA career leader for field goal percentage.
Nicknamed "The A-Train", the 7' 2" (2.18 m) Gilmore once played in 670 consecutive games.
Early years
Gilmore was born in Chipley, FloridaChipley, Florida
Chipley is a city in Washington County, Florida, United States. Its population was 3,592 at the time of the 2000 U.S. Census. According to the United States Census Bureau estimates of 2005, the city had a population of about 3,682...
, and reared there and in Dothan, Alabama
Dothan, Alabama
Dothan is a city located in the southeastern corner of the US state of Alabama, situated approximately west of the Georgia state line and north of Florida. It is the seat of Houston County, with portions extending into nearby Dale County and Henry County...
, — a larger community 35 miles to the north. He graduated from Dothan's Carver High School in 1967. He played college basketball
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
at the Gardner-Webb Junior College
Gardner-Webb University
Gardner–Webb University is a private university located west of Charlotte in Boiling Springs, North Carolina, USA. The school has a total of 14 academic departments offering 45 major fields of study. Among the most popular of the school's 39 undergraduate majors are those in business , education ,...
for two years and at Jacksonville University
Jacksonville University
Jacksonville University is a private university in Jacksonville, Florida, on the banks of the St. Johns River. The school was founded in 1934 as a two year college and was known as Jacksonville Junior College until 1958, when it shifted its focus to four-year university degrees and adopted its...
for two years, leading the Jacksonville Dolphins
Jacksonville Dolphins
The Jacksonville University Dolphins are the athletics team of Jacksonville University in Jacksonville, Florida, USA. The Dolphins participate in NCAA Division I athletics, and are members of the Atlantic Sun Conference, the National Lacrosse Conference, and as the Pioneer Football League.-Sports...
team to the NCAA title game in 1970, where they lost 80-69 to the UCLA Bruins. During the two years that Gilmore played NCAA basketball at Jacksonville, he became one of only five college basketball players ever to average at least 20 points and 20 rebounds over his career. Gilmore led the NCAA in rebounding both years at Jacksonville, and his career average of 22.7 rebounds per game is still the highest in NCAA Division I history.
When departing from college, Gilmore was drafted by the Kentucky Colonels
Kentucky Colonels
The Kentucky Colonels were a member of the American Basketball Association for all of the league's nine years. The name is derived from the historic Kentucky colonels. The Colonels won the most games and had the highest winning percentage of any franchise in the league's history, but the team did...
in the 1971 American Basketball Association
American Basketball Association
The American Basketball Association was a professional basketball league founded in 1967. The ABA ceased to exist with the ABA–NBA merger in 1976.-League history:...
draft, and also by the Chicago Bulls
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
in the 1971 NBA Draft
1971 NBA Draft
The 1971 NBA Draft was the 25th annual draft of the National Basketball Association . The draft was held on March 29, 1971 before the 1971–72 season. In this draft, 17 NBA teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball players and other eligible players, including international players...
.
ABA
Gilmore began his professional career with the Kentucky ColonelsKentucky Colonels
The Kentucky Colonels were a member of the American Basketball Association for all of the league's nine years. The name is derived from the historic Kentucky colonels. The Colonels won the most games and had the highest winning percentage of any franchise in the league's history, but the team did...
of the American Basketball Association for the 1971-72 season, signing a record high-paying contract. He was so immediately dominant that he earned the rare distinction of being selected both the Rookie of the Year award and the league Most Valuable Player award for his first season.
Over his five-year ABA career, Gilmore led the ABA four times in rebounding average, twice in both field goal percentage and blocks per game, and once in personal fouls. He was named to the All-ABA First team five straight seasons, and the All-Defense team four times. He played in the ABA All-Star Game all five years he was in the league, earning the 1974 game
1974 ABA All-Star Game
GAME 7: at Norfolk Scope, Norfolk, Virginia, January 30, 1974MVP: Artis Gilmore, Kentucky ColonelsCoaches:* East: Babe McCarthy, Kentucky Colonels* West: Joe Mullaney, Utah Stars-Western Conference: -Eastern Conference: -Score by Periods:...
's MVP. The capstone of his time in the ABA was leading the 1974-75 Kentucky Colonels
1974-75 Kentucky Colonels season
The 1974-75 American Basketball Association season saw the Kentucky Colonels, led by Dan Issel, Artis Gilmore, Louie Dampier and coach Hubie Brown, win the 1975 ABA Championship.-Preseason transactions:...
to the 1975 ABA championship
1975 ABA Playoffs
The 1975 ABA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the American Basketball Association's 1974-1975 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Division champion Kentucky Colonels defeating the Western Division champion Indiana Pacers, four games to one in the ABA Finals.The Kentucky...
and being named the ABA Playoffs Most Valuable Player
ABA Playoffs Most Valuable Player
The ABA Playoffs Most Valuable Player Award was an annual American Basketball Association award given in the ABA Playoffs. The award was first awarded in the 1968 ABA Playoffs, and was retired as part of the ABA–NBA merger...
.
During his days as an ABA dominator, Gilmore established league records for career field goal percentage (0.557), career blocked shots (750), blocked shots in a season (287 in the 1973-74 season), and rebounds in a game (40).
Number 1 NBA draft pick
The ABA ended its existence after the 1976 season, with four of its teams (Denver NuggetsDenver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National Basketball Association . They were founded as the Denver Rockets in 1967 as a charter franchise of the American Basketball Association, and became one of that league's more successful teams...
, Indiana Pacers
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...
, New York Nets, and San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
) joining the NBA in the ABA-NBA merger
ABA-NBA merger
The ABA–NBA merger was the merger of the American Basketball Association with the National Basketball Association, which after multiple attempts over several years finally occurred in 1976.- Origins of ABA-NBA competition :...
, and the remaining teams, including Kentucky Colonels, folding. Since his team, the Kentucky Colonels, had folded, Gilmore went into the special 1976 ABA dispersal draft
Dispersal draft
A dispersal draft is a process in professional sports for assigning players to a new team when their current team goes out of business, consolidates with another team, or for some other reason ceases to exist. Since most sports drafts are held in North America, this is where most dispersal drafts...
, and he was chosen with the first overall pick by the Chicago Bulls
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
. While not the same awesome force that he had been in the ABA, after four All-Star selections in five solid basketball seasons in Chicago, Gilmore was traded to the San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
in 1983. Twice again an All-Star in San Antonio through 1987
1986-87 NBA season
-Statistics leaders:-Yearly awards:* Most Valuable Player: Magic Johnson, Los Angeles Lakers* Rookie of the Year: Chuck Person, Indiana Pacers* Defensive Player of the Year: Michael Cooper, Los Angeles Lakers...
, he rejoined the Bulls for part of the 1988 season
1987-88 NBA season
-Statistics leaders:-NBA awards:*Most Valuable Player: Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls*Rookie of the Year: Mark Jackson, New York Knicks*Defensive Player of the Year: Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls...
before finishing his NBA career with the Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
in 1988.
Gilmore played the 1988-89 season with Arimo Bologna
Fortitudo Bologna
Fortitudo Pallacanestro Bologna is an Legadue Basket professional basketball club that is based in Bologna. It's currently sponsored by Conad.-History:...
of the Italian league
Serie A (basketball)
Lega Basket Serie A is the highest level club competition in Italian professional basketball where play determines the national champion. The season consists of a home-and-away schedule of 30 games, followed by an eight-team playoff round. Quarterfinals and semifinals series are best-of-five, and...
, where he averaged 12.3 points and 11.0 rebounds and made the European All-Star Team.
NBA achievements
Gilmore played in a total of six NBA All-Star GamesNational Basketball Association All-Star Game
The National Basketball Association staged its first All-Star Game in the Boston Garden on March 2, 1951. From that year on, the game has matched the best players in the Eastern Conference with the best players in the Western Conference....
. He led the NBA in field goal percentage in four consecutive seasons, including a career best 67.0% during the 1980-81 season — the third highest percentage in NBA history. He remains the NBA's career leader in field goal percentage (minimum 2000 shots made) with a 59.9 percentage.
After basketball
Following his playing career, Gilmore has been active in the Jacksonville community.In 2007, Gilmore took a position as Special Assistant to the President at his alma mater, serving in various public relations capacities.
Gilmore also provides radio color commentary for his alma mater on the school's flagship station, WJXL
WJXL
WJXL 1010 AM, known on-air as 1010 XL, is a sports radio station licensed to Jacksonville Beach, Florida, owned and operated by Seven Bridges Radio, under its president Steve Griffin. Griffin also serves as General Manager of the station....
. Gilmore was also a frequent guest on the basketball call-in show Ballin' with Al Edwards, also on WJXL.
See also
- List of National Basketball Association career rebounding leaders
- List of National Basketball Association career blocks leaders
- List of National Basketball Association top individual field goal percentage seasons
- List of National Basketball Association players with most blocks in a game
- List of NCAA Division I men's basketball season rebounding leaders
- List of NCAA Division I men's basketball players with 30 or more rebounds in a game
External links
- NBA.com: Artis Gilmore Summary
- http://www.artisgilmore.com/
- http://artisgilmore53.blogspot.com/
- Radio Interview With Artis Gilmore "The Week Artis Is Inducted Into Hall of Fame" - Miller on Sports Radio