Herm Gilliam
Encyclopedia
Herman L. Gilliam Jr. (May 5, 1946 – April 16, 2005) was an American professional basketball
player. He was born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina
.
, located in West Lafayette, Indiana
. He played under head coach George King
and alongside Billy Keller
and three-time All-American Rick Mount
. He was an honored co-captain of the Boilermakers
in both his Junior and Senior years and helped lead the Boilers to an NCAA Finals
appearance in 1969. He led Purdue with 8.5 rebounds per game his Senior season and received First Team All-Big Ten honors. He twice received Purdue's Most Valuable Player award and was the recipient of the Ward Lambert Scholarship Trophy for scholastic excellence. In three Varsity seasons at Purdue, the 6'3" and 190 lb guard scored 1,118 points and finished his collegiate career in 5th place among the school's all-time scoring leaders, averaging 16 points a game. After his junior season, Herm declined to leave before his senior year for a chance to play for the Chicago Bulls
, whom he was drafted by in the 13th round of the 1968 NBA Draft
. In 2006 he was inducted in the Purdue Athletic Hall of Fame.
in the 1969 ABA
draft and by the Cincinnati Royals
in the first round (8th pick) of the 1969 NBA Draft
. He averaged 7.5 points a game in his rookie season while playing in Cincinnati. After his first season, Gilliam was traded to the Buffalo Braves
, an expansion team, where he played for the 1970-71 season averaging 11.2 points and just over 4 rebounds a game.
, "Bitty", as he was known to teammates, was traded to the Atlanta Hawks
on July 23, 1971 to start the 1971-72 season. Working with the likes of Lou Hudson
and Pete Maravich
in the backcourt, he averaged 10.2 points a game and had career high 83.8 free-throw percentage, connecting with 145 on the season. He scored his season high of 30 points vs. the Cleveland Cavaliers
on March 19, 1972. Herm's best career season came during the 1972-73 campaign, where he averaged 14 points and 5.25 rebounds a game with a .468 field goal percentage, while leading the Hawks in steals. In his only season in which he scored over 1,000 points (1,665), he scored a career high 35 points against the Portland Trail Blazers
on October 26, 1973. During his four seasons with Atlanta, he averaged 12.5 points a game, including his career high of 14.1 during the 1973-74 season.
. Gilliam suffered from a knee injury during the 1975-76 season, but rallied back and scored his season high 24 points in a game. After an injury-prone season with the SuperSonics, Gilliam was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers
, where he won an NBA championship
ring with the likes of Bill Walton
during his final season in 1977. Early in the season Gilliam was unhappy with his playing time. However he refused a trade to New Orleans, a team which promised him more playing time, to stay in Portland, as he felt the Trail Blazers gave him a greater chance at winning a championship. Gilliam's best game of the season came in game four of the Western Conference Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers, where he scored 24 points on 12 of 18 shooting from the field. David Halberstam
described his contributions in this game in his book The Breaks of the Game
.
where he worked for 15 years, eventually being promoted to managing the company's Corvallis
-Albany
hub.
Gilliam died of a heart attack on April 16, 2005 in Salem
, Oregon
.
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. He was born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Winston-Salem is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina, with a 2010 population of 229,617. Winston-Salem is the county seat and largest city of Forsyth County and the fourth-largest city in the state. Winston-Salem is the second largest municipality in the Piedmont Triad region and is home to...
.
1965-1969
Herm Gilliam attended Purdue UniversityPurdue University
Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...
, located in West Lafayette, Indiana
West Lafayette, Indiana
As of the census of 2010, there were 29,596 people, 12,591 households, and 3,588 families residing in the city. The population density was 5,381.1 people per square mile . The racial makeup of the city was 74.3% White, 17.3% Asian, 2.7% African American, 0.16% Native American, 0.03% Pacific...
. He played under head coach George King
George King
George King is the name of:* George King , British founder of the Aetherius Society new religious movement* George King , American basketball player and head coach...
and alongside Billy Keller
Billy Keller
William Curry "Billy" Keller is an American former professional basketball player.-1961-1965:...
and three-time All-American Rick Mount
Rick Mount
Richard Carl Mount is a former American basketball player in the American Basketball Association . He was the first high school athlete to be featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated.-Early life:...
. He was an honored co-captain of the Boilermakers
Purdue Boilermakers men's basketball
The Purdue Boilermakers basketball team is a college basketball program that competes in NCAA Division I and is a member of the Big Ten Conference. Purdue basketball holds the record for most Big Ten Championships with 22, along with being the only program in the conference to boast winning records...
in both his Junior and Senior years and helped lead the Boilers to an NCAA Finals
1969 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1969 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 25 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 8, 1969, and ended with the championship game on March 22 in Louisville, Kentucky...
appearance in 1969. He led Purdue with 8.5 rebounds per game his Senior season and received First Team All-Big Ten honors. He twice received Purdue's Most Valuable Player award and was the recipient of the Ward Lambert Scholarship Trophy for scholastic excellence. In three Varsity seasons at Purdue, the 6'3" and 190 lb guard scored 1,118 points and finished his collegiate career in 5th place among the school's all-time scoring leaders, averaging 16 points a game. After his junior season, Herm declined to leave before his senior year for a chance to play for 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...
, whom he was drafted by in the 13th round of the 1968 NBA Draft
1968 NBA Draft
The 1968 NBA Draft was the 22nd annual draft of the National Basketball Association . The draft was held on April 3, 1968 and May 8, 1968 before the 1968–69 season. In this draft, 14 NBA teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball players. A player who had finished his four-year...
. In 2006 he was inducted in the Purdue Athletic Hall of Fame.
1969-1971
Gilliam was selected by 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...
in the 1969 ABA
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 by the Cincinnati Royals
Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. They are currently members of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
in the first round (8th pick) of the 1969 NBA Draft
1969 NBA Draft
The 1969 NBA Draft was the 23rd annual draft of the National Basketball Association . The draft was held on April 7, 1969 and May 7, 1969 before the 1969–70 season. In this draft, 14 NBA teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball players. A player who had finished his four-year...
. He averaged 7.5 points a game in his rookie season while playing in Cincinnati. After his first season, Gilliam was traded to the Buffalo Braves
Buffalo Braves
The Buffalo Braves were a team in the National Basketball Association. They later moved to San Diego, California to become the San Diego Clippers then subsequently the Los Angeles Clippers....
, an expansion team, where he played for the 1970-71 season averaging 11.2 points and just over 4 rebounds a game.
1971-1975
During his honeymoonHoneymoon
-History:One early reference to a honeymoon is in Deuteronomy 24:5 “When a man is newly wed, he need not go out on a military expedition, nor shall any public duty be imposed on him...
, "Bitty", as he was known to teammates, was traded to the Atlanta Hawks
Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are part of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association .-The first years:...
on July 23, 1971 to start the 1971-72 season. Working with the likes of Lou Hudson
Lou Hudson
Louis Clyde Hudson is a former NBA basketball player.-NBA career:Lou graduated from Dudley High School in Greensboro. After starring at the University of Minnesota, Hudson was selected by the St. Louis Hawks with the 4th pick of the 1966 NBA Draft...
and Pete Maravich
Pete Maravich
Peter "Pistol Pete" Press Maravich was an American professional basketball player. Born and raised in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, Maravich starred in college at Louisiana State University and played for three NBA teams until injuries induced him to retire in 1980...
in the backcourt, he averaged 10.2 points a game and had career high 83.8 free-throw percentage, connecting with 145 on the season. He scored his season high of 30 points vs. the Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers are a professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They began playing in the National Basketball Association in 1970 as an expansion team...
on March 19, 1972. Herm's best career season came during the 1972-73 campaign, where he averaged 14 points and 5.25 rebounds a game with a .468 field goal percentage, while leading the Hawks in steals. In his only season in which he scored over 1,000 points (1,665), he scored a career high 35 points against the Portland Trail Blazers
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...
on October 26, 1973. During his four seasons with Atlanta, he averaged 12.5 points a game, including his career high of 14.1 during the 1973-74 season.
1975-1977
On October 22, 1975, Gilliam was traded to the Seattle SuperSonicsSeattle SuperSonics
The Seattle SuperSonics were an American professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington that played in the Pacific and Northwest Divisions of the National Basketball Association from 1967 until 2008. Following the 2007–08 season, the team relocated to Oklahoma City, and now plays as...
. Gilliam suffered from a knee injury during the 1975-76 season, but rallied back and scored his season high 24 points in a game. After an injury-prone season with the SuperSonics, Gilliam was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...
, where he won an NBA championship
1977 NBA Finals
The 1977 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round of the 1976-77 NBA season. The Portland Trail Blazers of the Western Conference played against the Philadelphia 76ers of the Eastern Conference, with the 76ers holding home-court advantage. Their 4 regular season meetings had been...
ring with the likes of Bill Walton
Bill Walton
William Theodore "Bill" Walton III is a retired American basketball player and television sportscaster. The "Big Red-Head", as he was called, achieved superstardom playing for John Wooden's powerhouse UCLA Bruins in the early '70s, winning three straight College Player of the Year Awards, while...
during his final season in 1977. Early in the season Gilliam was unhappy with his playing time. However he refused a trade to New Orleans, a team which promised him more playing time, to stay in Portland, as he felt the Trail Blazers gave him a greater chance at winning a championship. Gilliam's best game of the season came in game four of the Western Conference Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers, where he scored 24 points on 12 of 18 shooting from the field. David Halberstam
David Halberstam
David Halberstam was an American Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, author and historian, known for his early work on the Vietnam War, his work on politics, history, the Civil Rights Movement, business, media, American culture, and his later sports journalism.-Early life and education:Halberstam...
described his contributions in this game in his book The Breaks of the Game
The Breaks of the Game
The Breaks of the Game is a 1981 sports book written by Pulitzer Prize winning reporter David Halberstam about the Portland Trail Blazers' 1979–1980 season. The Trail Blazers are a professional basketball team which plays in the National Basketball Association...
.
Retirement
After retiring from the NBA, he took a job with United Parcel ServiceUnited Parcel Service
United Parcel Service, Inc. , typically referred to by the acronym UPS, is a package delivery company. Headquartered in Sandy Springs, Georgia, United States, UPS delivers more than 15 million packages a day to 6.1 million customers in more than 220 countries and territories around the...
where he worked for 15 years, eventually being promoted to managing the company's Corvallis
Corvallis, Oregon
Corvallis is a city located in central western Oregon, United States. It is the county seat of Benton County and the principal city of the Corvallis, Oregon Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Benton County. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 54,462....
-Albany
Albany, Oregon
Albany is the eleventh largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon, and is the county seat of Linn County. It is located in the Willamette Valley at the confluence of the Calapooia River and the Willamette River in both Linn and Benton counties, just east of Corvallis and south of Salem. It is...
hub.
Gilliam died of a heart attack on April 16, 2005 in Salem
Salem, Oregon
Salem is the capital of the U.S. state of Oregon, and the county seat of Marion County. It is located in the center of the Willamette Valley alongside the Willamette River, which runs north through the city. The river forms the boundary between Marion and Polk counties, and the city neighborhood...
, Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
.
External links
- Herm Gilliam Remembered @ NBA.com
- NBA stats @ databasebasketball.com
- High Flyer: Gilliam Remembered As Fine Athlete, Person by Off the BASN Sports Wire By John Delong. Posted April 25, 2005