Artis Gilmore facts for kids
Gilmore in 2011
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 21, 1949 Chipley, Florida, U.S. |
| High school |
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| Listed height | 7 ft 2 in (2.18 m) |
| Listed weight | 240 lb (109 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College |
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| NBA Draft | 1971 / Round: 7 / Pick: 117th overall |
| Selected by the Chicago Bulls | |
| Pro career | 1971–1989 |
| Career history | |
| 1971–1976 | Kentucky Colonels |
| 1976–1982 | Chicago Bulls |
| 1982–1987 | San Antonio Spurs |
| 1987 | Chicago Bulls |
| 1988 | Boston Celtics |
| 1988–1989 | Arimo Bologna |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Career ABA and NBA statistics | |
| Points | 24,941 (18.8 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 16,330 (12.3 rpg) |
| Blocks | 3,178 (2.4 bpg) |
Artis Gilmore Sr. (born September 21, 1949) is a famous American former professional basketball player. He played as a center in two major leagues: the American Basketball Association (ABA) and the National Basketball Association (NBA). Gilmore was so good that he was added to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2011.
He was a star player in college at Jacksonville University. Gilmore led the Dolphins to the NCAA Division I championship game in 1970. His team lost to the UCLA Bruins in that game. Gilmore still holds the record for the most rebounds per game in Division I college history.
After college, Gilmore played five amazing seasons with the Kentucky Colonels in the ABA. When the ABA merged with the NBA, he was the very first player chosen in the special 1976 ABA Dispersal Draft. During his career, Gilmore was an All-Star 11 times! He was also named the ABA Rookie of the Year and an ABA Most Valuable Player (MVP). People called him "The A-Train" because he was so tall (7 feet 2 inches) and played in 670 games in a row!
Contents
Early Life and High School Basketball
Artis Gilmore was born in Chipley, Florida, and grew up there with his nine brothers and sisters. He went to Roulhac High School. By the time he was 15, Gilmore was already 6 feet 5 inches tall!
He first wanted to play football. However, his father, who was a fisherman, could not afford the insurance needed for him to play. When schools started allowing all students to attend together, he went to Chipley High School for a short time. Then, he moved to Dothan, Alabama, to attend Carver High School. He graduated from Carver High School in 1967, standing 6 feet 10 inches tall. He was even named a Third Team All-American player.
College Basketball Journey
Gilmore started his college basketball career at Gardner–Webb Junior College in North Carolina from 1967 to 1969. He played under coach Eddie Holbrook. Gilmore helped Gardner-Webb reach the NJCAA tournament in both 1968 and 1969. He averaged 22.5 points and 16.0 rebounds in his two seasons there.
In 1969, Gilmore moved to Jacksonville University. He helped the Jacksonville Dolphins team achieve an amazing 27–2 record. In the 1970 NCAA tournament, Gilmore led his team all the way to the championship game. They played against the UCLA Bruins, coached by the legendary John Wooden, and lost 80–69. Gilmore scored 19 points and grabbed 16 rebounds in that game.
At Jacksonville University, Gilmore became one of only five college basketball players ever to average at least 20 points and 20 rebounds throughout their college career. He led the NCAA in rebounding in both his years at Jacksonville. His career average of 22.7 rebounds per game is still the highest in NCAA Division I history!
Professional Basketball Career
Playing in the ABA
Kentucky Colonels (1971–1976)
Artis Gilmore was drafted by two different leagues in 1971. The Kentucky Colonels picked him in the American Basketball Association (ABA) draft. The Chicago Bulls also picked him in the 1971 NBA draft. ABA teams really wanted Gilmore to play in their league. So, he signed a big 10-year contract with the Kentucky Colonels.
He was an instant star! In his first year (1971–1972), he won both the ABA Rookie of the Year Award and the ABA Most Valuable Player Award. The Colonels' record improved a lot with him on the team. The next season, Gilmore and teammate Dan Issel led the Colonels to the 1973 ABA Playoffs. They made it to the ABA Finals but lost in a close seven-game series.
During his five years in the ABA, Gilmore was a rebounding leader four times. He also led the league in field goal percentage and blocks per game multiple times. He was chosen for the All-ABA First Team five years in a row and the All-Defense team four times. He played in the ABA All-Star Game every year he was in the league and was named the 1974 game's MVP.
In the 1974–75 season, Gilmore and Issel led the Kentucky Colonels to win the 1975 ABA championship. Gilmore was amazing in the playoffs and was named the ABA Playoffs Most Valuable Player. In the final game, he scored 28 points and grabbed 31 rebounds!
Gilmore set ABA records for career blocked shots (1,431) and blocks in a single season (422 in 1971–72). He also had 40 rebounds in one game, which was an ABA record. In his 5 seasons and 440 ABA games, he averaged 22.3 points and 17.7 rebounds.
Moving to the NBA
Chicago Bulls (1976–1982)
The ABA league stopped playing after the 1976 season. Some of its teams joined the NBA, but the Kentucky Colonels did not. Because of this, Artis Gilmore was part of a special 1976 ABA dispersal draft. The Chicago Bulls chose him first overall. He signed a contract with them for $1.1 million over three years.
In his first season with the Bulls, Gilmore was the team leader in scoring, rebounds, and blocks. He also helped the Bulls play great defense. On March 18, 1977, Gilmore scored his NBA-career-high of 42 points. He also had 15 rebounds and 9 assists in that game. The Bulls made it to the 1977 NBA Playoffs but lost in the first round.
Overall, Gilmore was chosen for the NBA All-Star team four times during his five strong seasons in Chicago. He averaged 19.3 points and 11.1 rebounds per game there.
San Antonio Spurs (1982–1987)
In July 1982, Gilmore was traded to the San Antonio Spurs. There, he teamed up with the talented shooting guard George “The Iceman” Gervin. They made a powerful duo for the Spurs. In his first season with the team (1982-83), Gilmore helped the Spurs finish first in their division with a 53–29 record.
In the playoffs, Gilmore and the Spurs made it to the Western Conference Finals. They played against the Los Angeles Lakers. In one game, Gilmore led the Spurs to a win with 27 points, 20 rebounds, and 5 blocks. However, the Spurs eventually lost the series to the Lakers.
Gilmore was named an All-Star twice while playing for the San Antonio Spurs.
Later NBA Teams (1987–1988)
Gilmore briefly rejoined the Bulls for part of the 1988 season. He then finished his NBA career with the Boston Celtics in 1988. With the Celtics, he played a smaller role but still reached the conference finals.
Playing in Italy
After his NBA career, Gilmore played one season (1988–89) for Arimo Bologna in the Italian league. He averaged 12.3 points and 11.0 rebounds there and was chosen for the European All-Star Team.
NBA Achievements
Artis Gilmore played in a total of six NBA All-Star Games. He led the NBA in field goal percentage for four seasons in a row. In the 1980–81 season, he shot an amazing 67%, which was one of the highest percentages in NBA history at that time. When he retired in 1989, Gilmore was the NBA's all-time leader in field goal percentage (59.9%).
Personal Life
In 1972, Artis Gilmore married his college sweetheart, Enola Gay. They have five children together.
In 2007, Gilmore started working at Jacksonville University, his old college. He serves as a Special Assistant to the President, helping with public relations. Gilmore also provides radio commentary for Jacksonville University basketball games.
Honors and Recognition
Artis Gilmore has received many honors for his amazing basketball career:
- In 1993, he was inducted into the Stars Hollow University Hall of Fame.
- In 1995, he was inducted into the Gardner-Webb Athletics Hall of Fame.
- Even though he was one of the best players ever, Gilmore was not elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame until April 2011.
- In May 2012, Gilmore was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame.
- On January 12, 2024, Gilmore was honored by the Chicago Bulls. He was inducted into their first-ever Ring of Honor class.
Images for kids
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Gilmore with the Chicago Bulls, 1977
See also
In Spanish: Artis Gilmore para niños
