Herm Gilliam facts for kids

Herman L. Gilliam Jr. (born May 5, 1946 – died April 16, 2005) was an American professional basketball player. He was born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He was known for his skills as a guard and small forward. Herm played for several teams during his career, including the Portland Trail Blazers, with whom he won an NBA championship.

College Basketball Career

Herm Gilliam went to Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. He played basketball for the Purdue Boilermakers. His coach was George King. He played alongside famous players like Billy Keller and Rick Mount.

Herm was a team captain in his junior and senior years. He helped the Boilermakers reach the NCAA Finals in 1969. In his senior year, he led Purdue in rebounds. He also earned First Team All-Big Ten honors.

He won Purdue's Most Valuable Player award twice. He also received an award for his excellent schoolwork. In three years at Purdue, Herm scored 1,118 points. He averaged 16 points per game. He was one of the top scorers in the school's history. After his junior year, he chose to stay at Purdue. He turned down a chance to play for the Chicago Bulls early. In 2006, Herm was added to the Purdue Athletic Hall of Fame.

Professional Basketball Journey

Starting in the NBA

In 1969, Herm Gilliam was chosen by two different basketball leagues. The Kentucky Colonels picked him in the ABA draft. The Cincinnati Royals picked him in the first round of the 1969 NBA draft. He played his first season with the Cincinnati Royals. He averaged 7.5 points per game. He had to miss some games because of military duty.

After his first season, the Buffalo Braves picked Herm. This team was new to the NBA. He played the 1970–71 season with Buffalo. He averaged 11.2 points and over 4 rebounds per game.

Playing for the Atlanta Hawks

On July 23, 1971, Herm was traded to the Atlanta Hawks. His teammates called him "Bitty." He played with stars like Lou Hudson and Pete Maravich. He averaged 10.2 points per game in his first season with the Hawks. He also had a career-high free-throw percentage of 83.8%. On March 19, 1972, he scored 30 points against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Herm's best season was 1972–73. He averaged 14 points and 5.25 rebounds per game. He also led the Hawks in steals. In the 1973–74 season, he scored over 1,000 points. He scored a career-high 35 points against the Portland Trail Blazers on October 26, 1973. During his four years with Atlanta, he averaged 12.5 points per game.

Joining the SuperSonics and Trail Blazers

On October 22, 1975, Herm Gilliam was traded to the Seattle SuperSonics. He had a knee injury during the 1975–76 season. But he came back strong and scored 24 points in one game.

After his season with the SuperSonics, Herm was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers. This was his final season in 1977. He won an NBA championship ring with the team, playing alongside Bill Walton. At first, Herm was not happy with how much he was playing. He turned down a trade to another team that offered more playing time. He wanted to stay in Portland because he felt they had a better chance to win a championship.

One of Herm's most memorable games was in the Western Conference Finals. It was game four against the Los Angeles Lakers. He scored 24 points in that game. His efforts helped the Trail Blazers win. This game was so important that his teammates called it "Herm's Game."

Life After Basketball

After retiring from the NBA, Herm Gilliam started a new career. He worked for United Parcel Service (UPS) for 15 years. He was promoted to manage the company's hub in Corvallis and Albany.

Herm Gilliam passed away on April 16, 2005. He died from a heart attack in Salem, Oregon.

See also

In Spanish: Herm Gilliam para niños