Chicago Bulls: 25 Best Players To Play For The Bulls
By Phil Watson
Artis Gilmore. 5. player. 24. <strong>How acquired:</strong> ABA Dispersal Draft, Kentucky Colonels, Aug. 5, 1976; Trade, San Antonio Spurs, June 22, 1987.. C. 1976-82, 1987
Two-time All-American Artis Gilmore had led Jacksonville to an unexpected national title game appearance in 1970 and the Chicago Bulls selected him with a seventh-round pick in the 1971 NBA Draft, even though he had signed with the ABA’s Kentucky Colonels.
The Colonels folded as part of the merger between the ABA and NBA and the Bulls, with the first pick in the dispersal draft, chose Gilmore in August 1976.
He was a four-time All-Star for the Bulls and was named All-Defensive in 1977-78.
Gilmore led the NBA in field-goal percentage in 1980-81 and 1981-82m was third in 1977-78 and 1979-80 and fourth in 1978-79. He also finished fourth in the NBA in rebounding in 1976-77 and 1978-79, was fourth in blocks in 1976-77 and 1981-82 and fifth in 1980-81 and placed third in minutes per game in 1978-79.
In July 1982, he was traded to the San Antonio Spurs for Dave Corzine, Mark Olberding and cash.
He returned in a trade from the Spurs in June 1987 in exchange for a second-round pick in 1988, but was waived in December of that year.
In parts of seven seasons in Chicago, Gilmore averaged 19.3 points, 11.1 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.1 blocks in 34.8 minutes per game, shooting .587/1-for-1/.712.
With the Colonels, Gilmore was the ABA MVP and Rookie of the Year in 1971-72, a five-time All-Star, five-time All-ABA selection and four-time All-Defensive pick.
He led the ABA in rebounding four times and in field-goal percentage twice.
In San Antonio, Gilmore was a two-time All-Star and led the NBA in field-goal percentage in 1982-83 and 1983-84.
In January 1988, he signed with the Boston Celtics and spent a season in Italy before retiring in 1989.
Gilmore was the ABA’s all-time leader with 1,431 blocked shots and averages of 41.5 minutes, 17.1 rebounds and 3.4 blocks per game; and was second in league history with 7,169 rebounds and a field-goal percentage of .557; and sixth with an average of 22.3 points per game.
He is 2nd all-time in NBA history with a field-goal percentage of .599, is 48th in league history with 9,161 rebounds, 25th with 1,747 blocked shots, 42nd with an average of 10.1 rebounds per game and 25th with an average of 1.9 blocks per game.
Gilmore was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2011.
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