San Antonio Spurs: 25 Best Players To Play For The Spurs
By Phil Watson
Artis Gilmore. 13. player. 29. <strong>How acquired:</strong> Trade, Chicago Bulls, July 22, 1982.. C. 1982-87
The San Antonio Spurs went big in July 1982, acquiring All-Star Artis Gilmore from the Chicago Bulls in exchange for Dave Corzine, Mark Olberding and cash.
Gilmore still had gas in the tank for the Spurs, earning two All-Star bids and leading the NBA in field-goal percentage in 1982-83 and 1983-84.
He was second in that category in 1984-85, 1985-86 and 1986-87; while also placing fourth in rebounding in 1982-83 and fifth in blocks in both 1982-83 and 1983-84.
He was traded back to the Bulls in June 1987 in exchange for a second-round pick in 1988.
In five seasons in San Antonio, Gilmore averaged 16.1 points, 9.7 rebounds and 1.8 blocks in 32.6 minutes per game, shooting .620/0-for-12/.722.
A two-time All-American at Jacksonville, Gilmore averaged 21.9 points and 23.2 rebounds per game while leading the Dolphins to a shocking berth in the national championship game.
Gilmore was a seventh-round pick by the Bulls in the 1971 NBA Draft after already having signed with the ABA’s Kentucky Colonels, who selected him eighth overall in the 1971 ABA Draft.
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.
Gilmore was selected by Chicago in the ABA dispersal draft in August 1976 after the Colonels folded as part of the ABA-NBA merger. He was a four-time All-Star and an All-Defensive selection in 1977-78.
Waived by Chicago in December 1987, he signed with the Boston Celtics in January 1988. Unsigned as a free agent, Gilmore played 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 second in NBA history with a field-goal percentage of .599, 48th 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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