Ranking the 75 best players in NBA history: No. 49 – Artis Gilmore
Career: 1976 – 1988
Achievements: 1975 ABA Champion; 1972 ABA MVP; All-ABA (5x); All-Star (11x); All-Defense (5x); All-Time ABA Team; fifth in career rebounds; fourth in career blocks; 27th in career scoring
For some inexplicable reason, Artis Gilmore finds himself left off of many lists looking at the best players of all time. It may have something to do with many of his best accomplishments coming in the ABA, but those accomplishments were so prolific that they should carry with them some respect.
Gilmore was a 7’2″ center who measured 7’8″ when you included his signature afro. He played five seasons in the ABA and absolutely dominated that league, winning MVP and making the All-ABA team all five years. In 1975 he led the Kentucky Colonels to the championship, averaging 24.1 points, 17.6 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game that postseason.
Then he transitioned to the NBA where he starred for the Chicago Bulls and San Antonio Spurs. Gilmore was a monster near the rim, finishing above and through opponents. He led the league in field goal percentage four times, and always on a significant number of attempts. Gilmore was one of the league’s best two-way centers during his era, in two different leagues.