Artis Gilmore

Gilmore was born in Chipley, Florida, one of 10 children. He was raised there, and attended Roulhac High School. Gilmore was 6'5" at age 15. When public schools were integrated, he attended Chipley High School for one week before leaving home to attend Carver High School in Dothan, Alabama, a larger community 35 miles to the north.[1] He graduated from Dothan's Carver High School in 1967, at 6'10" as a Third Team All-American.[2][3]

Gilmore played college basketball beginning at Gardner–Webb Junior College in Boiling Springs, North Carolina from 1967–1969. Under coach Eddie Holbrook, Gilmore led Gardner-Webb to the NJCAA tournament in 1968 and 1969, playing alongside George Adams. Gilmore averaged 22.5 points and 16.0 rebounds in his two seasons, with career totals of 1,530 points and 1,150 rebounds at Gardner-Webb.[4][5]

Reflected Coach Holbrook, “Bringing in a player like Artis who was 7-foot-2 and could do so many things drew a lot of attention. But Artis showed that he was deserving of that attention. I would say Artis and George Adams were two of the hardest-working players I ever coached. They were relentless. Anything you asked them to do or pushed them to do, they did it — or tried to do it anyway.””[5]

In 1969–1970, Gilmore transferred to Jacksonville University. He led the Jacksonville Dolphins team to a 27–2 record under Coach Joe Williams. In the 1970 NCAA Tournament Gilmore led the team to the NCAA Championship game, where they lost 80–69 to Coach John Wooden and UCLA Bruins as Gilmore scored 19 points with 16 rebounds. They defeated Western Kentucky 109–96 (30/19), University of Iowa 104–103 (30/17) and the University of Kentucky 106–100 (24/20) to reach the Final Four. The Dolphins defeated St. Bonaventure 91–83 (29/21) in the Semi-Final. For the season, Gilmore averaged 26.5 and 22.2 rebounds per game.[6]

At Jacksonville, Gilmore became one of five college basketball players ever to average at least 20 points and 20 rebounds over his career at 24.3 and 22.7.[6] Gilmore led the NCAA in rebounding both years at Jacksonville, and his career average of 22.7 rebounds per game is still the highest in NCAA Division I history.[7]

In 1972, Gilmore married his college sweetheart Enola Gay. They have five children.[4]

In 2007, Gilmore took a position as Special Assistant to the President at Jacksonville University, his alma mater, serving in various public relations capacities.[15]

Gilmore provides radio color commentary for Jacksonville University on the school's flagship station, WJXL. Gilmore was also a frequent guest on the basketball call-in show Ballin' with Al Edwards, also on WJXL.[16]

In 1993, Gilmore was inducted into the Jacksonville University Hall of Fame.[17]

Gilmore was inducted into the Gardner-Webb Athletics Hall of Fame in 1995.[18]

Gilmore was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in April 2011,[19][20] an honor many fans, sportswriters, and ex-players felt was long overdue.[1][21]

The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Bio of Gilmore reads:

Artis Gilmore was basketball's greatest gentle giant. Standing seven feet two inches, the A-Train was a force of nature but his low-key disposition offset his impressive physical stature. His professional career lasted 17 seasons starting in the ABA where the quietly dominant center managed one championship, four All-Defensive team honors, and three Most Valuable Player awards – one regular season, one playoff, and one All Star. His long arms and quick feet helped him block shots from clear out on the perimeter, shots that ordinary players never dreamed of reaching. Gilmore played during an era of great centers and thrived, still holding the NBA career record for highest field goal percentage at .599. A unanimous First Team All-America his junior season at Jacksonville University, Gilmore carried the Dolphins to the 1970 NCAA Final Four and national championship game. He led the nation in rebounding two seasons and his career average of 22.7 boards per game is an NCAA record.[22]

In May 2012, Gilmore was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame.

• List of National Basketball Association career rebounding leaders
• List of National Basketball Association career blocks leaders
• List of National Basketball Association top individual field goal percentage seasons
• List of National Basketball Association players with most blocks in a game
• List of NCAA Division I men's basketball season rebounding leaders
• List of NCAA Division I men's basketball players with 30 or more rebounds in a game

• Heisler, Mark (2003). Giants: The 25 Greatest Centers of All Time. Chicago: Triumph Books. ISBN 1-57243-577-1.

• Career statistics and player information from NBA.com or Basketball-Reference.com
• Official website
• NBA.com: Artis Gilmore Summary
• Radio Interview With Artis Gilmore "The Week Artis Is Inducted Into Hall of Fame" – Miller on Sports Radio