It’s easy to forget what you don’t know. He who remembers the old, beware. Well, and so on in the same spirit. The NBA remembers many examples where a player and his legacy were erased from history. However, the example of Artis Gilmore, who retired more than 30 years ago, stands out. The league literally wasted its star. That’s really unfortunate for Gilmore.
What do you think?
The battle of eras continues. Could today’s basketball players have played in the NBA 30 years ago?
It was hard to miss Artis. At first he had something that even the most advanced trainer cannot teach. Unique natural abilities manifested themselves from a very early age. At a young age, Gilmore stood out among the numerous children in his family and had as many as nine brothers and sisters. The boy grew quickly and when he made his professional debut in ABA (not to be confused with the group ABBA), he reached 218 cm. At one of the press conferences his height was measured together with his prominent afro and he was measured at 7 feet 8 inches. For comparison, the modern giant with telescopic arms, Victor Vembanyama, is “only” 7 feet 4 inches tall.
In the 1971 draft, two teams had their eyes on the athletic center. Artis could have played in the NBA or the ABA, but he chose the latter, mainly because of the economic conditions. Rodney had enough for a couple of basketball fives with substitutions, which should not be forgotten either. However, by chance, Gilmore still crossed paths with the NBA. It does not mean that he aspired to get there, but his league told him to live a long time. After the ABA ceased to exist, the player had only one path left.
With impressive statistics, an MVP award and a championship, Gilmour became a hot commodity in the tournament merger. “Chicago” was quicker than the rest and took Artis with the first number. The center appreciated this and reciprocated. In his debut season in the NBA, he averaged a double-double per game, becoming the new face of the franchise and the Bulls’ scoring leader, returning them to the playoffs. Artis even ranked among the top 10 contenders for the Regular Season MVP award.
Artis Gilmore
Photo: Focus on Sport/Getty Images
All in all, a pretty robust resume, at least to get into the All-Star Game. But these incredible efforts were not enough. The NBA’s handling of Gilmore’s stellar play remains one of the association’s biggest scams. How and why did this happen? Figuring it out is a task only a true detective can undertake. We’ll dispense with the famous pipe and the Sherlock hat with the double-sided visor, but we’ll give it a try nonetheless.
There are exactly two arguments against Artis. First, he had fierce opposition in the conference. Two center positions were given to other legends Bob McAdoo and Elvin Hayes. Certainly, both big men did not look noticeably worse. Second, no conspiracy theories. The NBA did not like yesterday’s ABA players too much. Of course, there were quite a few of them, but if that guy cannot be included in the top, then it is better to do so. Stereotypes about the weakness of the competitor were in the air, even if common sense screamed that Gilmour was an undisputed top 10 player even in his first year in a new environment.
Moving on to the inter-game debate, it’s worth speaking out in support of Artis. In addition to the Bulls’ stats and best results under Gilmore, he had his own tricks in his arsenal that were ideal for the All-Star format. The center had excellent jumping ability, which combined with his height and reach made him an elite shot blocker. The famous 1975 NBA champion Rick Barry admitted that he had “never seen anything like it” and called Artis a “gatekeeper” who was able to block any shot. Gilmour played in an outlandish way. If the Internet existed in those days, this photo would probably have gone viral.
Artis Gilmore, 1980
Photo: Sports Illustrated via Getty Images
In addition to the sporting component, personal recognition and media exposure for players have always played an important role in the league. This approach brought fame and a lot of money to David Stern. The veteran commissioner took over the NBA a little later, but the message was already clear. Gilmore, a burly and athletic athlete, was causing a sensation off the court with his attire long before it became commonplace. Fashion, taste, vintage – call it what you will, Artis is rightfully in the unspoken pantheon of NBA style icons.
Artis Gilmore
Photo: Lynn Karlin/Getty Images
After being robbed in the 1976/1977 season, Gilmore got his due and was a six-time All-Star. He never won a championship title, but he is undoubtedly the best player of his era. This could have been the end of his non-recognition by the league, but it lasted for more than a decade. That was just the beginning. Artis deserved a place in the Hall of Fame, but year after year, everyone was inducted except him.
It is clear that his achievements in the ABA were simply underestimated. For several seasons, Gilmour was considered a solid top 3 player in his tournament. However, before him, a dozen competitors from the same championship were inducted into the Hall of Fame. Was the ABA really so inferior to the NBA? The answer is not entirely clear. The leagues played exhibition games against each other every year. At first, the ABA clearly lost, but in the last three seasons before the merger it won more often.
Nearly 10 years before Gilmore, his former teammate Dan Issel was inducted into the Hall of Fame. He was a great player with a solid career, but he played a secondary role next to Artis. Issel made only one All-Star appearance to Gilmore’s six. Dan was more focused on personal performance and scoring points. However, this is not an argument. During his peak season, Issel averaged 23.8 points per game and Artis averaged 23.7. Is there any logic to such neglect?
Artis Gilmore
Photo: Focus on Sport/Getty Images
As of today, Gilmore is one of the 15 players with the best field goal percentage in NBA history. Just one spot below Shaquille O’Neal. Already in a more mature stage of his career, Artis produced five consecutive seasons with a conversion rate of at least 60%. This is an elite level and a stability that few have achieved. In addition, the center was almost uninjured. Since his debut game in the ABA, he played 670 consecutive games, including the NBA.
Justice was not served until 2011, when Gilmour was finally inducted into the Hall of Fame. Along with him, Chris Mullin, Arvydas Sabonis and Dennis Rodman received this honor. All of them waited at least half as long as Artis for the ceremony. More than 20 years passed between the end of his career and his induction into the Hall of Fame. No other major NBA player has been marinated and recognized for so long.
