Prime Documentary Soul Power: Legends of the American Basketball Association Interest in the American Basketball Association (ABA) has increased again. Giving the younger generation the opportunity to learn from the players who fundamentally changed the game. Artis Gilmore was among them.
Gilmore played for the Kentucky Colonels from 1971 to 1976. His 7-foot-2 frame, trademark afro and prowess in the paint made him the quintessential basketball personality of that era. After all, the ABA was the rebel pro basketball league. His trademark red, white and blue balls, high-flying dunks, three-point shots and playground ethos paved the way for what exists today.
Gilmore garnered a lot of praise during that time. In 1972, he was named ABA Rookie of the Year and MVP. Two years later, Gilmore was the All-Star MVP. In 1975, he led the Colonels to the ABA title and was the playoff MVP.
After the ABA/NBA merger in 1976, Gilmore played with the Chicago Bulls until 1982. Twice, the Bulls made the playoffs in 1977 and 1981. Additionally, Gilmore was selected to four All-Star teams and averaged 19.3 points and 11.1 rebounds per game.
However, Gilmore told ClutchPoints he has everything but one regret about Chicago. He wishes he had eventually played with Hall of Famers.
Gilmore said, "It was a really cool experience, but unfortunately, I think about all the players who have had a lot of success." "Each of those players have two or three Hall of Famers, but I never had that honor during my career in Chicago."
“You have to have at least three Hall of Famers on the team to have any hope of achieving excellence and making a difference.”
In 1987, Gilmore played another season with the Bulls alongside Michael Jordan.
Artis Gilmore wants his ABA record to be included among NBA records
Since the ABA disbanded, the records set are not included with NBA records, according to The Athletic. ABA teams such as the San Antonio Spurs, New York Nets, Denver Nuggets, and Indiana Pacers were absorbed by the NBA. Meanwhile, teams like the Colonels folded.
Ultimately, the "merger" in 1976 was more of an expansion. Therefore, Gilmore's achievements have not been formally recognized.
Overall, Gilmore is the ABA leader in defensive rebounds with 11,514. Meanwhile, LeBron James is 7th in NBA statistics with 10,143.
Additionally, Gilmore ranks third in field goal percentage with a .582. He ranks fourth in blocked shots, 3,148, and sixth in total rebounds, 16,079.
Over his ABA and NBA careers, Gilmore has 24,941 career points, 32nd highest. Patrick Ewing is No. 34, and Charles Barkley is No. 36.
Ultimately, Gilmore says he will find peace after he and other ABA figures join the NBA.
"This has been a work in progress for more than 50 years," he said. "Until that happens, there's not going to be much discussion of Artis Gilmore and my accomplishments until they tie it all together."
Artis Gilmore put Jacksonville University on the map
Before his professional excellence, Gilmore made a significant impact on his alma mater, Jacksonville University in Jacksonville, Florida.
In 1970, Gilmore led the Dolphins to an incredible 27–2 record. They made it all the way to the national championship game as the UCLA Bruins were in the midst of a dynasty. The Bruins defeated the Dolphins 80–69 for their fourth consecutive title.
Despite the loss, Gilmore reflects on that period fondly.
"It's pretty special considering those years and everything that happened at Jacksonville University," Gilmore said. "Now considering all the other things that were going on in the country, it was an incredible experience."
Additionally, Gilmore also experienced what it was like to experience it all amid the turmoil of the 1960s and 1970s. He specifically cited playing in Dayton, Ohio, in the first round of the tournament, when race riots occurred at home.
"Just two years before the assassination of Martin Luther King, there were a lot of other negative things going on and we had to be there on the front lines," Gilmore said. "We could see in Ohio, preparing to play in the first round, there were riots. There was a lot going on, and for us at that particular time in the environment I grew up in, it was extraordinary, extraordinary, and we were happy to be a part of it."
Jacksonville was one of the first southern college basketball teams to start three black players (Gilmore, Pembrook Burroughs III and Chip Dublin).
The story is told in the documentary Jacksonville who?
