Artis Gilmore is a former professional basketball player in the American Basketball Association (ABA) and NBA. He played for the teams Kentucky Colonels (ABA), Chicago Bulls, San Antonio Spurs, Boston Celtics, Bologna Arimo (Italian League).

After playing for five seasons in the American Basketball Association, Artis Gilmore was drafted by the Chicago Bulls following his time in the ABA prior to the 1976-1977 season. The Bulls had the worst record in the league the previous season and were hoping that the Gilmore would help turn their fortunes around. Unfortunately for both sides, that would not be the case during Gilmore’s six years in Chicago. Gilmore’s presence did not make an impact initially as the Bulls opened up the 1976-1977 season with thirteen consecutive losses. However, despite the team’s early stumble out the gate, the Bulls would rebound winning 20 of their 34 games at the start of the second half of the season. Gilmore and the Bulls would finish the season with a 44-38 record and would make the playoffs. However, the playoff showing would be short-lived as they were eliminated by the Portland Trailblazers in the first round (best of three). In the 1977-1978 season, Artis Gilmore would earn the first of six trips to the All-Star Game and would also be named to the NBA All Defensive Second Team. The Chicago Bulls would finish the season as 40-42 and would miss the playoffs. In addition to that, Gilmore and the Bulls would only make it to the playoffs one other time during his career in Chicago; another brief showing in 1981.

Artis Gilmore requested a trade following the 1981-1982 season and was dealt to the San Antonio Spurs; a team who had won their division the previous two seasons and unlike his time with the Bulls, Gilmore seemed to fit right in from day one despite numerous critics expressing doubt about his ability to contribute. Behind the scoring of George Gervin and Gilmore patrolling the and lane and the backboards, the Spurs would repeat as division champions with a record of 53-29 and would advance to the Western Conference Finals for the second straight year but would fall to the Lakers in six games. Despite the team’s early success with Gilmore, the team began to decline and recorded no more than 40 victories in Gilmore’s remaining four seasons in San Antonio.

Gilmore would return to the Bulls for a short stint during the 1987-1988 season (24 games) but would be traded to the Boston Celtics during the year and would retired the following summer. Artis Gilmore averages during this seventeen year career were 17.1 points and 10 rebounds per game.

While many of Gilmore's detractors felt that he wasn’t mean or aggressive enough on the court, Artis Gilmore was one of the most dominant centers in the league during his era. He would lead the ABA in field-goal shooting percentage four time in five seasons and he would also duplicate this feat twice during his NBA career as well. One of Gilmore’s best years came during the 1978-1979 season where averaged nearly 23.7 points and hauled in 12.7 rebounds per game.

Gilmore was the 117th overall pick by the Chicago Bulls in the 1971 NBA Draft.Basketball-Reference.com: Artis Gilmore Statistics He was selected by Chicago in ABA dispersal draft on August 5, 1976. He was then traded to San Antonio on July 22, 1982, traded back to Chicago on June 22, 1987 and signed with Boston on January 8, 1988. After retiring, he played for the Bologna Arimo of the Italian League in 1988-89.NBA.com: Artis Gilmore Bio

• All-Defensive Second Team (1978)NBA.com: Artis Gilmore Bio
• NBA All-Star (1978, '79, '81, '82, '83, '86)NBA.com: Artis Gilmore Bio