Armen gilliam biography

American basketball player (–)

Armen Louis Gilliam (born Armon Louis Gilliam; May 28, – July 5, )^[1] was an American professional basketball trouper who played 13 years esteem the National Basketball Association (NBA) from to He also seized one season for the Metropolis Xplosion of the American Sport Association. Gilliam returned to character court after retirement as glory head basketball coach for depiction (NCAA) Division IIIPenn State Town Lions from to

College career

Gilliam began his college basketball job in –83 at Independence Ant College in Independence, Kansas. Become absent-minded year, Gilliam was a standout player on the basketball prepare that reached the Junior School Finals and finished sixth explain the nation. Gilliam averaged in rank and 14 rebounds in quintuplet tournament games and was known as to the National Junior institution finals all-tournament team.

Gilliam spread his college basketball career accelerate UNLV. Gilliam played for UNLV from to and was comb integral part of a prepare that was 93–11 in high-mindedness three years he played inform the Rebels. The UNLV gang was ranked number one join the country for most perfect example the three years Gilliam competed and the team made diet to the NCAA tournament from time to time year during his stay. Hit , the team reached justness Final Four and Gilliam was named to the NCAA Concluding Four all-tournament team. Gilliam scored points in his senior vintage, which remains a school not to be mentioned for the most points scored in a season by first-class UNLV player. Gilliam also stilted on the UNLV team lose concentration won 38 games in well-ordered season, which is still blueprint NCAA Division 1 record confirm most wins in a opportunity ripe. In , Gilliam was elite for a number of All-American Teams and voted the inhibit contender for the John Gawky award. While at UNLV, coworker Frank James gave him grandeur nickname "The Hammer" after farsightedness Gilliam's biceps combined with tiara pounding action under the impede. Gilliam said, "He knew Hilarious was from a steel urban, too. I think that was a factor." The Los Angeles Times dismissed the notion divagate he got the name distance from a baking powder, Arm & Hammer.^[2]

Gilliam was selected to act in the World Championships. Ethics team fielded college standouts specified as David Robinson, Kenny Explorer, Tommy Amaker, Tom Hammonds, River D. Smith and Derrick McKey and coached by Lute Olson of Arizona, proceeded to stagger the world with its come to pass. The international community did turn on the waterworks consider the team a medal-contender, but they advanced to illustriousness championship game and competed dispute the heavily favored Russians the gold medal; overcoming middling odds, they won the event.

Professional career

After graduating from UNLV with a degree in correlation, Gilliam was the second choosing in the first round work out the NBA draft.^[3] Gilliam was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team in while dispatch for the Phoenix Suns. Significant went on to play 13 years in the NBA. Gilliam averaged 20 points and 9 rebounds for the Charlotte Hornets, played three years with depiction Philadelphia 76ers, and played pair years with the New Shirt Nets, where he averaged mid 12 and 18 points with 6 to 9 rebounds elegant game. He later played transport the Milwaukee Bucks and at length the Utah Jazz.

Gilliam came out of retirement in surrounding play for the Pittsburgh Xplosion of the American Basketball Organization (ABA). He averaged 23 way in and 9 rebounds per business during the –06 season. Gilliam was selected as the Leading Valuable Player of the Fabric All-Star Game and named undertake the All-ABA Second Team.^[4]

NBA lifetime statistics

Regular season

Playoffs

Coaching career

Gilliam began his individual instruction career in as a act assistant at Mt. Lebanon Towering School.^[4] In , Gilliam was named head coach of Quaker State McKeesport's men's basketball company, which played at the growing college level.^[5] In his important year as a head omnibus, he helped lead the operation to a regular season transcribe of 12–7. The team unnatural well in the playoffs splendid reached the conference finals. Leadership next year Gilliam accepted justness Head Men's coaching position pocket-sized Penn State Altoona, where powder coached from to ^[6] Do something had a couple of snub seasons as their head guide.

Awards and achievements

Among other bays Gilliam was inducted into picture Bethel Park Hall of Make shy for the Sport of Hoops in and the UNLV Arrival of Fame in He was selected to the Division 1 All- American Team in stand for was a finalist for depiction John Wooden award the equal year. He was honored draw for scoring 10, points by way of his NBA career. In Nov , his college jersey (#35) was retired at half-time accept the UNLV vs. Washburn Establishing game in Las Vegas. ^{[citation needed]}

Name spelling

Towards the end training his NBA career he paraphrastic the spelling of his foremost name from "Armon" to "Armen" because he was tired jump at it continually being mispronounced. Artificial the time, he was quoted as saying: "Most people conspicuous it Ar-MON. I've been coordination people so long that Farcical got tired of it. Beside oneself just thought that if Beside oneself put the 'e' in close by, it would make it dialect trig lot easier to pronounce. I'm not Muslim. It's not nonmaterialistic or anything like that."^[7]

Death

Gilliam decayed during a basketball game predicament the LA Fitness gym curb the Pittsburgh suburb of Bridgeville, Pennsylvania, on the evening admonishment July 5, ^[6] He was rushed to St. Clair Sanctuary in nearby Mt. Lebanon, wheel he was pronounced dead a choice of a heart attack.^[8] He obey survived by his three family unit, Jeremiah Gilliam, Joshua Gilliam, become more intense Cheryl Gilliam.^[9][10]

References

External links