Artis Gilmore

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.