Artis Gilmore in the HOF

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

Wilt could lift cars. No joke.

You very well could be right about Wilt. I only got to see him play late in his career, and on a few highlights of his earlier days. He was clearly an athletic freak of nature.

I had opportunities to get up close to Shaq early in his playing days, and he was incredibly strong as well...just huge. It always seemed like he could have gone for 40 and 25 any time he wanted to...I always questioned why he didn't on a more regular basis. I would have enjoyed seeing those two play against each other in their primes.


If I could time machine the center matchups I'd like to see in their primes would be Wilt, Russell, Robinson, Hakeem, Artis, Kareem and Shaq. I feel like those are probably the seven best centers to ever have played the game.

[SenorSpur]

Umm no. Wilt was. Still Artis should have been in a while ago. No idea why this took the decades it did.

My bad. You're right. I should've said, "one of the strongest...". I agree that Wilt was probably numero uno.

[wildbill2u]

Yeah, we used to shoot the breeze with Artis before and after games sometimes. A great player and great all-around guy too. He's about as friendly a person as you'll ever meet.

I dated Marie Ann for years. Still see her when I come into town. She took me to most of the Bum events--like the bar-b-Q at Raymond Russell park where Artis gave me a new tooth in the vollyball game with a slam putaway at the net. Just playing hard, not mean. Those guys were extremely compe ive, even in a pick up game like that.

[duncan228]

[baseline bum]

I dated Marie Ann for years. Still see her when I come into town. She took me to most of the Bum events--like the bar-b-Q at Raymond Russell park where Artis gave me a new tooth in the vollyball game with a slam putaway at the net. Just playing hard, not mean. Those guys were extremely compe ive, even in a pick up game like that.

Haha, my dad caught one of Artis' es to the face too.

[ambchang]

http://espn.go.com/nba/halloffame11/...ring-hall-fame

But beyond the court and the locker room, Gilmore is just a great human being. If you asked anyone who played with him or against him, they would tell you he's a wonderful guy. He was a great teammate and was very accountable for his professional job. In my two years coaching him, he was never fined for being late. He also has a great family and has been married almost 40 years, so this weekend will be a special time for all of them.

Spurs players just reeks of class.

[Mark in Austin]

long overdue.

[Spursfan092120]

About damn time...

[Spursfan092120]

I remember when Kareem was going to kick his black ass. Artist almost cried.

Who? Artist?

[bigfan]

A-Train was and remains a class act. Gave a very nice speech tonight at his award ceremony.