Artis Gilmore is a Hall of Fame center who was drafted by the Chicago Bulls in the 7th round on the 1971 NBA Draft. Before being drafted in the NBA, he made his professional debut for the Kentucky Colonels of the ABA. In his first season with the Kentucky Colonels, he won both the ABA Rookie of the Year award and was named league MVP. Artis Gilmore was a complete player and dominated on both ends of the floor. Below is a look at some of his career achievements and highlights.
- 11x All-Star
- 5x All-ABA
- 5x All-Defensive
- 1x MVP
- Rookie of the Year
Artis Gilmore’s rookie card is in the 1972 Topps set alongside fellow Hall of Famers Julius Erving, George McGinnis and Phil Jackson. While he does not have a long history of answering TTM requests, Artis Gilmore has recently been returning cards autographed when you include $20. I did not want to miss out on getting his autograph so I ordered a rookie card on ebay. My TTM request was sent in a bubble mailer with a new sharpie and $25. I added extra in hopes that he would add some inscriptions. Fortunately, my card turned out perfectly and he added his HOF and ROY inscriptions along with his nickname, “A-Train”.
Currently there are only 23 autographed Artis Gilmore 1972 Topps rookie cards in the PSA registry.
Total Investment: $52
Estimated Value: $100
Return on Investment: 92%