the All-ABA First team five straight seasons, and the All-Defense team four times. He played in the ABA All-Star Game all five years he was in the league, earning the 1974 game's MVP. In 1974–75, Gilmore, alongside teammate Dan Issel led 1974–75 Kentucky Colonels to the 1975 ABA championship, as Gilmore was dominant, being named the ABA Playoffs Most Valuable Player. In the final game of the series against the Indiana Pacers, Gilmore scored 28 points and grabbed 31 rebounds in front of 16, 000 fans at Freedom Hall. During his days as an ABA dominator, Gilmore established league records for career blocked shots (1431), blocked shots in a season (422 in the 1971–72 season), and rebounds in a game (40). He averaged 22.3 points and 17.7 rebounds, 58.5% shooting, 3.4 blocks and 3.0 assists per game in his 5 seasons and 440 ABA games" NBA Chicago Bulls (1976–1982) The ABA disbanded after the 1976 season. Four of its teams (Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers, New York Nets, and San Antonio Spurs) were absorbed into the NBA in the ABA–NBA merger, and the remainder, including the Kentucky Colonels, folded. As a result, Gilmore went into the special 1976 ABA dispersal draft, and was chosen first overall by the Chicago Bulls. He signed with them for $1.1 million over three years. During his first season with the Bulls, Gilmore led the team in scoring, rebounds, and blocks, while also helping the Bulls hold their opponents to a league-best 98 points per game. On March 18, 1977, Gilmore scored an NBA-career-high 42 points, along with grabbing 15 rebounds and recording 9 assists, in a 114–112 win over the Kansas City Kings. However, in the 1977 NBA Playoffs, the Bulls lost to the eventual champion Trail Blazers 2–1 in the first round. In total Gilmore received four All-Star selections in five solid basketball seasons in Chicago (19.3 points per game and 11.1 rebounds per game). San Antonio Spurs (1982–1987) Gilmore was traded to the San Antonio Spurs in July 1982 for Dave Corzine, Mark Olberding, and cash considerations. There, coached by Stan Albeck, he teamed with spidery 6’8” shooting guard George “The Iceman” Gervin to provide the Spurs with a potent inside-out game. During the 1982-83 San Antonio Spurs season, his first with the team, Gilmore helped the team finish in first place in their division with a record of 53–29. During the playoffs,