On this day in 1971: Artis Gilmore's ABA debut, 29 and 20

Oct 14, 2026

A 29-and-20 debut

On Oct. 16, 1971, at Freedom Hall, Artis Gilmore scored 29 and grabbed 20 rebounds as Kentucky beat the New York Nets 107-98.

The box score

Gilmore went 12-of-17 from the field with four blocks. Dan Issel added 26 points and 14 rebounds beside him.

Barry couldn't stop him

Rick Barry led the Nets with 24 and Bill Melchionni had 22 points and 11 assists, but Kentucky held a 50-47 rebounding edge.

From Jacksonville to MVP

In 1971-72 Gilmore averaged 23.8 points, 17.8 rebounds and 5.0 blocks and swept ABA Rookie of the Year and MVP.

The A-Train arrives

The 7-foot-2 Jacksonville product signed with Kentucky over an NBA path and stayed five ABA seasons before the merger.

Photo credit

Artis Gilmore, 1977. Photo: The Sporting News Collection, resized.

Keep reading

Read the full article for more context and the latest details.