Herm Gilliam

Herman L. Gilliam Jr. (April 5, 1946 – April 16, 2005) was an American professional basketball player who competed in the National Basketball Association from 1969 to 1977. He played college basketball at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, under head coach George King and alongside Billy Keller and three-time All-American Rick Mount. A 6'3", 190-pound guard, Gilliam served as an honored co-captain of the Boilermakers in both his junior and senior years and helped lead the team to an appearance in the 1969 NCAA Finals. As a senior he led Purdue with 8.5 rebounds per game and earned First Team All-Big Ten honors. He twice received Purdue's Most Valuable Player award and was given the Ward Lambert Scholarship Trophy for scholastic excellence. Over three varsity seasons he scored 1,118 points, averaging 16 points a game, and finished fifth on the school's all-time scoring list. Entering the NBA in 1969, Gilliam played professionally through 1977, winning a championship with the Portland Trail Blazers in his final season.