Armen Gilliam - 1964 -- 2011

by Net Income on Jul 6, 2011 2:23 PM EDT

Armen Gilliam, who averaged 15 points and 8 rebounds for the Nets over three seasons in the mid-1990's, died Wednesday at the age of 47 in his native Pittsburgh while playing a pick-up game at a local gym. Gilliam collapsed of a heart attack while playing basketball at LA Fitness in Collier Township, PA. He was rushed to a nearby hospital where he was declared dead.

Gilliam, known as the "Hammer," was the second overall pick in the 1987 draft after a college career at UNLV. He averaged 13.7 points and 6.9 rebounds in 13 NBA seasons, 14.9 and 7.9 with the Nets. His best season came in 1995-96, when at 31 he put up 18.3 and 9.1 in 78 games. He missed only four games with the Nets, first backing up Derrick Coleman, then starting after DC was traded.

Longtime Basketball Player Armen Gilliam Dies - WTAE
NETS Statement on the Passing of Armen Gilliam - New Jersey Nets
Sussman Sez: The Hammer - Gary Sussman - New Jersey Nets
Gilliam the Musician (Video) - NBA.com
NBA, College Basketball Player Armen Gilliam Dies - AP
Armen Gilliam, former Nets forward, dies after pickup hoops game - Seth Walden - New York Daily News
Armen Gilliam, former Nets forward, dies playing pickup basketball - Colin Stephenson - Star-Ledger
Ex-UNLV star dead at 47 - Don Burke - New York Post
Former Sixer Armen Gilliam remembered as 'good guy' - Bob Cooney - Philadelphia Daily News
Former NBA Player Armen Gilliam Collapses, Dies at 47 in Basketball Game - Mason Levinson - Bloomberg

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wow

RIP Hammer

by D Will to Succeed on Jul 6, 2011 1:30 PM EDT reply actions 10 recs

ypu said it best

Niners,Nets,Reds & USC!!!

"We'll be the first really global team in the NBA. For me, being the first foreign owner, I want to do my best to invite all the fans for the team all over the world. I think the NBA is worldwide. But other teams [possess a] more local mentality. We are going to create and to build a global franchise to sell all around the world. I think I have a competitive advantage compared to other owners." - Mikhail Prokhorov

by Kidd2Petrovic on Jul 6, 2011 2:42 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

heart attack at 47 that's young

NETS Jersey Strong Brooklyn Ready

When you have to shoot, shoot don't talk.

by universal on Jul 6, 2011 1:32 PM EDT reply actions 3 recs

He made me a Nets fan. I was too young for Drazen and most of Kenny and Coleman.

by Will J on Jul 6, 2011 1:36 PM EDT reply actions 3 recs

i remember that thick moustache

Like he should be a member of Cameo

by DJ HeavyDuty on Jul 6, 2011 1:39 PM EDT reply actions 4 recs

haha

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sn8KYD1Vco0

Great Song!!

Niners,Nets,Reds & USC!!!

by Kidd2Petrovic on Jul 6, 2011 2:44 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

instant offense!

i’m a fan. Rest in Peace, Hammer.

by kiemurphy on Jul 6, 2011 1:46 PM EDT reply actions 3 recs

never saw him play

RIP

"Some things you just can't question. Like you can't question why two plus two is four. So don't question it, don't try to look it up. I don't know who made it, all I know is it was put in my head that two plus two is four. So certain things happen. Why does it rain? Why am I so sexy? I don't know." - Shaquille O'Neal

by CinnamonToastCrunch on Jul 6, 2011 1:47 PM EDT reply actions 3 recs

you missed out man

by MrDollarBills on Jul 6, 2011 2:13 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

I remember his great jump hook

by A.S. on Jul 6, 2011 1:50 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

Like a wide-open Petro three...

It was automatic.

Oh pissing blimey there's jam coming out of the walls!

by TWilliAM on Jul 6, 2011 1:56 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

Far too young.

Could not imagine a situation like that.

"You can spend minutes, hours, days weeks or even months overanalyzing a situation; trying to put the pieces together, justifying what would’ve, could’ve happened – or you can just leave the pieces on the floor and move the **** on."
-Tupac Amaru Shakur

by NetsMets4Life on Jul 6, 2011 1:53 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

Armen Hammer!

Armen was one of my favorite Nets of that era. He was a damn good player.

Very sad news. RIP.

Oh pissing blimey there's jam coming out of the walls!

by TWilliAM on Jul 6, 2011 1:54 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

In the 1987 NBA draft...

Armen Gilliam was taken #2 right after David Robinson…

That draft also included some impressive company. Scottie Pippen # 5, Kevin Johnson # 7 and Reggie Miller # 11.

Shows you what a talent Armen was coming out of college…

R.I.P Hammer !

by M I K E on Jul 6, 2011 1:58 PM EDT reply actions 3 recs

would go too a Nets game

expecting to see DC, then being disappointed that he was hurt (again). But every time that happened, The Hammer would come out and play his heart out.

by Net Income on Jul 6, 2011 1:58 PM EDT reply actions 5 recs

True

I would get pretty upset but Armen always surprises us with his hustle.

"The trade that usually happens is the one you never hear about" - Net Income

by imdkidd on Jul 6, 2011 2:15 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

Hammer was a beast

by MrDollarBills on Jul 6, 2011 2:19 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

Rest in peace

I’ll always remember his ambidextrous game. Could do that hook shot with both hands. I used to model that myself growing up; learned it from Mr. Gilliam. Seemed to be a good leader, too. No off the court antics. Was a nice player for us and had a career year that one year. (pours out some liquor)

2010-2011 = acquire an All-Star via cap space as Thorn himself said
2011-2012 = make the playoffs without hindering future flexibility
2012 off-season = sign the second All-Star
2012-2013 = make a run for the championship

Mission accomplished thus far.

by BigTom on Jul 6, 2011 1:59 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

I am way to young to have ever seen him play

but RIP “Hammer” All us Nets fans support you

Brook Lopez is the MAN!
----
I don't really hate Outlaw, its just fun to make fun of him

by netsareboss on Jul 6, 2011 2:11 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

WHAAAAAAAAAT

Saddened to hear this news. RIP TO THE HAMMER

by MrDollarBills on Jul 6, 2011 2:12 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

Mid 1980's UNLV vs. U of L

That was college hoops at its finest…Rest in Peace “Hammer”
Thanks for the memories…

"The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven"

by aunt-B on Jul 6, 2011 2:20 PM EDT reply actions 4 recs

Damn

Armen was a beast…I was almost 10 when I first saw him play at the Meadowlands, he was such a workhorse on the floor…between Buck Williams, Armen Gilliam, PJ Brown and Jayson Williams, the Nets have had some pretty tough PF’s – RIP.

by smp369 on Jul 6, 2011 2:22 PM EDT reply actions 4 recs

yeah seriously

we’ve had some straight up animals come through here. Don’t forget K-Mart

by MrDollarBills on Jul 6, 2011 2:25 PM EDT up reply actions 5 recs

KMart is my favorite

I’m talkin somewhat old-school though, those rugged PF’s from the pre-2000’s were one of a kind

by smp369 on Jul 7, 2011 1:36 AM EDT up reply actions

Does D.C. count..?

what about the A-Train..?
Jamie Feick ..?

by BubbaMcBubba on Jul 7, 2011 1:33 AM EDT up reply actions

Most def.

we’ve had a lot of tough SOB’s play PF for us (star or reserve, these guys had guts) – Aaron Williams, Jamie Feick, Rick Mahorn, Chris Gatling, Kenyon Martin, etc.

by smp369 on Jul 7, 2011 1:47 AM EDT up reply actions

WOW

That was a shock-RIP

by grillfire on Jul 6, 2011 2:24 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

Damn...

this is sad news…

He was such a great scorer for the Nets and one of my favorite Nets players.

RIP Hammer….

by NetsNewark on Jul 6, 2011 2:25 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

sorry - so young

smp369 mentions Buck Williams, Armen Gilliam, PJ Brown and Jayson Williams – Hammer does inddeed belong on that list. quality guy. I really liked him.

by PigDaddy3 on Jul 6, 2011 2:34 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

RIP Hammer

by J-Nasty on Jul 6, 2011 3:06 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

RIP Armen!

I remember him being a quality talented player. Seems like he should have been a good coach somewhere. I am shocked but seems like he went out doing what he loved.

RIP Armen !

RE-SIGN THE HUMP!!!
The JETS/NETS are coming!

by MrBDown on Jul 6, 2011 3:12 PM EDT via mobile reply actions 1 recs

I remember him when I was warming up to become a Net Fan.

But it was horrible looking on the Sportchannel station with their horrible telecast. I remember when he and Charles Oakley used to got at each other. He was a solid player. I would remember that about him. He was so emotional when they beat the Bulls that one year when they won over 70 games. Sad to see him go so soon.

by Chuck D. on Jul 6, 2011 3:19 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

That sucks. Armen Hammer brought it every game with both hands. Much too young to pass.

by themaker75 on Jul 6, 2011 3:22 PM EDT via mobile reply actions 1 recs

R.I.P

Armen Gilliam…

1 - D. Williams / J. Farmar / S. Gaines / B. Uzoh
2 - A. Morrow / M. West / S. Graham
3 - T. Outlaw / S.Vujacic / D.James
4 - K. Humpries / D. Gadzuric / B. Wright
5 - B. Lopez / J. Petro

by DKang on Jul 6, 2011 3:40 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

As a UNLV Alumn and Net Fan

this is very sad. The hammer left UNLV right before my freshman year (which was the year Stacey Augmon and Greg Anthony were incoming freshman, good times). Anyway, up til that point he was widely considered the best player ever to attend UNLV and was a beast on one of our final four runs. RIP Armen.

"We all have to decide for ourself how much sin we can live with"

by NEWPORT on Jul 6, 2011 3:42 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

i was born in the mid-1900s so i never saw him play but

RIP “Hammer”

D12 OR BUST!!!!

by D-Will2Nets on Jul 6, 2011 3:47 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

So like how old are you, 60?

by NetsMets4Life on Jul 6, 2011 3:58 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

lol i think he meant 1990s but epic fail nevertheless

Mission accomplished thus far.

by BigTom on Jul 6, 2011 5:51 PM EDT up reply actions

RIP

by nets14 on Jul 6, 2011 4:29 PM EDT reply actions 9 recs

I love that jersey

I hope we bring it back this year as a tribute to NJ

by smp369 on Jul 7, 2011 1:48 AM EDT up reply actions

yessir

by nets14 on Jul 7, 2011 2:08 AM EDT up reply actions

agreed

I have to say these and the jersey’s during the Kidd era were my favorite

Section 2 @ the Rock

by R-D on Jul 7, 2011 9:40 AM EDT up reply actions

not only was i too young to have true memories of him

but i go to school in pittsburgh so its been real sour compared to the sweetness of the pirates

The realist keepin it real amongst the surrealists

R.I.P. Big Homey Nate Dogg: "Cuz Iiiiiiiiii have ne-evv-ver met a giiiiiiiiiirrrrrrllllllllllllllllllll tha-at I loved in the whole wide wooorrrlllllddddddd"

by starbury_to_s-jaxci2000 on Jul 6, 2011 5:19 PM EDT reply actions

RIP

the Hammer takes me back to the days when the Nets games were on Ch. 9. He was great player for the Nets. He’ll be be missed

Section 2 @ the Rock

by R-D on Jul 6, 2011 5:38 PM EDT reply actions 3 recs

Rememeber

when the Nets were on the Sports Channel? Since you had to pay extra for it, they would fuzz out the screen moments before tip off

by smp369 on Jul 7, 2011 1:49 AM EDT up reply actions

Remembering the Gumby hairdo... RIP Hammer

by aug93 on Jul 6, 2011 5:41 PM EDT reply actions 2 recs

RIP

Great dunker

Master of the Universe

by KD1 on Jul 6, 2011 6:06 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

Soft touch in the post

He was a scoring machine when given the playing time. Great short jumper. RIP

And as far as past PFs, I also liked Jamie Feick’s hustle for a while, Reminds me of the Hump.

by ILikeSports on Jul 6, 2011 6:14 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

Very sad indeed

His participation on the 1986 US national team that shocked Sabonis and the Soviets for the gold medal in the WC’s made me a UNLV fan.. Back then, great college basketball teams were almost strictly an east of the Mississippi thing so growing up in California, I had all the more reason to start following the Rebs. Gilliam was going into his senior season and he put up great numbers before finally losing to Indiana in the final four.

I remember him going #2 in the draft and I continued following his career right on up to the end. RIP Hammer.

New collective bargaining agreement is simple. Give small markets a larger share of the national tv revenue sharing pie, limit MLE's to teams under the lux tax threshold, allow owners to terminate one deal every other year provided players have played at least 3 years on it and limit raises to 5 and 10%

by Trueblood on Jul 6, 2011 8:35 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

agreed houston had phi slamma jamma but they slipped up more than they should have

but the runnin rebels made staying west popular for guys like reggie miller, mark eaton, sean elliot, kevin johnson, mookie, ac green and the oakland guys like kidd and payton

i enjoy the tarkanian rebels with greg anthony, stacey augmon, and larry johnson but gilliam and sidney green and those guys opened the door

i remember my dad used to tell me how basketball and rap were non-existent past the central time zone and then UNLV and NWA just rose up and took over the country like they were before the world started

The realist keepin it real amongst the surrealists

R.I.P. Big Homey Nate Dogg: "Cuz Iiiiiiiiii have ne-evv-ver met a giiiiiiiiiirrrrrrllllllllllllllllllll tha-at I loved in the whole wide wooorrrlllllddddddd"

by starbury_to_s-jaxci2000 on Jul 7, 2011 1:07 AM EDT up reply actions