Armen Gilliam, who played for the Nets from 1993-96, died Tuesday after collapsing during his daily pickup basketball game in suburban Pittsburgh. He was 47.
The Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office yesterday said the cause of death has not been determined, pending an autopsy.
Gilliam, the leading scorer on the UNLV team that made a run to the Final Four in 1987, was the No. 2 pick in the NBA Draft in 1987 by Phoenix, chosen ahead of Scottie Pippen (fifth), Kevin Johnson (seventh) and Reggie Miller (11th). David Robinson was selected before him.
Gilliam also played with the then-Charlotte Hornets, 76ers, Bucks and Jazz. He retired in 2000.
“The Nets organization is truly saddened to learn of the passing of former Net Armen Gilliam,” the team said in a statement. “Armen was a true professional who carried himself with class and dignity both on and off the court. Our deepest condolences to the Gilliam family on their loss.”
Gilliam averaged 14.9 points and 7.5 rebounds a game for the Nets and finished his NBA career with more than 12,000 points and more than 6,000 rebounds.
Jerry Tarkanian, who coached basketball at UNLV from 1973-1992, called him one of the best players the university ever had.
“He was such a great person. Everybody loved him and he loved everybody,” Tarkanian said in a statement. “He was such a gentle person and such a caring guy. I am all shook up over it. I think the world of him and am just really shocked.”
Following his NBA career, Gilliam coached and played for the Pittsburgh Xplosion in the American Basketball Association in 2005 and 2006. He also coached at Penn State-Altoona.
Born as Armon Louis Gilliam, he later changed the spelling of his first name to Armen to better suit the pronunciation of it.