By Fred L Jones, Jr.
Eagle Staff Writer
fjones@theoklahomaeagle.net
A look into the historic athletic career of Oklahoma State University alumnus Melvin Gilliam, one of if not the most decorated student athletes ever from Tulsa north. Gilliam a professional banker, is an active community servant, consistently donating time and money to many worthy causes both academically and educationally in his Tulsa North community.
Gilliam is the son a retired Tulsa Public School (TPS) teacher as well as a product of the TPS Magnet School Program. He was the number 1 recruit in Oklahoma in football and basketball his senior year. Melvin was named to numerous All American Teams lists as a McDonald’s All American in basketball, and the Parade All American Team in football just to name a few. He also was named to the All State, All District, All City and All Conference teams in both sports his junior and senior year. Gilliam was the Tulsa World Player of the Year in football his senior year. Melvin also was named to the Academic All American team as well. He received scholarship offers from every Division 1 college in the country in one of the two sports.
Gilliam was a team captain in both sports his junior and senior year. He was invited to participate in the McDonald’s All American Basketball Game as well as the Dapper Dan All American Basketball Game along with the Red River War All American Football game which placed the top Texas high school football players against the top Oklahoma football players. Mr. Gilliam was the #3 football recruit in the country in Football and the #12 basketball recruit in the country. This made him the most highly recruited athlete in the State of Oklahoma history.
Gilliam attended Oklahoma State University where he was the first freshman in OSU and Big 8 history to start in two sports. His freshman year OSU participated in the 1985 Gator Bowl where Melvin was the Defensive Player of the game. This game had several top players in the country like Deion Sanders, Thurman Thomas and Hart Lee Dykes. Gilliam is currently second all-time in interceptions at OSU. Gilliam also had great success on the basketball court where his top games his freshman year came against the 1985 Final Four Kansas Jayhawks and the Sweet Sixteen Oklahoma Sooners. Gilliam always played his best against the best.
After graduating from OSU he had a short stint in professional football for the Philadelphia Eagles as well as the San Antonio Riders of the Professional World League, now called the World League Europe.
After his athletic career ended, Gilliam was a three year partner in the NBDL Tulsa 66’ERS Professional Basketball Team where he assisted in marketing the team in Tulsa and all surrounding markets. He was instrumental in creating and marketing the team to the now owners, Oklahoma City Thunder.
Gilliam is still involved in athletics. He continues to participate at Oklahoma State Football Summer Camps where he is a Defensive Back Coach. He also assists in sending prospective players to be evaluated by the coaching staff. He not only assists OSU, but other schools such as TCU, Auburn, Texas and Arkansas just to name a few.
Gilliam coached the Semi Professional Football team, Oklahoma Thunder which won the 2016 National Championship in the Gridiron Development Football League (GDFL) where he was the Assistant Defensive Coordinator and the Defensive Back Coach.
Gilliam continues to be a beacon of positive light for Tulsa north and his alma mater Booker T. Washington Senior High School, the Pride of the Great Southwest!
