Gilliam returned to the court after retirement as the head basketball coach for the (NCAA) Division III Penn State Altoona Lions from 2002 to 2005.

That year, Gilliam was a standout player on the basketball team that reached the Junior College Finals and finished sixth in the nation.

Gilliam averaged 24.9 points and 14 rebounds in five tournament games and was named to the National Junior college finals all-tournament team.

In 1987, Gilliam was selected for a number of All-American Teams and voted the top contender for the John Wooden award.

While at UNLV, teammate Frank James gave him the nickname "The Hammer" after seeing Gilliam's biceps combined with his pounding action under the basket.

The international community did not consider the team a medal-contender, but they advanced to the championship game and competed against the heavily favored Russians for the gold medal; overcoming great odds, they won the tournament.

[4] In 2001, Gilliam was named head coach of Penn State McKeesport's men's basketball team, which played at the junior college level.

In November 2007, his college jersey (#35) was retired at half-time of the UNLV vs. Washburn University game in Las Vegas.

[citation needed] Towards the end of his NBA career he altered the spelling of his first name from "Armon" to "Armen" because he was tired of it continually being mispronounced.

"[7] Gilliam collapsed during a basketball game at the LA Fitness gym in the Pittsburgh suburb of Bridgeville, Pennsylvania, on the evening of July 5, 2011.