DUNK CITY, Fla. – FGCU men's basketball rising redshirt senior Michael Gilmore has announced his intention to declare for the 2018 NBA Draft, but not hire an agent, allowing him to maintain his amateurism as he goes through the upcoming evaluation process.
 
Upon completion of that process, Gilmore will elect to either begin his professional playing career or pursue his Master's degree at another institution as FGCU does not currently offer his desired graduate program.
 
"I'm going to take the next several weeks and months to evaluate all my options and make sure I put myself in the best situation for not only my basketball future but my personal and career prospects," said Gilmore, who played 24 games for the Eagles last year after becoming eligible in December. "This decision was one I have been thinking about for a while. I have had a great time at FGCU, and I can't thank Coach Fly, my teammates and the fans enough for all of their support."
 
A Jacksonville native who began his career at VCU before transferring to Miami, Gilmore started 20 of the two dozen games he appeared in last season, averaging 6.6 points and 5.6 rebounds. He posted two double-doubles on the year, and recorded a career-high 16 points in the ASUN semifinals against North Florida.
 
"I have enjoyed recruiting, coaching and mentoring Michael," said FGCU head coach Michael Fly. "I look forward to watching him pursue his dreams of playing professional basketball or finding a school that offers his degree program."
 
By making himself eligible for the NBA Draft, Gilmore is able to start attending workouts scheduled by NBA teams and is eligible to compete – if he is invited – in the NBA Draft Combine May 16-20. After that time, he can mull over his options as the deadline to withdraw from the NBA Draft is May 30, which would allow him to maintain his amateurism if he elects to return to school.
 
In January of 2016, NCAA officials adopted a proposal that, among other provisions, changed the date by which a student-athlete must remove his name from the NBA Draft without forfeiting his amateurism. The intention of the change was to provide student-athletes the chance to make more fully-informed decisions of returning to school or preparing themselves for a potential professional basketball career.
 
FGCU completed another 20-win season in 2017-18 as the Eagles went 23-12 overall, claiming a second-straight outright ASUN Regular Season Championship courtesy of a 12-2 league mark. The Green and Blue advanced to the NIT, continuing a stretch of six-straight 20-win campaigns and postseason appearances: 2013 NCAA, 2014 NIT, 2015 CIT, 2016 NCAA, 2017 NCAA, 2018 NIT.
 
Combined with the women's basketball team, FGCU is one of only four schools in the nation along with Duke, Louisville and Saint Mary's to have both its men's and women's basketball teams win at least 20 games in six-straight seasons.
 
SOCIAL CENTRAL
For up-to-the-minute information and behind-the-scenes access to the men's basketball program, follow @FGCU_MBB on Twitter and Instagram, Like us on Facebook at /FGCUMBB and watch us on Snapchat at FGCU_MBB.
 
COACH FLY
Michael Fly was introduced as the 4th FGCU men's basketball head coach on April 5, 2018. He had spent the previous seven years as an assistant coach on the Eagles' staff. In that time, he helped FGCU to a 155-86 record (.643 winning percentage), including six ASUN Tournament Final appearances, three NCAA Tournament victories, three ASUN Tournament titles and three ASUN Regular Season Championships, two berths in the NIT, a CIT appearance and a run to the Sweet Sixteen. He has coached a dozen all-conference selections while with the Green and Blue, including two ASUN Player of the Year honors in Sherwood Brown and Brandon Goodwin, and two ASUN Defensive Player of the Year selections in Bernard Thompson and Demetris Morant. Of the top-10 players in career points at FGCU, Fly has helped develop eight of them, including all-time leading scorer Thompson (1,835). Additionally, the Kentucky alumnus has coached both the ASUN all-time assists leader Brett Comer (845; 24th in NCAA history) and FGCU all-time leading rebounder Chase Fieler (714).
 
SUPPORT THE CAUSE
FGCU Athletics sponsors events throughout the year to benefit the FGCU Campus Food Pantry (www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry) and the Harry Chapin Food Bank (www.harrychapinfoodbank.org), FGCU Athletics' charities of choice. For more information, including how to make a contribution, please visit www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry and utilize the hashtag #FeedFGCU to help raise awareness.