FORT MYERS, Fla. – FGCU men's basketball rising junior Troy Baxter Jr. (Tallahassee, FL/Oldsmar Christian HS/UNLV) has announced his intention to declare for the 2019 NBA Draft.
 
Baxter Jr. began his collegiate career at UNLV before transferring to FGCU. He was a 4-star recruit out of high school and was also an ESPN Top 100 prospect.
 
After sitting out the 2017-18 campaign due to transfer regulations, Baxter Jr. played in 30 games and made 16 starts this past season with the Green and Blue. He posted averages of 7.5 points per game, 2.9 rebounds per game and 1.1 assists per game. He also ranked sixth in the ASUN Conference with 33 blocks. He scored in double figures on 10 occasions, which included a season-high 21-point effort at NJIT (Jan. 30).
 
The athletic forward was featured twice on ESPN's SportsCenter Daily Top 10 segment thanks to two incredible dunks. He threw down a one-handed slam against Florida International on Nov. 28 that made the top spot on the daily countdown. He then landed at No. 5 when he charged the lane, timed his jump perfectly, grabbed a rebound off the rim and dunked it home with authority on Jan. 27 against UNF.
 
In his lone season with the Runnin' Rebels, Baxter Jr. averaged 4.3 ppg and 2.3 rpg, while scoring in double figures four times.
 
Baxter Jr. is the sixth Eagle to declare for the NBA Draft with eligibility remaining since 2016.
 
EAGLES TO DECLARE FOR NBA DRAFT WITH ELIGIBILITY REMAINING SINCE 2016
Troy Baxter Jr., 2019
Zach Johnson, 2018
Haanif Cheatham, 2018
Michael Gilmore, 2018
Brandon Goodwin, 2017
Marc-Eddy Norelia, 2016
 
SOCIAL CENTRAL
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COACH FLY
Michael Fly was introduced as the fourth 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).
 
#FEEDFGCU
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.
 
ABOUT FGCU
FGCU teams have combined to win an incredible 75 conference regular season and tournament titles in just 11+ seasons at the Division-I level. Additionally, in just seven+ seasons of D-I postseason eligibility, the Eagles have had a combined 35 teams or individuals compete in NCAA championships. Seven FGCU programs have earned a top-25 national ranking in their respective sport - including both men's and women's soccer again in 2018. In 2016-17, the Green and Blue posted a department-best 6th-place finish in the DI-AAA Learfield Directors' Cup and top-100 showing nationally, ahead of several Power-5 and FBS institutions. FGCU also collectively earned a record 3.35 GPA in the classroom in the Spring, 2018 and had an ASUN Conference and State of Florida best five teams earn the NCAA's Public Recognition Award for their Academic Progress Rate in their sport. The Eagles also served an all-time high 7,200 volunteer hours - being recognized as one of two runner-ups for the inaugural NACDA Community Service Award presented by the Fiesta Bowl.
 
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