Gilmore Building Recruiting Momentum
Carter Gilmore wasn’t timid to join forces with some of the state’s best players. While he was the best player on his former AAU club, Gilmore didn’t exactly care to be a big fish in a little pond.
Finishing out last summer with Phenom University, who won the NY2LA Summer Jam, AAU Super Showcase, and placed second at the Nike Peach Jam, Gilmore not only proved he could hang with the likes of Jamari Sibley, Jalen Johnson, Patrick Baldwin Jr. and Reece Beekman, but he was an asset to a strong group of talent.
“I think in my head I knew I could play with them, but I didn’t really know it until this year,” Gilmore told Prep Hoops Wisconsin. “At first I was kind of nervous, but after a while, I realized I fit in and I could play with them.
“I think it got me respect from more people who didn’t know about me.”
Indeed it did.
Gilmore rose to No. 10 in the Prep Hoops Wisconsin class of 2020 rankings and appears poised to move up even higher after this season.
First things first, Gilmore needed to carve out a role with Phenom University in a lineup that was already loaded with Division 1 talent.
“I had to be a scrappy player and do what I do so I could get minutes and college coaches could watch me,” said Gilmore. “I wanted to play with the best, so it would prepare me better for college.”
Prior to the move, Gilmore said he was receiving interest from just UW-Green Bay and Wright State.
Gilmore holds five Division 1 offers.“I didn’t have a lot of hype on my name,” he said. “Not a lot of coaches knew me. I had to earn a lot of respect because I wasn’t the player I am now compared to last year.
“Once I made the switch, I think I started to turn some heads.”
GIlmore now holds offers from DePaul, UW-Milwaukee, Brown, Illinois-Chicago, and Southern Illinois. He said two schools are standing out early.
DePaul: “They were my first offer. That means something that they were the first to believe in me. They talk to me a lot.”
UW-Milwaukee: “They are probably on me the most. I love coach (Pat) Baldwin and his staff. They reach out to me almost every day. They were kind of the first to talk to me. That means a lot. With Patrick, I know coach Baldwin pretty well.”
High major programs are also eyeing Gilmore. The 6-foot-7, 200-pound junior visited Marquette last Friday for Midnight Madness.
“It was a lot of fun,” he said. “I love coach Wojo (Steve Wojciechowski) and Brett Nelson. I feel like it’s more of a relaxed, laid-back environment, but they get after it. I know from a young age, my old Arrowhead coach always thought I reminded him of (Marquette forward) Sam Hauser. I think it would be an amazing place to play.”
The following day, Gilmore visited Wisconsin for their home football game.
“I got to see a practice,” he explained. “That was pretty cool. We toured the locker room and met with coach Gard (Greg Gard) for about an hour. We went back to the recruit tailgate and went to the game. I love coach (Joe) Krabbenhoft. I’ve been a fan of his. Coach Gard, he’s close with my family. We know him pretty well.”
Last season, Gilmore averaged 15.4 points per game, while leading Arrowhead to a share of the Classic Eight Conference. Gilmore is receiving additional interest from Minnesota, Bradley, Belmont, William & Mary, Miami (OH), Drake, and more.
Gilmore has no timetable for a decision, but ideally, would like to be done with his recruitment sooner rather than later should the right offers come his way.
“Academics will be a big thing,” he said. “It will be something to lean on when the ball stops bouncing. Also the coaching staff and how well I like them. The players that are there and how they are treated.
“A place that feels like home.”