As we continue our BadgersWire scouting report series, we turn to a preferred walk-on who feels like anything but an ordinary walk-on. Class of 2020 forward Carter Gilmore is a player who turned down multiple division one offers, including those from the likes of Depaul and Brown, to play for his home school in Madison.
Calling him a forward really does not tell the whole story. Gilmore looks and feels like a modern point-forward, at least at the high-school level. During his senior campaign, the 6-7 future Badger lead his Arrowhead squad to a 23-1 record. According to wissports.net, Gilmore averaged 26.8 points per game in 25 games while shooting nearly 54% from the field in the process.
Carter Gilmore in one word: “Positionless” — Sure, maybe this is just another way of saying versatile. On tape, the Hartland, WI native looks like he was playing point-center for his Arrowhead squad in high school. He was the anchor of the defense down low and came up with a series of highlight blocks. Gilmore also grabbed rebounds and brought the ball up himself. The best way to utilize Gilmore is an exciting mystery for Wisconsin Head Coach Greg Gard to solve.
Offense: Offensively, Gilmore does a little bit of everything. He’s comfortable taking the basketball up and making plays for others off the dribble. The point-forward stepped into a lot of pull-up threes at the high school level, and according to wissports.net shot 33% from beyond the arc as a senior. As a catch-and-shoot threat, Gilmore still has room to grow at the next level.
The best thing about Gilmore at this stage is his combination of pace and basketball IQ. By pace, I do not mean that he is particularly fast with the rock, but rather that he plays at his own tempo. He’s never hurried on the floor, and always seems to be under control with the basketball in his hands. His handles are sneaky good, especially for a player at his size. You can also expect a few highlight jams from Gilmore; an above-average athlete who has solid leaping ability. His turnovers were high this year at around four per game, but that is to be expected from a player who has the basketball in his hands as much as Gilmore did this season with the Warhawks.
Defense: As a rebounder, Gilmore was tenacious in high school. According to wissports.net, this past season the Arrowhead star pulled down nearly eleven rebounds per contest.
Gilmore’s role defensively at the next level is an interesting one to ponder. He probably lacks the speed to stay in front of most smaller college guards, while also not quite having the size to hang with bigs inside. Answering the question of where he fits best on this end of the floor will lead to Gilmore being a rotation player down the road.
2020-21 projection: On one of the deepest rosters in the country, Gilmore will be a player that can push others in practice to be better versions of themselves. A couple years down the road, do not be surprised if this preferred walk-on, who had multiple division one offers, turns into a hidden gem for the Badgers.