Leon Gilmore III (#0 / F / 6-7 / 210 lbs / Fr.)
Leon Gilmore III is a freshman out of Manvel High School in Manvel, Tex. He looks to be the type of athlete the Creighton men’s basketball team is looking for to help them counter the athleticism of the Big East Conference.
Some Creighton fans got an early look at Gilmore in the annual Metro Summer League held at the Omaha Sports Academy. What stood out to most observers was not only his athleticism, but his nose for the ball and ability to rebound against players his size or bigger. His jump shot wasn’t a reliable feature during the summer, but he posted double-digit rebound totals in a few games.
Another apparent strength, no pun intended, is his body. He looks mature physically, which will surely give him a head start on other freshman in the conference in that regard while his skill-set catches up.
Photo Gallery (here) and Slideshow (below) of Leon:
High School Stats
Senior – 17.1 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 3.3 apg, 2.3 spg
Junior – 13.7 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 4.2 apg, 2.0 spg
Head Coach Greg McDermott on Gilmore:
“Energy is what he needs to bring to the team. He’s got the ability to defend multiple positions and he can rebound the basketball. Like most freshmen, his head is spinning right now, and that’s a process.”
5-on-5 with Leon Gilmore III:
Q: Why did you choose to come to Creighton?
A: “First it was the coaching staff. They really communicated with me well. It stood out because other coaches would call me and have one conversation with me, while Creighton would call me multiple times and check on me and ask me how I was doing in school. Just keeping up with me, so I really liked that. Then when I came on my visit it really stood out how the players acted as one — as a brotherhood. They took me in from day one, and they treated me how I wanted to be treated. Nobody had a bad attitude and everyone was really nice. I thought it was a good fit.”
Q: How do you think you can contribute right away?
A: “I think this year I can help a lot with rebounding. Play hard every time I’m on the court and try to do the little things they want me to do. Take open shots, rebound, and play physical on defense.”
Q: What is one are you think you need to improve the most?
A: “My strength. When I got here I couldn’t really size up any of the guys because they were much stronger than me. I can tell now from being in the weight room program that I’ve gotten a lot stronger, and I’m easing back in to what I was usually doing in high school.”
Q: How have practice and preseason workouts gone for you so far?
A: “It’s gone well. The conditioning got me in shape, and everything has been going good. I love it. Everything Coach has been teaching me is improving me, and it’s giving me the skills that will help me in the future.”
Q: What are your goals for your college career?
A: “I want to help this team get to a national championship. Get as far as possible. I just want to be a great teammate and do what I have to do to win.”