2026 PBA COMMISSIONER'S CUP | IMPORT WATCH | MICHAEL GILMORE

TITAN ULTRA | MICHAEL GILMORE

LISTED | 6’10 – 220LBS 

YEAR OF BIRTH | 1995

COLLEGE | VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH RAMS  

NBA DRAFT | 2019 | UNDRAFTED

NBA G-LEAGUE | WISCONSIN, RAPTORS 905

ASIA EXPERIENCE | LIAONING FLYING LEOPARDS (CHINA), JIAOZUO CULTURAL TOURISM (CHINA)  

It seems like the Titan Ultra Giant Risers are running back what the NorthPort Batang Pier had last season.

And no, it’s probably not the achievement they had in the Commissioner’s Cup when Kadeem Jack helped the team reach the semifinals.

At the start of the Philippine Cup, Chris Koon repeated what happened to fellow Atenean Will Navarro when the latter was traded to the Magnolia Hotshots. Then, before the opening of the Commissioner’s Cup, Calvin Abueva did an Arvin Tolentino and left the squad.

I get why Michael Gilmore’s height is alarming for new coach Rensy Bajar. During the Philippine Cup, Abueva led the team in rebounds with almost 12 a game, with Aris Dionisio and Cade Flores next on the list. Not only are these two undersized centers, but I also doubt they can really defend against the seven-footers in this conference.

The team also has Damie Cuntapay, Mario Barasi, Ato Ular, Pao Javillonar, and Jeo Ambohot, but sadly, these guys aren’t enough to neutralize the likes of June Mar Fajardo, Zavier Lucero, Japeth Aguilar, and the Converge twin-tower duo of Justine Baltazar and Justin Arana. Hell, I don’t even know if they have anything to disrupt the gameplay of Kai Ballungay and JB Bahio, two up-and-comers who are seen as the future of their squads.

Bajar might see Gilmore as one of the frontcourt reinforcements similar to those of other teams, but aside from looking more like a 6'8 rather than his listed 6'10 height, he looks more like a Danny Seigle-type than an Andy Seigle-type, which is what the team needs, especially given the problems they had last conference.

Yes, we live in a time of positionless basketball, but if the league is stacked with beefy, bruising imports, then this is something they need to address as well. I think the only way Michael Gilmore could work for Titan Ultra is if the league approves the potential signing of Greg Slaughter and moves him to the combo forward slot. However, we also need to remember that the Titan Ultra team that started the season is different from the one we’ll see in the Commissioner’s Cup. Hell, the only difference between them and Terrafirma is that Joshua Munzon is an elite scorer capable of leading the team if he has the right pieces around him.

Now, one could say that Munzon and the collection of NCAA stars around him are a good thing, especially since many of them are former NCAA champions. However, winning in the NCAA doesn’t automatically translate to success in the PBA.

But don’t get me wrong—Gilmore is the nephew of Hall of Famer Artis Gilmore. He played for the VCU Rams, a school that produced players like current Memphis Grizzlies combo guard Vince Williams and Minnesota Timberwolves guard Bones Hyland. He also had stints in the NBA G League and played in China, although most of his globetrotting career has been in Europe.

The thing about Titan Ultra is that if his inability to guard other imports while trying to score against them becomes a problem, the team might give him an early pink slip.

The franchise still seems undecided on whether it will tank or compete in its first year, given how frequently it has shuffled its players. Unfortunately for Gilmore, if there’s one import who needs to double his effort to keep his job, it’s him.