Hoops Highlights: Themus Fulks and Jamichael StilwellHoops Highlights: Themus Fulks and Jamichael Stilwell

Hoops Highlights: Themus Fulks and Jamichael Stilwell

by Aiden Kocol

ORLANDO – When UCF men’s basketball takes the floor Monday night to open the 2025-26 season, the roster will be nearly unrecognizable. No returning starters and no returning points. 

But amid the new-look Knights, two players already move in rhythm – Themus Fulks and Jamichael Stillwell, two former Milwaukee standouts ready to make their mark on one of the toughest conferences in the country, the Big 12.

When Fulks and Stillwell first arrived at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, few expected them to make much of an impact. The Panthers already had key returners ready to anchor the lineup, along with a handful of highly touted transfers the coaching staff planned to build the offense around.

"We looked bad at the beginning, and I was like, dang, maybe this wasn't the right move. But I had some good teammates around me, so we got locked in, we dug in and we played."

Themus FulksOn the early season at Milwaukee

But then came the turning point. Four games into the season, the Panthers faced Duquesne, a matchup ESPN gave them just an 18-percent chance to win. Defying the odds, Milwaukee pulled off an 80–76 victory, powered by the emerging dominance of what would become the team’s offensive cornerstone duo: Fulks and Stillwell. From that point on, they steered the Panthers’ season.

Stillwell made program history, becoming the first Milwaukee player ever to average a double-double. He closed the season with 13.0 points and a program-record 10.7 rebounds per game, earning First Team All-Horizon League and Newcomer of the Year honors.

Fulks, meanwhile, became the heartbeat of the offense, bringing speed, poise, and leadership from the point guard spot. One of only two players to start all 32 games, he led both the Panthers and the Horizon League in assists while also finishing as the team’s leading scorer.

But what blossomed wasn’t just performance on the court, but a personal connection built in the cold campus dorms, cafeteria, and one-on-one battles.

"When we first became teammates, we played a lot of one-on-one, and I used to kill him. I helped him become a better defender, 'cause he struggled at first to guard me, but now, he's a really good defender."

Themus FulksOn how him and Stillwell became friends

Stillwell won’t let that story go unchecked, though. As he remembers those early one-on-ones differently.

"He's just talking, he never beat me, except when I let him win. You know, I had to keep his confidence up."

Jamichael StillwellOn his and Fulks' one-on-one matchups
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As close as the two were once they arrived in Milwaukee, their journey to the Division I level couldn’t have been more different.

Fulks, a Winston-Salem native, had been playing basketball since he was five. By high school, he had become one of the best players in the school's history, holding the school record in career points with 1,857. By the time he arrived in Milwaukee, he had already accumulated 731 career points and made a trip to the NCAA tournament. As a Panther, Fulks found a team that matched his outgoing personality and allowed his leadership to shine as he adapted to their fast, free-flowing style of play.

Stillwell’s journey, on the other hand, was far from linear. The East Atlanta native didn’t pick up the game until his freshman year of high school, looking for both an outlet and a way to put his height to good use. For two years, Stillwell fought hard in JUCO to rise through the ranks and make a name for himself, until a bout of illness derailed his momentum in his sophomore season. 

“I had like over 20 offers out of JUCO, but then I got sick. Lost energy, lost weight. There was a game that coaches came to see me, and I had three points, zero rebounds. I lost like ten offers right there. Milwaukee was one of the few that still believed in me.”

Jamichael StillwellOn his struggle with illness
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And Milwaukee’s belief paid off. That season, Stillwell rewrote the Panthers' record books, shattering nearly every rebounding record in program history. His relentless work on the glass ranked him fifth nationally in offensive rebounds, and his scoring punch made him one of 30 finalists for the 2024–25 Riley Wallace Award, honoring the most impactful transfer in Division I basketball.

But when the season ended, new opportunities emerged. Especially from programs the dynamic duo had already faced.

Early in the 2024-25 season, Milwaukee faced UCF in a Thanksgiving week matchup. A game Fulks can recall like it was yesterday.

"We played here [UCF] last year. It was a really great game. We came up short, but the environment was phenomenal, you know what I mean? It was during Christmas break or Thanksgiving break, so there weren't a lot of students here, but the student section still had a great crowd. And literally after the game, I was looking up in the crowd, and I was like, I could see myself coming here."

Themus FulksOn playing in Addition Financial Arena

The Panthers may have fallen to the Knights 84–76, but head coach Johnny Dawkins couldn’t ignore the impact of the point guard–forward duo, who poured in 27 points and stifled some of the best offensive weapons his team had that season. So when the transfer portal opened, he knew who to call.

Fulks didn’t hesitate with his decision, recalling how at home he’d felt in Addition Financial Arena, even as an opponent. He visited, committed, and then made a call of his own—to Stillwell.

"I committed on my first visit, I knew. And once I committed, I signed, I told him, 'This place is great, you should come down here and do the same thing!' And he took a bit longer, but what did he do? Come down, do the same thing."

Themus FulksOn him and Stillwell committing to UCF

Although having his old teammate on the roster was a comfort in coming to Orlando, it was Coach Dawkins’ vision for Stillwell and belief in what he could help build that ultimately brought him to UCF.

True to his word, Coach Dawkins has crafted roles that mirror each player’s growth and path to this point. Fulks isn’t merely the ball-handler; he’s a captain and veteran presence, relied on to score, defend, and command the floor. Stillwell shares that captaincy, bringing a strong physical presence and the versatility to dominate both inside and out.

Fulks and Stillwell now stand as anchors on a team that many will overlook, a squad written off before the first tip.

But Fulks and Stillwell don't mind; they’re ready to remind everyone that greatness is earned, not given, and that the journey to the top often begins where the crowd least expects it.

About UCF Athletics
UCF is a proud member of the Big 12 Conference. Our mission is to positively transform the lives of our students academically, athletically, and personally through a nationally competitive intercollegiate athletics program that enhances the reputation and visibility of the University. We strive to be Florida's preeminent athletic program representing UCF and our community with distinction on the national stage as "Orlando's Hometown Team". To learn more about UCF and Athletics, please visit our websites at www.ucf.edu and www.ucfknights.com.