Michael Joseph "Mike" Sylvester (born December 10, 1951) is an American and Italian retired basketball player who is currently coach at Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy.

Due to the United States boycotting the 1980 Summer Olympics, he was the only American to win a medal at those games, using a dual citizenship to play for Italy.

Rubini was ordered by Milano president to seek-out American basketball players of Italian descent who wished to become naturalized citizens and play for Italy.

Three years later, he would be called for the Italy national basketball team, and had a great performance at the European qualifier that gave the Italians a spot at the Olympic tournament to be held in Moscow.

Mike's brothers Steve and Vince were American football players, with the former reaching the NFL playing for the Oakland Raiders, and the latter being a college star at the University of Cincinnati.