One college basketball analyst has Ja'Kobi Gillespie ranked No. 1 in NCAA Transfer Portal
Tennessee Basketball transfer and former Maryland guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie is the No. 1 prospect out of the NCAA Transfer Portal, according to college basketball analyst Evan Miyakawa.
EvanMiya.com has Gillespie ranked No. 1 and gave him a five-star transfer rating with an overall Bayesian Performance Rating of 6.69. His offensive rating is 4.48 and his defensive rating is 2.21.
No. 2 is UCLA transfer and former New Mexico guard Donovan Dent at 6.63.
Gillespie announced his commitment to Tennessee on Friday, picking the Vols after entering the NCAA Transfer Portal on Monday. It’s a homecoming for the Greeneville, Tenn., native, who was prioritized heavily by Tennessee’s coaching staff as soon as he entered the portal.
“It’s always been my dream and that’s just like home for me,” Gillespie told Volquest after announcing his commitment. “I couldn’t even think about Tennessee without my stomach and chest getting excited so I just knew it was the right spot.”
‘I’m going to have the keys to the car’
Tennessee coaches, including head coach Rick Barnes, visited Gillespie in person on Wednesday, ahead of the recruiting dead period that began Thursday
“It was great,” Gillespie said of the meeting with Barnes. “He’s a funny dude. He sells a lot of jokes and stuff. I mean basketball wise, he told me he needs a point guard. I’m going to have the keys to the car and he wants me. And once I commit, he’s going to get a lot of other players, too.”
Gillespie started all 36 games at Maryland this season, averaging 14.7 points and 4.8 assists in 31.6 minutes per game while shooting 45.3% from the floor and 40.7% from the 3-point line, where he made 87 of 214 attempts.
He played his first two seasons of college basketball at Belmont, averaging 12.9 points, 3.7 assists, 2.8 rebounds and 1.8 steals in 26.2 minutes per game, starting 32 times in 57 games with the Bruins.
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He averaged 17.2 points, 4.2 assists and 2.2 steals in 31.4 minutes per game as a sophomore in 2023-24, starting 24 times in 25 games.
Kentucky, North Carolina and Villanova had interest in Ja’Kobi Gillespie
Gillespie entered the NCAA Transfer Portal after former Maryland coach Kevin Willard left for Villanova. Maryland hired former Texas A&M coach Buzz Williams on Tuesday.
Jon Rothstein reported Wednesday that Gillespie was also receiving interest from Kentucky, North Carolina, Maryland and Villanova, before announcing his move to his home-state school.
“It feels good,” Gillespie said, “just finally being able to come back home and have the same people that support me a high school be able to support me Tennessee.
“It means a lot to me and my family. We all grew up going to Tennessee football and basketball games so it’s just it just means a lot being from there.”
