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Ja'Kobi Gillespie to Rick Barnes: 'I've been waiting a long time to take a shot on this court'

IMG_3593by:Grant Ramey•04/22/25•

GrantRamey

Ja'Kobi Gillespie, Instagram
Ja'Kobi Gillespie, Instagram

If there was ever any doubt, Ja’Kobi Gillespie erased it at the end of visit at Tennessee. The Maryland transfer point guard turned to his new head coach, Rick Barnes, and told him just what it meant to be back in his home state.

“One of the last things he said to me when he left here,” Barnes said on Monday, “he said, ‘I’ve been waiting a long time to take a shot on this court.’”

Gillespie will be calling the shots for Tennessee on the court at Food City Center next season, after the Greeneville native signed with the Vols out of the NCAA Transfer Portal earlier this month. 

Ja’Kobi Gillespie at Maryland: 14.7 points, 4.8 assists per game, 45.3% FG, 40.7% 3FG

He was Tennessee’s first addition out of the transfer portal — Gillespie left Maryland after one season after head coach Kevin Willard left for Villanova — and will step into the void left by Zakai Zeigler at point guard.

“Obviously when you lose the perimeter players that we did,” Barnes said, “you want to start there at that position, it was important. And the fact that his love for the state, his love for this university and wanting to come back.”

For a second straight year, one of the biggest names and most productive players in the transfer portal was a Tennessee native that grew up a Tennessee fan. 

Last April it was Chaz Lanier, coming off a breakout senior season at North Florida, averaging 19.7 points per game while shooting 44.0% from three. 

This time it was Gillespie, who averaged 14.7 points and 4.8 assists in his one season at Maryland, playing 31.6 minutes per game while shooting 40.7% from three and 45.3% from the field. 

He played his first two seasons at Belmont, averaging 17.2 points, 4.2 assists and 2.2 steals in 31.4 minutes per game as a sophomore in 2023-24.

“There’s no doubt that he’s excited to be back home,” Barnes said.

‘He’s got just a great attitude about coming back home, being here, being a part of this’

Since starting the offseason roster overhaul with Gillespie, Tennessee has added Vanderbilt power forward Jaylen Carey and 2025 small forward Nate Ament, the No. 3 overall player in the country in the On3 ratings.

“He has already done a lot with helping us recruit his teammates and the guys that he liked to play with and knowing the guys here,” Barnes said, “but to get that one early was a big get for us.”

Barnes described Gillespie as “a terrific shooter” and “very unselfish.” And a perfect fit for Tennessee.

“He’s a guy that would tell you whatever it takes,” Barnes said. “If you need him with the ball in his hand, he’ll play with it. If you need him to play off the ball, he’ll do that too. 

“He’s got just a great attitude about coming back home, being here, being a part of this and wanting to do everything he can to help us to get further than we’ve been in the past.”

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