University of Tennessee Athletics
2025-26 Men's Basketball Roster
Roster
G
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballF
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballF
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballF
/ Men's BasketballF
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballF
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballF
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's Basketball
Jersey Number 0
Ja’Kobi Gillespie
- Class:
- Senior
- Position:
- G
- Height:
- 6-1
- Weight:
- 188
- Hometown:
- Greeneville, Tenn.
- High School:
- Greeneville
- Prev School:
- Maryland / Belmont
CAREER HIGHS
- Points: 34 // vs. Texas, 1/6/26
- Rebounds: 8 (2x) // last vs. Murray State, 2/7/24
- Assists: 12 // at South Carolina, 3/3/26
- Steals: 8 (2x) // last vs. Alabama, 2/28/26
- Blocks: 2 (2x) // last at Penn, 11/25/23
- Field Goals: 12 // vs. Texas, 1/6/26
- Field-Goal Attempts: 23 // vs. Alabama, 2/28/26
- 3-Pointers: 6 (2x) // last vs. Miami (OH) (N), 3/20/26
- 3-Point Attempts: 12 // at Missouri, 2/24/26
- Free Throws: 11 // vs. Michigan State, 2/26/25
- Free-Throw Attempts 12 // vs. Kentucky, 1/17/26
- Minutes: 48:14 // vs. Texas A&M, 1/13/26
HONORS
- 2026 NCAA Midwest Region All-Tournament Team
- 2025-26 SEC Newcomer of the Year (AP)
- 2025-26 First Team All-SEC (Coaches)
- 2025-26 Second Team All-SEC (AP)
- 2025-26 NABC First Team All-Central District
- 2025-26 Lute Olson Award Finalist & Early Season Watch List
- 2025-26 Naismith Trophy Late Season Team & Preseason Watch List
- 2025-26 Riley Wallace Award Finalist
- USBWA National Player of the Week (12/23/25)
- SEC Player of the Week (12/22/25)
- 2025-26 Wooden Award Preseason Watch List
- 2025-26 USBWA Oscar Robertson Trophy Preseason Watch List
- 2025-26 College Hoops Today Preseason All-America Honorable Mention
- 2025-26 Preseason Second Team All-SEC (Media & Coaches)
- 2025-26 Bob Cousy Award Top 20 Preseason Watch List
- 2024-25 Third Team All-Big Ten (Coaches, Media)
- 2024-25 NABC First Team All-East District
- 2023-24 Second Team All-MVC
- 2023-24 MVC All-Defensive Team
- 2023-24 MVC Most-Improved Team
- 2022-23 MVC All-Freshman Team
- 2022-23 MVC All-Bench Team
- Two-time MVC Newcomer of the Week (1/26/23, 2/27/23)
CAREER
- Finished third on the program’s all-time leaderboard for assists average (5.43), steals average (2.14) and 3-point makes per game (2.78).
- Posted the fourth-best minutes average (34.7) and sixth-best scoring average (18.4) by a Volunteer.
- Compiled the best assists average and the most total assists (201) by a one-year Tennessee player.
- Became the 29th player in program history to register multiple 30-point performances.
- Set, then tied, the program record for single-game steals (eight), as well as set the top mark in NCAA Tournament action (six).
- Fourth player in SEC history with multiple eight-steal outings, joining Shawn Griggs (three), Gary Hooker and Tremont Waters, as well as the only one to achieve the feat twice in league play.
- Scored in double figures in all 25 neutral-site games of his career, the longest streak to begin a career in the last 30 seasons (1996-2026), per Stats Perform, eclipsing the mark of 23 by Ethan Happ (2015-18).
2025-26 – SENIOR
- VIDEO: "Mike Keith Show" interview
- VIDEO: "Everything Orange" podcast
- VIDEO: WBIR+ "Full Circle" documentary
- VIDEO: "Mike Keith Show" interview
- Lone Volunteer to start all 37 contests and one of two to play in each game, tying for the fourth-most starts and sixth-most appearances in a campaign in program history.
- Set Tennessee’s single-season steals record with 79, surpassing the 78 by LaMarcus Golden in 1993-94.
- Logged the second-most field-goal attempts (566), third-most minutes (1,286), third-most 3-point attempts (305), fifth-most made 3-pointers (103) and fifth-best steals average (2.14) in a campaign by a Volunteer.
- Placed sixth at Tennessee in single-season assists (201), eighth in 3-point makes per game (2.78), No. 11 in points (681), No. 13 in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.36) and No. 16 in assists average (5.43).
- First player Volunteer with 650 points and 200 assists in a season, as well as the second to average at least 18.0 points and 5.0 assists per game.
- Averaged 18.4 points, 5.4 assists, 2.8 rebounds and 2.1 steals in 34.7 minutes per game, while shooting 81.0 percent at the line.
- Paced Tennessee in scoring, assists, steals, made 3-pointers, free-throw percentage (min. 20 FTA), assist-to-turnover ratio and minutes.
- Ranked second on the team in made free throws (114) and free-throw attempts (140), as well as fourth in 3-point percentage (min. 15 3PA).
- Drilled 10 3-pointers in his first three games at Tennessee, tying the school record.
- Made 35 consecutive free throws from 11/24/25 to 1/10/26, the fifth-longest single-season streak in program history.
- Scored in double figures 28 straight times, the top single-season streak and second-best overall streak by a Tennessee player this century, per ESPN.
- Notched a steal in 17 consecutive games to end the year, the longest single-season streak and second-longest overall streak by a Volunteer in the last 30 years (1996-2026), per Stats Perform.
- Third SEC player, since steals became an official stat in 1985-86, to average at least 18.0 points, 5.0 assists and 2.0 steals per game, alongside Tyler Tanner (2025-26) and Devan Downey (2007-08).
- First player in SEC history to amass 200 assists and 100 made 3-pointers in a single season, as well as the fifth Division I player ever to add 75 steals to that line, joining David Holston (2008-09), Jay Williams (2000-01), Charles Jones (1997-98) and Terrell Lowery (1990-91).
- Tied for third in Division I with 35 double-digit scoring performances and tied for fifth with 29 15-point outings.
- Ranked co-third in the country with four-plus assists in 32 contests, the co-fourth-highest total by an SEC player in the last 20 seasons (2006-26).
- Tied for seventh nationally with multiple made 3-pointers in 30 games and tied for ninth with three-plus such makes in 22 contests.
- Only player in the country to tally eight steals in multiple contests and one of three with six-plus four times.
- The 13th Division I player in the last 20 seasons (2006-26) with multiple eight-steal performances in a campaign, including the second in a Power Five league, alongside Paul Gause (2007-08).
- Registered the co-fifth-most double-digit scoring performances (35) in a season by an SEC player in the last 20 years (2006-26).
- Tied for the eighth-most 15-point showings (29) in a campaign by an SEC competitor over the past 20 seasons (2006-26), with the highest mark by a Volunteer.
- One of two Division I players to finish top-25 nationally in both points and assists, alongside Darius Acuff Jr., as well as the only one to also place top-25 in steals.
- Ranked eighth nationally in minutes, co-eighth in total steals, No. 20 in steals average, co-No. 23 in total assists, No. 25 in total points, No. 27 in made 3-pointers, No. 30 in made field goals (232), No. 40 in assists average, No. 61 in 3-point makes per game, No. 74 in scoring average and No. 80 in minutes average.
- Led the SEC in total minutes, while ranking second in minutes average, total assists, assists average and total steals, as well as third in steals average.
- Finished fifth in the league in in 3-point makes per game, sixth in total points, seventh in scoring average, ninth in assist-to-turnover ratio, No. 10 in 3-point percentage and No. 13 in free-throw percentage
- In SEC-only action, paced the conference in steals average (2.67), total steals (48), minutes average (36.5) and total minutes (657).
- Also ranked third in the league in SEC-only play in assists average (5.4), co-fourth in 3-point makes per game (2.72), fifth in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.55), seventh in 3-point percentage (32.0) and No. 11 in scoring (18.1).
- Recorded two of the three eight-steal performances by an SEC player, as well as four of the 12 with six-plus.
- Tied for the fifth-most made free throws without a miss (10) in a game by an SEC competitor.
- Led or co-led Tennessee in assists 29 times, minutes 28 times, scoring 18 times, steals 14 times and blocks twice.
- Paced the team in number of showings with 10-plus (35), 15-plus (29), 20-plus (16), 24-plus (six) and 32-plus (two) points, with the former two marks both top-two in the SEC.
- Dished out five-plus assists 22 times, with six-plus in 15 contests, seven-plus in 10 and nine-plus in three, all of which led Tennessee and ranked co-second in the SEC.
- Had multiple steals in 21 contests, three-plus in nine, six-plus in four and eight twice, all of which paced the Volunteers and ranked top-three in the SEC.
- Led Tennessee in number of games with two-plus (30), three-plus (22), four-plus (11) and five-plus (four) 3-pointers, ranking second in the SEC in the former two categories.
- Put up the highest (34), second-highest (32) and co-third-highest (29) single-game scoring totals by a Volunteer.
- Logged three of the four instances of a Tennessee player making 11-plus field goals, including the only one with 12, as well as all four outings with at least five made 3-pointers.
- Tied for the second-most made free throws (10) and third-most free-throw attempts (13) in a contest by a Volunteer, plus posted the most (10) and second-most (nine) made free throws without a miss.
- Had three of the four outings by a Tennessee player with nine-plus assists, including the top single-game mark (12).
- Notched all four instances of a Volunteer tallying six-plus steals in a game.
- Averaged 21.8 points, 5.3 assists, 2.8 steals and 2.0 rebounds in 37.0 minutes per game during the NCAA Tournament.
- Third player in the 64/68-team era (since 1985) to log 50-plus points and 15-plus assists in the opening two rounds of the NCAA Tournament, per CBS Sports, alongside Kemba Walker (2011) and Billy Donovan (1987).
- Registered a team-high 21 points, four rebounds, a game-best four assists and a program single-game NCAA Tournament record six steals in the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight matchup with third-ranked Michigan (3/29/26), becoming the sixth player since steals became an official stat (1985-86) to log at least 20 points, four boards, four assists and six takeaways in an NCAA Tournament contest, plus broke the school single-season steals record with his 79th and final one of the year.
- Scored 16 points in the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 triumph versus sixth-ranked Iowa State (3/27/26).
- Put up a team-high 21 points and six assists, plus went 6-of-6 at the line with all of them in the final 26 seconds, in the NCAA Tournament Round of 32 decision over No. 9/8 Virginia (3/22/26).
- Became the ninth player —first from the SEC and second in the last 30 seasons (1996-2026)—with 29 points, nine assists and three steals in an NCAA Tournament game, finishing 11-of-21 from the floor and 6-of-11 from deep in the Round of 64 win versus Miami (OH) (3/20/26), tying the third-best point total by a Volunteer in the NCAA Tournament.
- Led the team with 21 points on 8-of-14 shooting versus No. 22 Vanderbilt (3/13/26) in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals, adding a team-high four assists.
- Produced 15 points, three assists and a game-best three steals in the SEC Tournament comeback win over Auburn (3/12/26).
- Logged 17 points, a co-game-best four assists and a 6-of-7 free-throw clip versus No. 24/22 Vanderbilt (3/7/26) int the final contest of the regular season.
- Dished out a career-high 12 assists and committed just one turnover in the victory at South Carolina (3/3/26).
- Became, against No. 17/18 Alabama (2/28/26), the first Division I player in the last 15 seasons (2011-26) with 26 points, five rebounds, seven steals and eight assists in a game, with the latter mark tying the program record he set just 10 days prior.
- Scored a team-leading 19 points and dished out a game-high six assists, adding a co-team-best two steals, at Missouri (2/24/26).
- Led all scorers with 17 points in the triumph at No. 19/18 Vanderbilt (2/21/26), adding a game-best three steals.
- Tallied 16 points, a game-best eight assists and a career-high eight steals in the win against Oklahoma (2/18/26), becoming just the eighth player to tally that line against a Division I team in the last 20 seasons (2006-26) and the first to do so against a Power Five foe, while also setting a school record for single-game steals, tying the fifth-most in SEC history and equaling the second-most in an SEC game all-time.
- Notched 12 points on 4-of-8 long-range shooting and dished out a game-best six assists in the triumph over LSU (2/14/26).
- Led the team with 18 points in the triumph at Mississippi State (2/11/26), adding five assists.
- Tallied 15 points, a game-high four assists and two steals at Kentucky (2/7/26).
- Scored 20 points, his fourth time in five games reaching that number, in the win versus Ole Miss (2/3/26), shooting 5-of-10 from 3-point range.
- Scored 11 points, made all four of his free throws and led the team with five assists in the triumph versus Auburn (1/31/26).
- Eclipsed 20 points for the third straight outing by scoring a team-high 21 to go along with a game-best six assists in 41 minutes in the overtime triumph at Georgia (1/28/26).
- Put up 24 points, four assists, three rebounds and two steals in the win at No. 17 Alabama (1/24/26).
- Led all players in points (24) and assists (eight) in the matchup with Kentucky (1/17/26), adding two steals, a 4-of-7 long-range mark and a career-best 12 free-throw attempts.
- Became the fifth SEC player int he last 15 seasons (2011-26) with 18 points, six steals (then-season high), five assists and four rebounds in a game in the double-overtime win against Texas A&M (1/13/26), playing a career-high 48 minutes.
- Notched 12 points, four rebounds, a team-high three assists and two steals at Florida (1/10/26).
- Dropped a career-high 34 points, including 22 in the first half, on 12-of-18 shooting, also setting a career best in made field goals, in the victory over Texas (1/6/25) and became the second SEC player in the last 20 seasons (2006-26)—the other is LSU's Ben Simmons (12/2/15—to compile 34 points, five assists, four rebounds and three steals in a game.
- Notched 14 points, pushing him past 1,000 as a collegian, and a co-game-high four assists at No. 18 Arkansas (1/3/26) in his first SEC action.
- Scored a team-high 21 points, his 20th-career 20-point game, versus South Carolina State (12/30/25) and went 7-of-12 from the floor, while dishing out a game-best eight assists with zero turnovers in 28 minutes.
- Produced a co-game-high 15 points and a season-best nine assists versus Gardner-Webb (12/21/25).
- Put up a game-best 23 points, including 20 in the second half, and a game-high five assists in the victory against No. 11 Louisville (12/16/25), finishing 10-of-10 at the line to become the first Volunteer since Jaden Springer on 2/24/21 to make double-digit free throws without a miss.
- Amassed a team-leading 15 points, five rebounds and five assists in a Music City Madness contest against No. 14/15 Illinois (12/6/25).
- Totaled 10 points, a game-best seven assists and two steals in the road opener at Syracuse (12/2/25).
- Totaled 11 points, four assists and two steals against Kansas (11/26/25) in the Players Era Men's Championship third-place matchup.
- Produced a team-high 22 points, four rebounds, and a co-team-best four assists in the victory over No. 3/2 Houston (11/25/25) in the Players Era Men's Championship, becoming the third Volunteer in the last seven seasons (2019-26) to shoot at least 9-of-9 from the line, with six of his makes in the final 35 seconds.
- Dropped a then-career-high 32 points, 23 of which came in the first half, against Rutgers (11/24/25) to begin the Players Era Men's Championship, shooting 11-of-22 to tie a then-career best in makes and going 6-of-10 from deep to set a new top mark in 3-point makes, plus added four assists, three rebounds, two steals and one block.
- Had a team-best 17 points, a co-game-high five assists and three steals versus Tennessee State (11/20/25) and made all six of his shots inside the arc.
- Put up 17 points and a then-season-best eight assists against Rice (11/17/25), shooting 3-of-6 from deep.
- Totaled 21 points, a game-best seven assists, two steals, one block and a 4-of-10 long-range ledger against North Florida (11/12/25).
- Scored 20 points on 8-of-14 shooting, including a 4-of-10 clip from deep, against Northern Kentucky (11/8/25).
2024-25 – JUNIOR (at Maryland)
- One of four players to start all 36 games, aiding the team to its most wins and first Sweet 16 in nine years.
- Averaged 14.7 points, 4.8 assists, 2.8 rebounds and 1.9 steals in 31.6 minutes per game, posting a 45.3 percent clip from the field, a 40.7 percent mark from deep and an 86.2 percent ledger at the stripe.
- Paced the roster in assists, assist-to-turnover ratio (2.56), steals, minutes, free-throw percentage and made 3-pointers (87), the last of which put him fourth in program single-season history.
- Ranked second on the team in scoring, 3-point percentage and made field goals (180), plus finished third in total rebounding, defensive rebounding (2.2) and field-goal percentage (min. 1.5 FGM/gm), as well as placed fourth in free throws both made (81) and attempted (94).
- Notched one double-double on the year, just the fourth by a Terrapin with points and assists in the last 15 seasons (2010-25), alongside two from Anthony Cowan and one by Melo Trimble.
- One of three Big Ten players in the last 35 seasons (1990-2025) to average at least 14.5 points, 4.5 assists, 2.5 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game while shooting at least 40.0 percent from 3-point range, following Ohio State’s D’Angelo Russell (2014-15) and Wisconsin’s Tracy Webster (1991-92).
- Placed co-No. 31 nationally in total steals (69), co-No. 34 in total assists (174), No. 36 in assist-to-turnover ratio, No. 52 in steals average, No. 58 in assists average and co-No. 77 in total made 3-pointers.
- One of four players to finish top-40 in Division I in steals, assists and assist-to-turnover ratio, alongside Drake’s Bennett Stirtz, Purdue’s Braden Smith and St. John’s’ Kadary Richmond, while just four others—Penn State’s Ace Baldwin Jr., Merrimack’s Adam Clark, Louisville’s Chucky Hepburn and Tennessee’s Zakai Zeigler—did so in even just steals and assists.
- Among five Power Five players to average at least 14.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.5 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game—the others are Louisville’s Chucky Hepburn, Pittsburgh’s Jaland Lowe, West Virginia’s Javon Small and Purdue’s Braden Smith—and the only Division I player to post that line while shooting at least 40.0 percent from long range.
- Led the Big Ten in total made 3-pointers, while placing second in 3-point makes per game (2.4), third in total steals, fourth in steals average and co-fourth in total assists.
- Also finished fifth in the Big Ten in assists average, assist-to-turnover ratio and 3-point percentage, as well as No. 13 in total points (528), co-No. 16 in total made field goals and No. 17 in scoring average.
- In league-only action, led the Big Ten in made 3-pointers per game (2.7), plus ranked fourth in steals average (1.9), sixth in both assists average (4.8) and 3-point percentage (42.2), eighth in both free-throw percentage (85.9) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.96), No. 13 in minutes average (33.8) and No. 15 in scoring average (16.3).
- Tied for the second-most made free throws without a miss (11) by a Big Ten player all year.
- Scored in double figures a co-team-best 30 times to tie for fourth-most such outings by a Big Ten player, notching 15-plus points in 20 contests, 17-plus in 12 (all against Power Five foes), 20-plus in six and 26-plus twice.
- Paced the team in number of outings with at least three (29), five (17), seven (11) and nine (five) assists, ranking third in the Big Ten in each of the latter two.
- Led the Big Ten in number of games with at least two (27) and three (17) 3-pointers, as well as led the team with four-plus eight times and co-led the Terrapins with five twice.
- Co-led the Big Ten with multiple steals in 23 outings, as well as paced the team with three-plus takeaways nine times and four on four occasions, plus grabbed five-plus boards on eight occasions and reached seven twice.
- Amassed all 13 instances of a Terrapin recording six-plus assists in a game, as well the most made free throws without a miss (11) and the co-second most makes (11) on any number of attempts.
- Wrapped up the year with 17 points, two steals and a perfect 6-of-6 free-throw ledger versus third-ranked Florida (3/27/25) in the Sweet 16.
- Registered 11 points, seven assists, a co-season-best four steals and no turnovers in 36 minutes in an NCAA Tournament Round of 32 win against Colorado State (3/23/25).
- Opened the NCAA Tournament with 16 points, three assists and two steals in a win against Grand Canyon (3/21/25).
- Logged 10 points and nine assists, with zero turnovers, in 38 minutes versus No. 22/21 Michigan (3/15/25) in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals.
- Posted 12 points, nine assists and two steals in a victory against No. 24/25 Illinois (3/14/25) in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals.
- Finished with 17 points, four rebounds and a season-high-tying four steals against Northwestern (3/8/25), shooting 3-of-4 from long range and an unblemished 4-of-4 on free throws.
- Compiled 19 points, seven assists and two steals at Penn State (3/1/25), finishing 6-of-8 from the floor, 3-of-5 beyond the arc and a perfect 4-of-4 at the stripe.
- Notched 15 points, three assists and two steals in 37 minutes versus eighth-ranked Michigan State (2/26/25), shooting a perfect 11-of-11 at the line to set career highs in makes and attempts.
- Recorded 20 points on 7-of-12 shooting, including tying a career high in 3-point makes with a 5-of-8 ledger, against Southern Cal (2/20/25), adding four assists and two steals in 36 minutes.
- Put up 26 points, seven assists, five steals and three assists against Iowa (2/16/25), finishing 11-of-14 from the field to tie a career high in makes, as well as going 4-of-7 on 3-pointers in 36 minutes.
- Accumulated 15 points on 6-of-11 shooting, including a 3-of-5 clip from deep, and seven assists in 37 minutes at Nebraska (2/13/25).
- Tallied 14 points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals in 37 minutes versus Rutgers (2/9/25).
- Had 16 points, a co-season-best seven rebounds, five assists and two steals in a victory over No. 17 Wisconsin (1/29/25), finishing 5-of-6 on free throws.
- Produced 18 points and nine assists in a victory at Indiana (1/26/25), logging a 4-of-10 long-range ledger.
- Registered 15 points, eight assists and three steals in 36 minutes in a triumph at No. 17 Illinois (1/23/25).
- Posted 22 points, five assists and a season-high-tying four steals in 36 minutes at Nebraska (1/19/25), finishing with an 8-of-15 clip overall and a 5-of-9 mark from beyond the arc to set a career high in 3-point makes.
- Compiled 14 points, four assists and three steals in a career-high near-40 minutes of action in an overtime affair at Northwestern (1/16/25).
- Logged 15 points on 6-of-12 shooting, seven assists and five rebounds versus Minnesota (1/13/25).
- Dropped a career-high 27 points, to go along with four assists and a co-season-high four steals, in a win at UCLA (1/10/25), going 7-of-13 overall, 4-of-8 on 3-pointers and a perfect 9-of-9 at the stripe.
- Scored 16 points at ninth-ranked Oregon (1/5/25).
- Recorded 17 points, a career-best 11 assists, five rebounds and zero turnovers against Syracuse (12/21/24) in Brooklyn, N.Y., finishing 7-of-12 from the floor, including 3-of-5 from deep.
- Tallied 18 points, four assists and a 4-of-7 3-point mark in 37 minutes at No. 8/7 Purdue (12/8/24).
- Had 23 points and four assists in a Big Ten-opening victory over Ohio State (12/4/24), shooting 7-of-11 from the field, 4-of-8 on 3-pointers and a perfect 5-of-5 at the line.
- Notched 12 points, three assists and two steals in a win over Villanova (11/24/24) in Newark, N.J.
- Poured in 24 points on 10-of-17 shooting, including a 4-of-9 long-range clip, versus No. 15 Marquette (11/15/24), adding four rebounds and two steals in 36 minutes.
- Produced 12 points, five rebounds and three steals against Florida A&M (11/11/24).
- Scored 13 points and went 3-of-4 from 3-point range versus Mount St. Mary’s (11/8/24).
- Started the year with 16 points on 6-of-10 shooting and five assists, with no turnovers, against Manhattan (11/4/24).
2023-24 – SOPHOMORE (at Belmont)
- Appeared in 25 games of 33 games, missing eight due to injury, and made 24 starts.
- Averaged 17.2 points, 4.2 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 2.2 steals in 31.4 minutes per game, while shooting 56.1 percent overall, 38.7 percent beyond the arc and 83.1 percent at the line.
- Led the team in scoring average, assists average, steals average and minutes average, plus ranked second in field-goal percentage.
- Finished third on the roster in third in made field goals (165) and made free throws (59), fourth in made 3-pointers (41) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.74), as well as fifth in rebounding, defensive rebounding (3.3) and free-throw attempts (71).
- Ended the year tied for No. 20 nationally in steals per game and No. 41 in field-goal percentage.
- One of only four qualified guards in the country to shoot over 55.0 percent, ranking third among that group, behind only Bryant’s Earl Timberlake and Little Rock’s Jamir Chaplin, and above Howard’s Bryce Harris.
- Shot 66.3 percent (118-of-178) inside the arc to rank No. 39 nationally, per KenPom, in 2-point percentage and was the only player in the top-100 under 6-foot-3.
- Finished as one of three Division I players (min. 100 MP) to post a 56/38/83 shooting line, alongside Eastern Washington’s Cedric Coward and Auburn’s Jaylin Williams.
- Second MVC player (min. 100 MP) in the last 30 seasons (1994-2024) to record a 56/38/83 shooting ledger, joining Evansville’s Dru Smith (2017-18).
- Only Division I player in the last 30 years (1994-2024) to average at least 17.0 points and 2.0 steals per game, while notching a 56/38/83 shooting line.
- Led the MVC in steals average and placed third in total steals (55), plus ranked fifth in scoring average, assists average and field-goal percentage.
- Also ranked seventh in the MVC in free-throw percentage, ninth in assist-to-turnover ratio, No. 10 in 3-point percentage, No. 14 in total assists (106) and tied for No. 17 in total points (430).
- Posted the highest single-game steals total (seven) by any player in the MVC on the year.
- Co-led the MVC in number of games with at least four steals (four), as well as tied for third in number of outings with three-plus steals (seven) and two-plus steals (17), all of which paced the team.
- Scored in double figures 24 times, with 15-plus on 18 occasions and 20-plus seven times.
- Dished out three-plus assists in 22 contests, with five-plus a team-best 12 times, six-plus twice and seven twice.
- Grabbed at least five rebounds in eight appearances, with at least six in four and eight in two.
- In addition to notching the top single-game steals mark by a Bruin, tied for the most made free throws without a miss (seven) in a contest.
- Also logged the second-most made field goals (11) and co-second-most made free throws (seven) in a single game by any player on the team.
- Ended the year with 17 points, six rebounds, six assists and two steals in 38 minutes versus Northern Iowa (3/8/24) in the MVC Tournament quarterfinals.
- Concluded the regular season with 18 points on 7-of-12 shooting, five rebounds, four assists and two steals against Evansville (3/3/24).
- Scored 24 points in 38 minutes versus Missouri State (2/24/24), finishing 8-of-16 overall, 3-of-7 from long range and 5-of-6 at the stripe.
- Totaled 23 points, on a 10-of-19 field-goal clip and a perfect 7-of-7 free-throw ledger, at Drake (2/21/24), chipping in two steals in 38 minutes of action.
- Registered 17 points, four assists and three steals at Illinois-Chicago (2/18/24).
- Produced a season-best 26 points, five rebounds and three assists versus Southern Illinois (2/14/24), shooting 11-of-15 from the field to set a career high in makes.
- Had 18 points on 7-of-9 shooting at Valparaiso (2/10/24), adding six assists, four rebounds and two steals.
- Reentered the starting lineup against Murray State (2/7/24) and put up 24 points, a co-season-high eight rebounds, five assists and two steals, finishing 9-of-12 from the floor and 5-5 at the line in 35 minutes.
- Returned at Missouri State (2/3/24) and, coming off the bench for the only time all year, tallied 15 points, a season-high-tying seven assists and two steals.
- Missed eight consecutive games due to a broken left wrist sustained versus Southern Illinois (1/2/24), against which he had eight points, six assists and four steals in 34 minutes despite the injury.
- Finished with 18 points, six rebounds, five assists and four steals in 36 minutes at Arkansas State (12/20/23).
- Compiled 18 points, five assists and two steals in 35 minutes at Samford (12/16/23), logging a 6-of-8 clip on field goals, a 4-of-5 mark from long range and a 2-of-2 ledger at the line.
- Put up 23 points and four steals in 37 minutes at Middle Tennessee State (12/9/23), shooting 9-of-12 from the field, while hitting both his 3-point attempts and all three of his free throws.
- Scored 14 points on 6-of-11 shooting at Lipscomb (12/6/23).
- Tallied 14 points on 5-of-8 shooting to go along with five assists and two steals against Valparaiso (12/2/23).
- Opened league play with 18 points, three assists and three steals in a victory at Northern Iowa (11/29/23), finishing 6-of-10 from the floor, 3-of-5 from deep and 3-of-3 at the line.
- Capped the Cathedral of College Basketball Classic with 15 points and three assists against Lafayette (11/26/23), shooting 5-of-9 overall, 2-of-3 beyond the arc and 3-of-3 at the stripe.
- Had 16 points, five rebounds, three assists and a career-high-tying two blocks in 39 minutes in an overtime win at Penn (11/25/23) in the Cathedral of College Basketball Classic.
- Amassed 20 points on 8-of-15 shooting, six assists and four rebounds against Monmouth (11/24/23) in the Cathedral of College Basketball Classic.
- Notched 13 points on 5-of-9 shooting, four rebounds, three assists and three steals at third-ranked Arizona (11/17/23).
- Produced 12 points on 6-of-11 shooting, four assists and a career-best seven steals in just 18 minutes versus Berry (11/14/23).
- Totaled 21 points, five rebounds and two steals at Furman (11/10/23).
- Started the year with 17 points, a season-best eight rebounds and a season-high seven assists in 35 minutes of action versus Georgia State (11/6/23).
2022-23 – FRESHMAN (at Belmont)
- Competed in all 32 games, one of three individuals to do so, and earned eight starting nods, including in each of the first six games.
- Averaged 9.6 points, 3.3 assists, 2.1 rebounds and 1.5 steals in 22.2 minutes per game, shooting 45.4 percent from the field.
- Paced the team in steals, as well as ranked second in assists and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.83).
- Finished third on the roster in free throws both made (47) and attempted (66), placed co-third in total blocks (11), ranked fourth in scoring and came in at fifth in minutes and made 3-pointers (23).
- One of nine freshmen nationally to log 300 points, 100 assists and 45 steals, alongside Merrimack’s Javon Bennett, Arkansas’ Anthony Black, FIU’s Arturo Dean, Incarnate Word’s Trey Miller, Syracuse’s Judah Mintz, St. Thomas’ Andrew Rohde, Colgate’s Braeden Smith and Kentucky’s Cason Wallace.
- One of two MVC freshmen in the last 15 seasons (2008-23) with 300 points, 100 assists and 45 steals in a single campaign, joining Indiana State’s Jake Odum (2010-11).
- Tied for third in the MVC in steals average, tied for fifth in total steals (49), placed sixth in assist-to-turnover ratio and finished ninth in both assists average and total assists (106).
- In league-only competition, ranked fifth in the MVC in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.93), tied for No. 11 in assists average (2.9) and tied for No. 12 in steals average (1.3).
- Tied for the most steals in a single game (six) by an MVC player on the year.
- Scored in double figures 16 times, including in each of the first six and each of the last three games, with 15-plus points in five outings, as well as twice grabbed five-plus rebounds.
- Dished out at least three assists on 19 occasions, with five-plus eight times, six-plus six times and eight twice, placing second on the team in the latter three areas and co-first in the last.
- Notched multiple steals 11 times, second-most on the roster, and led the team with both eight performances of three-plus steals and four showings with three-plus.
- Amassed three of the top four single-game steal totals by a Bruin, including posting the top mark (six) and twice tying for second (four each).
- Twice tied for the second-highest single-game assist count (eight) by any player on the team.
- Ended the year with 14 points, a season-high-tying eight assists, two steals and a block versus Indiana State (3/3/23) in the MVC Tournament.
- Wrapped up the regular season by scoring a season-best 24 points in just 26 minutes in a win at Northern Iowa (2/26/23), shooting 9-of-11 from the floor to set a season best in makes, as well as chipping in four assists and three steals.
- Compiled 16 points on 7-of-12 shooting and three steals in the home finale against Indiana State (2/22/23)
- Logged eight points on 4-of-8 shooting, five assists and two steals versus Illinois State (2/4/23).
- Tallied 15 points and a season-best five rebounds in 31 minutes of action against Drake (1/29/23).
- Amassed 18 points and six assists in a start at Evansville (1/25/23), shooting 6-of-11 from the field, 3-of-5 from deep to set a season best in makes and 3-of-3 at the line.
- Put up 12 points, four rebounds, three assists and a perfect 4-of-4 free-throw clip versus Murray State (1/17/23).
- Had 14 points on 6-of-8 shooting, including hitting both his 3-point tries, against Northern Iowa (1/14/23), adding four assists.
- Recorded 15 points, six assists and two steals at Valparaiso (1/10/23), shooting 7-of-13 from the floor.
- Scored 13 points and tallied a pair of steals at Illinois State (12/4/22).
- Capped a six-game starting, double-digit scoring streak to start his career in a Paradise Jam triumph against Howard (11/21/22) with 13 points, a season-best eight assists and a 7-of-8 free-throw mark, good for season highs in makes and attempts.
- Notched 13 points, a season-best six steals, four assists and a perfect 6-of-6 free-throw ledger in a season-high 35 minutes in a Paradise Jam victory over George Mason (11/19/22).
- Opened the Paradise Jam with 12 points and six assists versus Tarleton State (11/18/22).
- Posted 12 points on 5-of-10 shooting and three steals at Lipscomb (11/14/22).
- Registered 13 points and three assists in 34 minutes at Furman (11/11/22).
- Began his career with 11 points, four assists and four steals in 31 minutes in a victorious start against Ohio (11/7/22).
HIGH SCHOOL
- Totaled 2,129 points across his three-year prep career.
- Two-time TSWA All-State pick, two-time 5StarPreps.com Tennessee Player of the Year, two-time Knoxville News Sentinel First Team All-PrepXtra selection and a two-time TSSAA state tournament MVP, collecting each of those honors as both a junior and senior.
- Led his school to back-to-back state championships, as well as to an 89-18 record and three straight state tournament appearances—it had just five prior trips total, never in consecutive years—over his final three campaigns.
- Averaged 27.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 3.0 steals per game per game as a senior, shooting 40.4 percent from beyond the arc and 64.0 percent inside it, as well as 78.5 percent at the line.
- Named Tennessee 3A Mr. Basketball, the first player from the Northeast part of the state to win Mr. Basketball in its then-37-year history, and selected to the TACA East/West All-Star Game.
- In addition to 5StarPreps.com, was also tabbed Tennessee Player of the Year by Tri-Cities.com and WJHL-TV.
- Aided his team to a 31-6 record and the TSSAA 3A state title, totaling 25 points, seven assists and six rebounds in a a 77-48 championship game victory over Jackson South Side High School.
- Notched 32 points, seven rebounds, two steals, a 6-of-11 3-point clip and a 6-of-6 free-throw mark in a 59-55 state semifinal triumph over Stone Memorial High School, as part of a state tournament MVP run in which he averaged 26.3 points per game.
- Threw down an alley-oop dunk as a senior against Halls High School that made SportsCenter Top 10.
- Averaged 20.8 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.4 steals and 2.3 assists per game as a junior, finishing as a Tennessee 2A Mr. Basketball finalist.
- Helped his team to a 32-6 record, including 17 straight wins to end the year, en route to a TSSAA 2A state crown, the school’s first in the sport.
- Logged 17 points and seven boards, including grabbing the clinching rebound, in a 47-46 win against Jackson South Side High School, finishing his state tournament MVP run at 22.7 points per game.
- Helped his team go 26-6 and reach the TSSAA 2A state tournament, which was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as a sophomore.
- Standout wide receiver, cornerback and return specialist as a prep football player, garnering TSWA 4A All-State and Greeneville Sun All-County honors as a senior to earn him an official congratulatory state resolution.
- Held Power Five football scholarship offers from programs such as Virginia Tech and Vanderbilt.
- Competed on the AAU circuit for B. Maze Elite, a Knoxville-based program run by former Tennessee guard Bobby Maze (2008-10), and played alongside three future Volunteers: B.J. Edwards, Brandon Huntley-Hatfield and Handje Tamba.
PERSONAL
- Full name is Ja’Kobi Broderick Gillespie and nickname is Kobi.
- Born March 10, 2004, in Greeneville, Tenn.
- Parents are Byron Gillespie, a personal trainer, and Heather Johnson, who works at an oil company.
- Father, a defensive lineman, played football at Chattanooga.
- Has two older brothers, Jaevon and Jordon, an adopted older brother, Terry Grove, an older sister, Jocelyn, and a younger sister, Jayla.
- Major is information sciences.
- Enjoys building Legos in his spare time.
- Favorite athlete is Kobe Bryant because he is named after him and he considers him the greatest basketball player ever.
- Best sports memory is, as a junior, winning the first state basketball championship in Greeneville High School history.
- Wears No. 0 because he likes the number.
- Committed to Tennessee over BYU, Kentucky, North Carolina and Villanova.
- Chose Tennessee because it is a great place with amazing people and excellent fans.
- First Volunteer from Greeneville, which is approximately 75 miles east of Knoxville, since Roe Campbell in 1923.
- Gained 11.5 pounds and increased his vertical jump by 3.28 inches during the 2025 offseason at Tennessee.
- Has a plus-4.25 wingspan differential (6-5.25), owns a a max trap bar deadlift of 2.77 times his body weight (520 pounds) and has a max bench press of 275 pounds.
- Recipient of the Earl Keister II Basketball Scholarship Endowment.
MBB | Rick Barnes, Ja'Kobi Gillespie, Grant Hurst & Felix Okpara Postgame vs. Michigan (3.29.26)
Sunday, March 29
MBB | Rick Barnes, Nate Ament, Bishop Boswell & Ethan Burg Media Availability (3.28.26)
Saturday, March 28
MBB | Rick Barnes, Jaylen Carey, Ja'Kobi Gillespie & Felix Okpara Postgame vs. Iowa State (3.27.26)
Saturday, March 28
MBB | Rick Barnes Media Availability (3.26.26)
Thursday, March 26
